Circular economy connects Biovalley
Biovalley, located in Central Ostrobothnia, is a center of expertise in circular economy, bioeconomy and chemistry, where the region is being developed in such a way that natural resources improve the quality of life and business life sustainably. The combination of chemistry, mineral economy and rural industries as a profile of smart specialisation is unique and distinguishes the region from other regions in Finland and Europe.
Biovalley involves 23 organisations, whose common goal and extensive networks create good conditions for various development platforms and cooperation. Biovalley combines industrial applications, diverse primary production and high-quality expertise. Biovalley is the largest concentration of inorganic chemical industry in Northern Europe and we are pioneers in the circular economy. Education and research support diverse business operations and battery chemical expertise is of an internationally high standard.
Biovalley is accelerating the internationalisation of Central Ostrobothnia
Biovalley Finland project, which started in summer 2019, is a support and promotion project aimed at internationalisation of Biovalley. The goal is for Biovalley to become an internationally attractive circular economy ecosystem, creating new businesses, jobs and investments. The result of the project is a strong circular economy area in which the three industries, the chemical industry, primary production and the extractive industry, operate synergistically.
The Biovalley Finland project supports joint content research and development work in the region, as well as the product development of companies. During the project, events will be organized from both a business and research perspective; A key part of promoting the visibility of Biovalley is the Kokkola Material Week event, which brings together the excellence of the chemical industry, bioeconomy and mineral economy every year. As a result of the Biovalley Finland project, the visibility of Biovalley will increase nationally and internationally. In order to develop international co-operation, Biovalley collaborators are planning to build co-operation within the framework of the international Vanguard Initiative network and to apply for a bronze cluster label from ESCA. Biovalley will also apply for the European Cluster Collaboration Platform in order to facilitate international networking and cluster development.
Kokkola Material Week is an annual high-level networking event that includes a review of current research and development prospects in the chemical industry, bioeconomy and mineral economy. The event has been organized successfully since 2013. The next Kokkola Material Week will be held from 7 to 12 November 2020.
For more information
Tiina Aittola
Biovalley coordinator
Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius
tiina.aittola(at)chydenius.fi
+35840 6695151