Turning one company’s waste into another’s resource: this is the principle behind SYMBIO - Shaping symbiosis in bio-based industrial ecosystems based on circular bydesign supply chains (https://www.symbioproject.eu/), a Horizon Europe-funded project coordinated by the Lombardy Green Chemistry Association (LGCA). Its goal is to create zero-waste value chains that maximise the use of agricultural and industrial residues, cut CO₂ emissions, and reduce dependence on fossil resources.
With this approach, SYMBIO translates the ambitions of the European Green Deal into practice, combining competitiveness, innovation, and sustainability. The project adopts a quadruple helix model – industry, research, policy, and society – reinforced by digital intelligence tools that use big data and AI to design and monitor replicable business models (European Commission, 2019).
SYMBIO is not a theory but a concrete experiment taking place in 12 pilot regions across 6 European countries. In Italy, activities are concentrated in Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Emilia-Romagna. Abroad, they are also found in Carinthia (Austria), as well as in clusters in Slovenia and Croatia, Andalusia (Spain), and Belgium’s three regions. Each area maps biomass flows, infrastructures, and industrial capacity to build bio-based value chains rooted in local resources but designed for European scalability. By 2027, the project will validate 10 zero-waste business models, which will be ready to be replicated across the EU.
Crucial to the project's implementation is its diverse and collaborative partner network. The project is coordinated by the Lombardy Green Chemistry Association (LGCA) in Italy and includes eight core partner organizations across Europe: ANTEJA ECG D.O.O. (Slovenia), Fundación Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía (Spain), Alchemia Nova Research & Innovation Gemeinnützige GmbH (Austria), BABEG – Kärntner Betriebsansiedlungs- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft m.b.H. (Austria), Hrvatski drvni klaster (Croatia), Startup Europe Regions Network (Belgium), Cardiff Metropolitan University (United Kingdom), and AB Corporation (partner for business model development)
Policies, Training, and Artificial Intelligence
The project unfolds within a decisive moment for Europe’s bioeconomy policy. The European Green Deal sets the course towards climate neutrality by 2050, while the ongoing revision of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy (2025) aims to integrate industrial competitiveness, food security, and climate goals into a coherent framework (Joint Research Centre, 2024). Yet, the challenges remain significant: fragmented governance, uneven adoption of national bioeconomy strategies, and persistent barriers in biomass availability, traceability, and market competitiveness of bio-based products.
SYMBIO responds to these challenges by bridging the gaps between policy, business, and technology. A crucial element is the integration of VCG.AI - Value Chain Generator (https://vcg.ai/), an AI-powered platform that identifies, models, and optimises zero-waste value chains. Its BioLink® engine connects biomass availability, technological options, and potential markets, drastically shortening the time needed to design new value chains while minimising risks of inefficiency. This ensures that regions and enterprises can quickly test, validate, and refine new business ideas grounded in circularity.
To strengthen adoption, SYMBIO places strong emphasis on capacity building and training.
Each pilot country hosts two-day participatory workshops, during which SMEs, cluster managers, and regional stakeholders learn to integrate social value indicators, apply sustainability assessment tools (LCA, LCC, ESG reporting), and use VCG.AI to design business models tailored to local feedstocks and industries. Coaching mechanisms extend this learning by providing ongoing support, ensuring that enterprises move from theoretical knowledge to investment-ready strategies. In this way, SYMBIO not only validates technological feasibility but also builds the entrepreneurial and managerial skills required to sustain long-term adoption of circular bio-based solutions.
Twelve Bio-Based Products and Ten Zero-Waste Business Models
The core of SYMBIO lies in 12 bio-based products with high potential to replace fossil inputs, boost local development, and cut environmental impacts. Lactic acid, a key component of polylactic acid (PLA), which is already used in packaging and textiles, is expected to exceed USD 5.2 billion by 2030 (MarketsandMarkets, 2023). Glycerol, a versatile by-product of vegetable oils, could reach USD 5.1 billion by 2031 (Allied Market Research, 2023). Succinic acid, derived from residues, is projected to reach USD 183 million by 2030 (Global Market Insights, 2025), while acetic acid already represents a USD 21 billion market (Grand View Research, 2024). Adipic acid, a key component in nylon and polyurethanes, is valued at USD 5.5 billion in 2024 (Fortune Business Insights, 2025).
Biopolymers like PLA and PHAs, the latter produced from municipal waste, highlight the disruptive potential of circular materials, with the global bioplastics market set to surpass USD 25 billion by 2030 (Research & Markets, 2025). Other functional molecules include 1,3-propanediol, lysine, glutamic acid, furfural, and sorbitol, all with cross-sectoral applications.
By validating 10 zero-waste business models around these products, SYMBIO goes beyond product identification: it delivers scalable, investment-ready strategies that show how industrial symbiosis can drive climate neutrality and a resilient European bioeconomy.
