Bioeconomy GIANTS

FosterinG collaboratIon among primAry producers and beyoNd to promoTe Sustainable growth

The GIANTS project aims to enhance collaboration between primary producers, rural actors, and bio-based industries to accelerate Europe’s transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. Through the implementation of a robust multi-actor approach (MAA), the project fosters innovative cooperation models and circular bio-based business practices to maximize the use of agricultural, forestry, and agri-food by-products.

GIANTS addresses the pressing need to fully integrate primary producers—such as farmers and foresters—into the bioeconomy, shifting their role from being mere biomass suppliers to becoming pivotal stakeholders within the bio-based value chain. The project will engage over 80 primary producers, bringing them closer to innovative cooperative and circular bio-based business models (CCBBMs). To achieve this, GIANTS will offer the community:

1. Tailored capacity-building programs designed to create wider value networks,
2. Direct financial support via two Open Calls to support the piloting and scaling-up of new bio-based solutions,
3. Dedicated decision-making tools, including Impact Shift, a well-established environmental self-assessment tool, and Coompy, a tool developed specifically within the GIANTS framework to address governance aspects of these cooperation models.

Access to the comprehensive program developed by GIANTS, along with its integrated support tools, will empower stakeholders to effectively design and implement long-term CCBBMs. These resources, working in synergy, will accelerate the introduction of 30+ new bio-based products to the market, contributing up to 20% reduction in life-cycle impacts and generating over 130 direct jobs while driving more than €44M in annual sales. By reducing reliance on fossil resources, GIANTS will play a crucial role in building a competitive, sustainable, and resilient bioeconomy across Europe.

CLICK HERE to READ the FIRST PRESS RELEASE by Bioeconomy GIANTS (June 2025).

ACTIVITIES of the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant

• Support in Value Chain Mapping and Technology Assessment for secondary biomass at the regional level.​ 
• Ecosystem analysis and key stakeholders identification​. 
• Provide an Ecosystem Training Program: training material “Scaling up potential” & express counselling service. ​ 
• Leading Bioeconomy Bootcamp: outreach training event for developing proposals,​ centred within the “Pitch Perfect and Boost the European Bioeconomy” event and incl. travel vouchers for primary production sector​. 
• Specific support program for scaling-up and piloting: tailored support for the awarded consortia, ​designed to enhance their scaling-up and piloting efforts.​ 
• Dissemination & Communication, multi stakeholder approach, liase with other project, policies. 

PARTNERS

• Cluster Food+i, ES (Coordinator)
• circe, ES
• ainia, ES
• European Forest Institute, FI
• Wageningen University, Dept. Business Management & Organisation, NL
• Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, BE
• APRE, IT
• FLANDERS’ FOOD, BE
• CNTA, ES
• ENCO, IT
• Cluster Industrial Biotechnology – CLIB, DE
• Cluster Italia Foresta Legno, IT
  • Universita degli Studi della Basilicata, unibas, IT
  • Universita degli Studi della Tuscia, IT
• Q-Plan International Advisors, GR
• BIOEAST Hub, CZ
• Climate-KIC International Foundation, NL

SUPPORTED by

The project is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and its members.

Disclaimer Art 17.3. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CBE JU. Neither the European Union, nor CBE JU can be held responsible for them.