Welcome back to the Engage4BIO newsletter! We are excited to tell you about Engage4BIO’s updates, activities, and opportunities from across our regional Hubs.

In this 4th issue of our newsletter, we are happy to share pictures and reflections on the event "This is Bioeconomy!" International Design Award, one of our key initiative that invited creatives and innovators to explore bio-based solutions for the green transition.

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On the 26th of March, Engage4BIO celebrated the winners and participants of the “This is Bioeconomy!” International Design Award. The Ceremony took place in Budapest, on the premises of Project Partner MOME, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design.  The “This is Bioeconomy!” International Design Award was launched as one of Engage4BIO’s flagship initiatives to connect design, sustainability, and innovation. The goal was to engage students, young professionals, and creative thinkers in developing bio-based solutions that are practical, scalable, and regionally relevant.

The award not only showcased new ideas, but also demonstrated how art and design can be powerful tools to communicate bioeconomy concepts to wider communities. It brought together innovators from different backgrounds, creating a shared platform to exchange visions for a greener, more sustainable future.

All selected applicants then received a certificate attesting to their accomplishment and their prize.

Engage4BIO thanks all participants and congratulates them on their excellent work.

Please read further information on "This is Bioeconomy” International Design Award - Engage4BIO

Below the list of the shortlisted applications: 

• Adonis Evangelista, Biodegradable Vases project.

• Christopher William Bellamy,

Bioluminescent licing material project.

• Fuzzy Earth, My Own Inner Trilobite workshop.

• Gabriella Maczák, Corn Husk Paper project – Sustainable Paper from

Agricultural By-products.

• Jeremy Leung, TAD– Ternary Amplitude Diffusion project .

• Jessica Dias and Annah-Ololade Sangosanya, Pure Hyphae.

• Leja Rebolj, Pomter project.

• Mattia Anderle, 3D printing with BIOPASTE/waste to biodegradable material.

• Nóra Gulya, Sustastic Effects project.

• Panna Jójárt, Green Cradle project.

• Perla Armaly-Bathish and Yuval Berger, CyanoCementation project.

• Samire Gurgurovci, Myco-bricks project.

• Satu Paavonsalo, Valentin Schwarz, Dr. Ziba Fathi, and Jenni Roivas, Bubbles with Benefits project.

THE RUNNER UP PROJECT OF THE DESIGN AWARD IS:

LeväLinna project by Jordan Danae Dornak, Karen Charlot-Wauquier, and Yuki Yamamoto. 

AND FINALLY, THE WINNER OF THE DESIGN AWARD IS:

VillaInno project by the Felted Futures Team! 

This project was celebrated for its creativity and real-world impact.

“Felted Futures: Crafting Sustainable Spaces in the Arctic” was developed by a multicultural group of women researchers, designers, and architects from the University of Lapland.

The project bridges traditional horse-felting techniques and Indigenous knowledge with contemporary architectural design to create sustainable wool-felted shelters. By repurposing discarded local wool, the team supports rural economies, promotes circular bioeconomy practices, and revitalises ancestral craft traditions.

More than a design concept, Felted Futures demonstrates how culturally embedded crafts can inspire innovative architectural solutions that foster sustainability, resilience, and cultural significance in the Arctic context.

Watch the video here and read more about the winners.

Head to our website to learn more about these projects. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The award winners are joining us today at the final Engage4BIO consortium meeting in Helsinki (24th of September), where in the evening they will present their work and take part in discussions, exploring together the questions on:

How can art contribute to public discourse and awareness?

How to build a bridge from an artistic project to the value chain?

These conversations promise to be a fascinating exchange between creativity, science, and society, and will mark an inspiring milestone as Engage4BIO reaches its conclusion. 
We will share reflections and highlights from this dialogue in our next issue.

Another important milestone was the Cross-Fertilisation Workshop, where Engage4BIO partners and associate partners worked together to exchange experiences and reflect on progress. This workshop was performed during our last consortium meeting in March 2025.

The workshop went beyond sharing updates:

• We discussed 89 activities carried out across hubs and identified common lessons and challenges.

• We engaged in a meaningful dialogue with external partners, who enriched the discussion with fresh perspectives.

• Together, we co-developed policy recommendations, which will be published soon as part of our exploitation and sustainability work.

This workshop was a crucial step in ensuring that Engage4BIO’s results contribute not only to local activities but also to broader European discussions on how to strengthen the bioeconomy through creativity and collaboration. In particular, the Consortium was interested in receiving feedback on three blocks of activities:

Skills development: training for the bioeconomy

Awareness raising and communication campaigns

Innovative governance

Thanks to the invaluable feedback from the Associate Partners, the Engage4BIO Consortium gained a clear understanding of what has worked well, as well as which areas may require further fine-tuning.

We wholeheartedly thank the Associate Partners for joining us at the Workshop and for their active participation and enthusiasm, which led to the acquisition of invaluable feedback on our work.

We thank all participants, partners, and supporters who continue to contribute to Engage4BIO’s mission. Together, we are building stronger connections between science, art, and innovation — paving the way for a sustainable bioeconomy future.

• "Information and networking event on the topic of natural fibers" took place on the 28th of April. The event was aimed at giving insights into the use of natural fibers and their value chain.

• The "Zukunftsforum OÖ (Future Forum Upper Austria)" took place in the 8th of April in Linz. The event focused on strengthening resilience across regional development, businesses, and the workforce. Engage4BIO activities were presented to more than 500 stakeholders. 

• Influencer campaign to raise awareness on sustainable packaging and sorting.

• LEGO® Serious Play® workshop to explore and develop innovative approaches to consumer engagement and promote the uptake of citizen science methods.

• Collaboration with Finnish Packaging Assosiation’s magazine about the results gained in the project. Article of the the Sustainable Packaging course arranged by Metropolia is available in Finnish here.

• The STAR4BBS, Engage4BIO and SUSTCERT4BIO projects organised an online training on “Navigating the CSR Directive” .

• HOW learning environment as a part of museum exhibition and STEM education for school children.

• "This is Bioeconomy!" International Design Award Ceremony in Budapest.

• May 22nd, 2025, from 13 to 14.30 CET: "From Niche to Mainstream: the Strategic Rise of Upcycled Food in Retail". Online webinar organized by BZN and TransFoodmission.

.• May 27th, 2025 "Design Solution for Biomass Valorization" - Online Webinar Facilitated by MOME. The event will take place from 17 to 18.30 CET. 

• Art Events organized by UNIPA to focus on local resources and art in Sicily. “L’azzurro Cilindro” by Gianni Gebbia and “Reti di Terra” by Gandolfo David.

• The Italian Hub organized two more art events: "Cooking and consumer test of new Marine biobased products realized in the living lab", and the video installation on sustainable consumption of marine resources. 

• Circular textiles pop-up-expo Week of Circular Economy.

• Circular Textiles Safari, event organized by the Netherlands Hub to show policymakers the value chain and potential circular options. The goal is to explore potential implementations for the Green Metropolitan Region. More details coming soon on our website and social media.

More exciting news to share! We co-hosted our Final Event, "The Sustainable Futures Conference", on the 26th of June 2025 with 3 other projects. In our next newsletter, we will share some pictures and some insights from the conference. Stay tuned!

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