On 20.01, the second meeting of the future regional bioeconomy hub - Plovdiv is taking place. The initiator of the initiative is Agrarian University - Plovdiv, represented by the rector, Prof. Dr. Hristina Yancheva, the vice-rector for scientific and project activities, Prof. Vladislav Popov, Ph.D., and Associate Professor, Dr. Petar Borisov. They welcome the participants in the meeting - representatives of the public and private sectors, who show interest and desire to support the venture during the first meeting on the topic in November 2022.

Prof. Hristina Yancheva presented to the participants the accession of the Agricultural University - Plovdiv as a full partner in BIOEAST Bioeconomy Educational Hub - an educational network of six European universities in the field of bioeconomy  (https://bioeast.eu/2022/12/16/conference-conclusion-bioeconomy-education-a-bioeast-perspective-setting-the-bioeast-universities-network/ ).The aim of the network created by the Development Initiative for the Knowledge-Based Bioeconomy in Central and Eastern European Countries BIOEAST is to increase the level of education and scientific capacity in the Member States and to transfer knowledge and skills. Prof. Yancheva emphasized that for the development of this area so important for Europe and the world - the circular bioeconomy - high-quality education is needed. Unfortunately, in many countries, including Bulgaria, the capacity for such development is insufficient. For this purpose, Agrarian University - Plovdiv has been actively developing bioeconomy training programs for several years with the assistance of leading European universities - in Wageningen, the Netherlands, in Dublin, Ireland and in Bologna, Italy, whose scientists also train our teachers. With the newly opened bioeconomy courses and with its membership in the educational network BIOEAST and the European university alliance UNIgreen, Agricultural University - Plovdiv sets the ambitious goal in Bulgaria of becoming a national center for the bioeconomy, as well as working to include the specialty in the register of the professions.

The creation of a regional bioeconomy hub in the Plovdiv region is the logical continuation of the goals set by the university. Prof. Vladislav Popov emphasized that such type of organizations of higher schools, companies in the field of agro-food, forest and bio-based resources, professional branch organizations and state, scientific and public institutions already exist in Europe, as the European Commission's aspiration is to create at least 100 "living laboratories" in agroecology and bioeconomy in different countries in the coming years. Hub members will be able to contribute to its activities with their knowledge and practical experience, as well as represent the interests and vision of their communities regarding bio-based solutions, technologies and good practices for recycling organic products and substances; employees will be trained and the capacity of managers will be increased.

Mrs. Mariyana Hamanova from Cleantech, a partner of the Agricultural University in the EIT Food Hub-Bulgaria, added that one of the main tasks of the future hub will be to develop innovative tools, technologies and materials to create a circular economy at the regional level compared to the local ones needs to be tested, demonstrated and implemented directly at local businesses. Different business models will also be developed, involving other actors along the value chain, with a view to eliminating inefficient processes and incorporating new, efficient ones in the context of the circular economy.

Karina Angelieva, former Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth, pointed out the importance of the real impact of the hub, namely concrete, measurable and qualitative results for the local economy, agriculture, industry, education. According to her, it is necessary to create a working regional ecosystem composed of academic and scientific institutions, business, public bodies and regional authorities, end users and civil organizations. She suggested that the first working year of the creation of the hub should be devoted to the development of pilot research projects that would be tested in real business conditions and be applicable to the specific needs of the field. Competitions could also be initiated for young entrepreneurs and scientists to develop solutions and even create startups.

Mrs. Angelieva noted the need to develop a regional bioeconomy innovation strategy with the help of local authorities. She agreed that education in the field of bioeconomy and promotion of the profession is extremely important for development. She is of the opinion that the hub should be a regional center for communication and information regarding access to financing for investments in the circular economy and sharing of good practices. An important condition for the success of the initiative is also to have investments in a physical research infrastructure, a technology center where the development and testing of solutions takes place. Mrs. Angelieva expressed hope that the Plovdiv regional hub will be able to apply under the Horizon Europe program for the coordinating center of a network of bioeconomy hubs in the Balkan region in 2024.

Prof. Vladislav Popov added that the work of Agrarian University-Plovdiv on integrating knowledge and activities on bioeconomy at the local and European level started already in 2016 and it is time to put actions into practice in Bulgaria.

All participants united around the idea of registering a legal form of the Regional Hub and for further work in thematic working groups in sub-areas of the regional bioeconomy.

The meeting continued with the online inclusion of leading scientists from the universities in Wageningen, the Netherlands and the Bioeconomy Center BIOrbic, Ireland, who are partners in the joint project of the Agricultural University - Plovdiv CAPBIO4BG - part of the National Program of the Ministry of Education and Science "European Scientific Networks".

Topics of mutual interest related to the mapping of the bioeconomy in the region, the renewed strategy for scientific research in the field of bioeconomy of the Agricultural University - Plovdiv, as well as guidelines for the development of the bioeconomy in Bulgaria were discussed with the participants of the Regional Hub - Plovdiv.