Partners
Flanders' FOOD
Flanders' FOOD serves as the innovation platform for the Flemish agri-food sector, with members including businesses, research institutes, organisations, and federations. The organization actively supports food companies in initiating, developing, and implementing innovations in food products, production systems, and new business concepts. Collaboration is integral to their approach, and with the aid of suitable partners and research institutes, they provide valuable information and/or financing to ensure the success of these innovations.
FF is the B-Trust coordinator. Flanders' FOOD (FF) oversees and manages elements influencing contractual terms with the EC and technical activities within the consortium. Its responsibilities encompass achieving project goals, overall project planning, coordinating partners and steering committee meetings, internal and external reporting, documentation, financial management, representation to external stakeholders, and communication with the EC. Additionally, FF actively engages in the project, particularly in contacts and involving various regional 4H actors in co-creation trajectories, capacity building, and engaging workshops.
Food & Bio Cluster Denmark
Food & Bio Cluster Denmark is the largest food and bioeconomy cluster in Europe, formed in 2021 by an amalgamation of four previous clusters. Food & Bio Cluster Denmark has over 450 subscribing member companies and 42 staff, based in 9 offices across the country. Food & Bio Cluster Denmark brings together stakeholders, builds partnerships, support and help with commercialization of new research-based knowledge for increased innovation in Danish food and bioeconomy companies. Food & Bio Cluster Denmark is involved in 150+ events yearly, from small network meetings to large conferences.
FBCD oversees WP3, where they lead the way in organizing workshops and training sessions to boost innovation and roll out a well-tested co-creation programme. They're not just keeping it within EU boundaries – FBCD is reaching out globally to bring in diverse perspectives for B-TRUST. Plus, they're making sure to involve the regional 4H players in the co-creation journeys and other workshops happening on the B-TRUST forum. It's all about fostering a collaborative and diverse atmosphere for innovation within the project.
Alice down the rabbit hole
Alice down the rabbit hole, is an expert in consumer involvement and implementing a multi-actor approach in research, innovation and product development. For this Alice implements a co-creative approach, based on a design thinking methodology, focusing on the user to come to better solutions, while also listening to the visions, solutions and needs of the other stakeholders involved. They have profound expertise in overcoming the challenges that organisations encounter when involving consumers, but also the technical background to support both companies and researchers with the set-up of multi-actor approaches and consumer involvement trajectories.
Alice takes the lead in WP2, "Co-creating for Impact," where they will shape and guide diverse regional co-creation journeys. With a range of biotech cases to serve as an example for involving consumers and other stakeholders, Alice will step beyond the scientific views on potential risks and benefits, and include the percieved risks from all stakeholders. From this, Alice will draw out a guideline for gathering relevant feedback from different types of stakeholders that can facilitate the adoption of biotechnology in different contexts.
Food+i Cluster
This private cluster brings together more than 90 companies, knowledge centres and other entities associated with innovation. The aim is to encourage competition and development within Spain’s Ebro valley food and agriculture industry. It does so by anticipating business trends, using technology, and developing R&D and innovation solutions that are accessible to the European market.
FOOD+i will lead WP4, focusing on Communication, Dissemination, and Community-Building. Leveraging their substantial expertise and hands-on experience, FOOD+i has successfully directed similar initiatives in previous European projects. Their proficiency in this area ensures a well-crafted communication strategy, drawing from valuable insights gained through successful endeavours across Europe.
LAMA
LAMA, a social enterprise, and strategic consulting agency, specializes in supporting projects related to change, innovation, urban regeneration, and social impact. Since 2007, they have assisted businesses, non-profit organizations, and national and international public entities in designing, strategizing, and managing high-impact social projects in Italy and abroad. With expertise in Theory of Change and Monitoring Evaluation and Learning approaches, LAMA has extensive experience in sustainable development, social innovation, and impact assessment. Their collaborations include diverse stakeholders such as public authorities, NGOs, and international organizations, showcasing their ability to coordinate cross-regional collaborations and partnerships
LAMA will leverage its expertise in Theory of Change (ToC) and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) to analyse weak causal links in the project's intervention logic. This analysis aims to identify opportunities for improving activities and enhancing final outcomes and impacts. LAMA will take the lead in WP1, focusing on Scoping and Sourcing for Impact. In this role, they will design the Theory of Change for B-TRUST and thoroughly assess project results and outcomes, ensuring a well-founded and impactful approach.
Flanders.bio
Flanders.bio is a dynamic, member-driven biotechnology organisation with currently more than 340 members from Belgium and abroad. In 2024, the organisation celebrates its 20 years of support for Flemish/Belgian R&D biotech companies. Twenty years of bringing together the biotech ecosystem and building a fertile environment for new ventures to arise, and for young biotech companies to grow and mature in sustainable, midsized companies. They thus have a long-standing history of collaborating with R&D biotech member companies, reflected in their member base. Flanders.bio mainly helps its members to create value by organising networking and training activities, supporting internationalisation, providing services, and building expertise. Flanders.bio and its members want to be the proud advocates of a reputable global-impact ecosystem in life sciences.
Flanders.bio leads WP5, focusing on leveraging the project’s outcomes and embedding them within governance networks. With extensive experience and strong connections in the biotech ecosystem, flanders.bio is a valuable contributor to ensure the project’s success and the forum’s long-term viability. This is especially important as the project aims to: (1) garner widespread support for the co-creation program, (2) create relations to assess potential reductions in investment risk, and (3) organize events and workshops, including through a user-friendly online forum. Flanders.bio’s approach prioritises practicality and effectiveness, aiming for tangible results and sustained impact.
VIB
VIB is recognised as a world-class research institute in life sciences and an exemplary entrepreneurial innovation driver. VIB is a NPO institute in a joint venture with the 5 Flemish universities. The unique combination of strategic basic research and entrepreneurial tech transfer is the major driver of its success. VIB has been committed to catalyse growth of the dynamic biotech cluster in Flanders. Contributing to sustainable agri-food is what drives its plant and microbiology scientists. Together with research partners from Flanders and beyond, innovative insights are developed into agri-food applications and technologies that benefit society. Today, the VIB spin-offs and the research centres are part of one of the world’s major agri-food biotech research and development clusters, employing over 1000 people dedicated to biotechnology.
VIB's focus extends beyond immediate tasks; they are committed to fostering the long-term success of the B-TRUST project and safeguarding the scientific validity throughout the entire project. Their dedication lies in scientific support and advice regarding the different biotech co-creation cases, the risk-benefit assessment and the selection criteria. Moreover, VIB will tap into its extensive network to engage different stakeholders and boost the project's long-term sustainability. Finally, VIB will apply its experience in stakeholder engagement and involvement activities to support the co-creation methodology.
