Bio4MatPro in the Model Region Bioeconomy

Part of the Research Network "Modellregion Bioökonomie im Rheinischen Revier"

As part of a sustainable structural change in the former Rhenish Mining Area, innovative value chains and business models are to be established, promoting the creation of new, future-oriented jobs. The German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR, formerly BMBF) is therefore investing 72 million euros in the first funding phase of the research association "Modellregion Bioökonomie im Rheinischen Revier" (Model Region Bioeconomy in the former Rhenish Mining Area).

Here, the phase-out of coal mining is not only considered a necessary change, but also treated as an opportunity to turn the former Rhenish Mining Area into a paragon of climate neutrality and sustainable value creation.

Two pioneering flagship projects, the Bio4MatPro Competence Center and the BioökonomieREVIER innovation cluster, provide impetus for the transformative development. In parallel, the accompanying project Bioökonomie Verstehen. Verbinden. Unterstützen explores the success factors for a smooth transformation process.

Further information on the research association

Click on a segment of the logo to be redirected directly to the website of the respective project.

Collaborative Research and Development

A strong network spanning industry and academia

Bio4MatPro brings together an exceptional network of 50 partners. We draw on the expertise of major corporations, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and leading scientists.

Overview of our partners

Sustainable Use of Resources and Innovation Approaches

Our shared goal is the biological transformation of industries, such as textiles, chemicals, medical technology and consumer goods as well as lightweight construction, by transforming materials science and production technology.

By using local, renewable resources instead of petrochemical-based raw materials, we want to develop the region into a resource-efficient showcase for bioeconomy and thus make a significant contribution to the environmentally friendly use of resources.

However, to achieve this, current product concepts and production technologies must be revised to manufacture products ecologically and economically in a sustainable industrial value chain and use them in a circular economy. This is why the development of new production technologies is a central focus of Bio4MatPro.

A stylistic representation of Bio4MatPro's goals, showing a production chain from biological raw materials, through the biological transformation of industrial processes, towards new objectives.

To turn this vision into reality, approximately 150 employees from a wide range of disciplines are working in our first funding phase at our six BoostLabs, which are organized thematically into three overarching focus areas. In total, we are working on 23 individual research and development projects.

To the research projects

Innovative paths into the future: Discover new growth opportunities

It takes more to achieve a successful structural change in the region!

In addition to innovative key technologies, products with high added value and sustainable value chains, we need new infrastructure that enables us to close the gap between academic laboratory and industrial scale.

For this reason, we plan to install a translational research laboratory as well as establish our sister project The Materials Lab Incubator at the Internationales Technologie- und Servicecenter (its) Baesweiler to promote innovative business models and create new jobs in the former Rhenish Mining Area in the long term.