University-Industry Relationships in the Bioeconomy Innovation System of Denmark

Abstract

Creation of new innovative processes and products within the high frequency of small and medium size enterprises in collaboration with academia can unfold a large potential that can diminish some of the consequences of the four major crises comprising the environmental crises, the food crises, the energy crises, and the economic crises. To unfold this potential the gap between SME’s and academia must be bridged. Combining university research and industrial knowhow in an effort to develop holistic, environmentally friendly and economically feasible technologies for optimal processing of agricultural products may result in sustainable production of high value food and feed ingredients as well as bioenergy and non-food products. The technologies must ensure optimal use of natural resources as well as having focus on quality in all parts of the supply chain and thereby increasing the overall economic feasibility of the process. The challenge thereby appears that the processing has to be defined by numerous quality standards which needs to be prioritized by considering parameters like environmental impact, minimizing the formation of waste and optimizing the product portfolio and the profitability. Involving SME’s in industrial collaboration ecosystems facilitated by academia, where the residual product of one enterprise is used as a resource by another may serve as a potential solution for utilizing the competences of these companies and the public research in a sustainable bio-economy.