The valorization of biomass at the heart of the Fribourg Network Freiburg 2021
“Nothing is lost, everything is transformed!” The bioeconomy takes this principle literally. Flax-based composite materials in Formula 1 racing car seats, chicken feathers transformed into sustainable packaging or vanilla flavoring made from hazelnut shells: these are just a few concrete examples of the possibilities of the bioeconomy in the canton of Fribourg. The 2021 edition of Fribourg Network Freiburg, the business magazine of the canton of Fribourg, explores the many facets of the bioeconomy through innovative examples. The magazine was unveiled at an event organized by the Fribourg Development Agency at the Swiss Campus for Agri and Food Innovation (AgriCo) in St-Aubin.
The bioeconomy encompasses all the activities of production, transformation, and valorization of biomass for the production of foodstuffs or innovative molecules and materials. It covers fields as diverse as food processing, construction, and biotechnology.
At a time when the challenges of climate change require innovative solutions, the canton of Fribourg has decided to make the bioeconomy one of the priorities of its economic strategy. To do so, it can rely on its rural past and its agri-food tradition, as well as on high-potential sectors such as biotechnology. As a reminder, the bioeconomy represents 30% of the canton’s GDP and 36% of its jobs.
Targeted investments have enabled the creation and development of research institutes, competence centers and innovation sites, such as the Smart Living Lab, a research center for the habitat of tomorrow, or the Biofactory Competence Center, providing training, technical consulting and modular system design to the biopharmaceutical industry.
According to Olivier Curty, State Councillor, Minister of Economic Affairs of the canton of Fribourg: “This exceptional dynamism reflects the cantonal government’s desire to support, through the bioeconomy, the pillars of the local economy such as the construction and agri-food sectors, but also strategic niche sectors such as human nutrition, bio-based products, and biotechnologies. The major investments currently being made on the AgriCo campus in St-Aubin are part of this ambitious economic development strategy.”
Launch event
The 2021 edition of Fribourg Network Freiburg was unveiled at a round table organized by the Fribourg Development Agency on Thursday, September 2, 2021 at the Swiss Campus for Agri and Food Innovation (AgriCo) in St. Aubin. Representatives of promising companies from the canton of Fribourg shared their experiences, in the presence of Sascha Heiniger, Head of Polestar Switzerland, among others. For Jerry Krattiger, Managing Director of the Fribourg Development Agency, “The collaboration between Bcomp and Polestar is an exciting example of how the bioeconomy offers many opportunities. I can only motivate Fribourg companies to seize them.”
You can find the entire debate at https://youtu.be/gXx3jOXM2eo
Fribourg Network Freiburg is continuing the formula successfully introduced last year. The business magazine of the canton of Fribourg has a tighter pagination and is strengthening its digital presence. FNF is now printed in English only. The 1,500 copies will be distributed to the international business community, Swiss embassies, and consulates abroad, as well as to the most important accounting firms and economic agencies in Europe, America. and Asia.
The digital version in French, German and English is being enhanced. The website www.fribourgnetwork.ch will be enriched throughout the year with new editorial content and videos. The magazine will be available from September 2, 2021.