What we achieve

Stay updated on our journey and explore this section to discover our main results, deliverables, and project outcomes.

Baseline Study

Deliverable 1.3: Euro-MED Bioeconomy Ecosystem & Collaborative Spaces

This baseline study maps and analyzes the innovation landscape across seven partner regions in six Euro-MED countries, laying the foundation for SoleMED’s future actions. By combining data on support infrastructures and local bioeconomy enterprises, the study paints a detailed picture of the Mediterranean ecosystem, highlighting its regional strengths, operational gaps, and opportunities for cross-border cooperation.

Key Highlights & Findings

– A dense support network: mapped 263 collaborative spaces – ranging from Open Labs and Innovation Hubs to Coworking spaces – offering tailored services like incubation, mentoring, digital transformation, and prototyping facilities.
– A solid entrepreneurial base: evaluated 652 start-ups and MSMEs driving sustainable value chains in agri-food, bio-based products, circular waste management, and renewable energy.
– Regional complementarity: uncovered a rich, diverse mosaic of ecosystems – from dynamic start-up hubs in Catalonia and large-scale manufacturing networks in Emilia-Romagna, to Sofia’s centralized metropolitan cluster and specialized bioenergy nodes in Thessaly.

Why It Matters for SoleMED

Far from being a static research report, this baseline study acts as an operational roadmap. It provides the essential knowledge base needed to tailor upcoming project activities, bridge regional innovation gaps, and lay the groundwork for the Bio-Economy Startup Creation Lab for young entrepreneurs.

Baseline study

Memorandum of Understanding

We are proud to share a major milestone in the development of the Sole MED Open Labs Network. On the occasion of our 4th Transnational Meeting in Banja Luka, all seven core project partners officially signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing a unified foundation for cross-border collaboration across the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Why the MoU Matters

The MoU serves as a non-binding cooperation framework designed to anchor and expand our transnational network of Open Labs – collaborative spaces dedicated to open innovation and knowledge sharing in the circular bioeconomy. It defines our shared vision, core principles, and modalities of collaboration, ensuring that our collective work continues to generate impact well beyond the project’s funding period.

Built on Five Core Principles

The Sole MED Open Labs Network is guided by five key pillars:

Open Innovation: fostering open collaboration and knowledge exchange between startups, research centres, and public institutions.
Transnational Cooperation: sharing tools, methodologies, and best practices across Mediterranean territories to support green entrepreneurship.
Bioeconomy Focus: promoting initiatives centered on the sustainable use of natural and biological resources.
Inclusiveness: making innovation infrastructures and mentorship accessible to young people and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Sustainability: driving business models that contribute directly to the green transition and long-term economic development.

Expanding the Ecosystem: Join Our Network

The official signatures by our project partners – representing Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina – mark just the first step. Moving forward, the MoU will be extended to Associated Organisations and Collaborating Stakeholders (including innovation hubs, SMEs, universities, incubators, accelerators, and chambers of commerce) across all partner regions.

By bringing together key actors from regional ecosystems, we are preparing the ground for upcoming joint initiatives, including the rollout of our Bioeconomy Start-up Creation Lab (SUCL) and long-term regional cooperation.

Explore the photo gallery below to see the official signatures from each partner organization that seal our commitment to a smarter, greener Mediterranean region!