RuralBioUp qualitative data sets

MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 1 H1_hub 1 2 Samire Gurgurovci: Thank you. I think it's quite informative. Maybe we can skip some questions for the interview and focus on what happened behind the scenes, especially during the different phases of the project. For example, in the preparatory phase when you were identifying the scope and objectives, what were the main challenges at the beginning? How did you identify the objectives before engaging with stakeholders? 3 H1: The objectives were already set when we started the project. All the hubs have the same objectives, but we adapted them based on our local situation. 4 Margit Hofer: Did you have a predefined topic for each hub? Was it broad or rather narrow? Is it more beneficial to have a very specific objective or a broader topic that you refine along the way? 5 H1: It was very specific. When we applied for the proposal, we had already selected value chains and focused only on plant-related topics. We worked exclusively on plant byproducts, which we divided into two categories: food-related and non-food-related. This focus was defined from the beginning. 6 Margit Hofer: Do you think starting with a very specific objective was an advantage? 7 H1: It worked for us because we already had the network and topic in place. It might not be the same for others, but it was beneficial in our case. 8 Samire Gurgurovci: Was the network already established? Did you include stakeholders as the project progressed? MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 2 9 H1: Yes, we conducted initial mapping at the start of the project. For each event, new participants were included. The mapping is an ongoing process, and we invite new actors to annual events. 10 Samire Gurgurovci: How do you prioritize which actors to involve in specific activities? 11 H1-2It depends on their interest and the relevance to the project’s objectives. Most join voluntarily. 12 Samire Gurgurovci: Do you have methodologies to keep stakeholders engaged? 13 H1-2Sometimes the right person inviting them helps bring them in. 14 H1: We communicate extensively before events and collaborate with local actors to select the best topics and locations. This ongoing communication helps maintain engagement. 15 Samire Gurgurovci: What is the best way to communicate with stakeholders for a new bioeconomy hub? 16 H1: Online training doesn’t work. Face-to-face meetings are much more effective. 17 Samire Gurgurovci: Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently to engage stakeholders? 18 H1: We should have asked hub members to share project information with their partners from the beginning. Expanding beyond our immediate network would have helped reach more people. 19 Samire Gurgurovci: What feedback did you receive from stakeholders on good practices for engagement? MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 3 20 H1: On-site events and pre-selected topic-based training sessions worked well. B2B meetings and creating face-to-face synergies were especially effective. 21 Samire Gurgurovci: Co-organizing events with other stakeholders—did that help? 22 H1: Yes, co-organizing worked well. It attracted more participants and allowed for broader engagement. 23 Margit Hofer: Why did matchmaking events work so well? 24 H1: There’s a need for such events because they offer business opportunities and help match producers and users of by-products. These smaller sessions allow for focused discussions. 25 Samire Gurgurovci: Did you face any challenges when implementing activities? 26 H1: One major challenge was the size of the regions. Both hubs cover large areas, making it difficult for people to travel for a one-day meeting. Online training didn’t work well either. 27 Samire Gurgurovci: Why didn’t online training work? 28 H1: We had two types of online training: one in French on specific bio-economy topics, which worked well. However, generic workshops in English didn’t attract participants due to language barriers and the oversaturation of similar EU project offerings. 29 Samire Gurgurovci: If you could do things differently, what would you change? 30 H1: In the West Hub, we had two EU projects on the same topic from the same call starting simultaneously. It would have been better to have one common project to avoid duplication. Better coordination at the EU level would have helped. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 4 31 Margit Hofer: Were the on-site meetings and study visits helpful? 32 H1: Yes, they were appreciated. We hosted partners from an EU hemp project and organized local study visits. Combining study visits with hub meetings made the events more valuable for participants. 33 Margit Hofer: What are the five most important things to consider when organizing activities? 34 H1-2Location is crucial—easy to reach and centrally located. 35 H1: It’s also important to balance participant profiles to encourage diverse exchanges. Allow time for discussions, propose various formats like flash presentations and B2B meetings, and co-organize with other stakeholders. 36 H1-3: Mixing formats is a good practice. B2B meetings, study visits, and collective networking work well together. 37 Samire Gurgurovci: What strategies have you considered to ensure the project’s longterm sustainability? 38 H1: We plan to apply for regional, national, and EU funding to continue the work. This topic is already a core focus of our cluster, so we will maintain activities even without external funding, albeit on a smaller scale. 39 Margit Hofer: How did you align activities among diverse stakeholders? 40 H1: It wasn’t difficult. We had sessions for all types of actors, with no compulsory participation. Everyone wanted to make the most of these opportunities. 41 Samire Gurgurovci: What gaps do you see in strengthening the bio-economy in Europe? MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 5 42 H1-2Funding for bio-economy hubs is essential to develop activities and expand the field. 43 Samire Gurgurovci: Is there anything we missed or that you’d like to add? 44 H1: We have a second video on the second hub, which we will share. The work is similar but adapted to each region’s specific needs. 45 Margit Hofer: Thank you for your time. The videos are impressive, and it’s remarkable how you managed two hubs simultaneously. We’ll send you a summary and anonymized transcript for review. 46 H1: Thank you. 47 H1-3: Thank you. 48 H1-2Have a nice week! 49 Summary: 50 Summary of Lessons Learned from the Interview 51 1. Clear Objectives from the Start 52 o Having predefined, specific objectives and value chains helped the project stay focused. Working exclusively on plant by-products and dividing them into food-related and non-food-related categories was beneficial. 53 1. Importance of Existing Networks 54 o Starting with an established network made it easier to engage stakeholders and implement project objectives effectively. 55 1. Continuous Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 6 56 o Stakeholder mapping is an ongoing process. New participants are invited to events every year, ensuring continuous growth and diversity in engagement. 57 1. Prioritizing Stakeholder Involvement Based on Interest 58 o Stakeholder interest and relevance to project objectives are key factors in prioritizing involvement. Most stakeholders join voluntarily. 59 1. Effective Communication and Collaboration 60 o Communication with local actors and co-organizing events with other stakeholders are crucial. This ensures relevance and increases participation. 61 o Online training was generally ineffective. Face-to-face meetings and local events worked far better for stakeholder engagement. 62 1. Challenges in Large Geographic Areas 63 o The size of the regions posed logistical challenges. Traveling long distances for one-day meetings was difficult for participants. 64 1. Language and Over-Saturation of Online Training 65 o Online training sessions in French on specific topics worked well, while generic English sessions struggled due to language barriers and the abundance of similar EU project offerings. 66 1. Lessons from Feedback on Engagement Practices 67 o On-site events and pre-selected topic-based training were successful. 68 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 7 o B2B meetings were highly effective in creating synergies and focused discussions. 69 o Matchmaking events provided valuable business and innovation opportunities for participants. 70 1. Avoid Duplication of Efforts 71 o Better coordination at the EU level could help avoid duplication when multiple projects on the same topic are running simultaneously in the same region. 72 1. Best Practices for Organizing Events 73 • Choose an easily accessible, central location. 74 • Ensure a balanced profile of participants to facilitate diverse exchanges. 75 • Offer different formats such as flash presentations, B2B meetings, and study visits. 76 • Allow time for informal discussions and networking. 77 1. Long-Term Sustainability Strategies 78 • Applying for additional regional, national, and EU funding is essential to continue project activities. 79 • Even without new funding, activities related to plant by-products will continue as they are part of the cluster’s core focus, albeit on a smaller scale. 80 1. Stakeholder Consensus 81 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 8 • The project successfully aligned activities among diverse stakeholders by offering multiple participation formats, ensuring voluntary involvement, and engaging with regional and political actors. 82 1. Gaps in the Bio-Economy 83 • There is a need for consistent funding to develop bio-economy hubs and expand related activities across Europe. 84 Original Transcript 85 10 February 2025, 01:33pm 86 87 Samire Gurgurovci 7:00 Nice. Thank you. Thanks. I think it's quite informative actually, but. Maybe obviously we can skip some questions today for the interview, but maybe we can just go into the things that happened behind the scene that we haven't touched upon in the video. Like when we said about these different phases of the project in, for example, when we start, when we you had the preparatory phase on identifying the scope and the objectives of the. Of the project, like what were the main challenges in in the beginning before even starting it? Like what were the main challenges that you had encountered in this in this space? I I think I addressed quite some things from the video, but maybe we need time to look at it as well again. And. So yeah, so my question would be. What? How? How did you come about with identifying with objective project before even starting to engage with stakeholders? 88 H1 8:20 I'm not sure I understand the question because the objectives were already set when we MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 9 started the project. All the hubs are the same objectives, so we just completed the objective based on our local situations. 89 Margit Hofer 8:39 Did you understand you correctly so that you had? 90 Samire Gurgurovci 8:39 Mm hmm. 91 Margit Hofer 8:43 You had already the topic of the hub of each of the hub, right? Did you? Was it? Yeah. Well, obviously it was fairly broad, right? Or was it rather narrow or did you have to narrow it down? Do you think it's important to have a very, very specific objective and a specific goal and aim working in those hubs? Or is it sufficient to have a very broad topic and then you go case by case and stakeholder, stakeholder into work? 92 H1 9:17 Very specific when doing the application on the proposal we had already selected the value chains and we only work on plants related topic at visual. So it's already really narrow and then we only wanted to focus on byproducts. So the what we've done is dividing the by products by two category food and non food related. By products from plants. But we had this topic from the very beginning for the two hubs because this is. 93 Margit Hofer 9:52 Uh huh. 94 H1 9:54 A topic we are working on at visual is very in general. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 16 141 Margit Hofer 18:18 OK. 142 H1 18:22 I've seen in the two hubs that there are many people with the need of using bike products and other people producing bike products and the need was to make them meet because they are working within their own categories. So this need to be meetings, allow them to discuss their needs in terms of byproducts and what they produce and how they could transform them and work together. But in a smaller. Format So they don't have to discuss with all the people that are in the same room. 143 Samire Gurgurovci 18:59 And so we. 144 Margit Hofer 19:00 Thanks. 145 Maiti BOUSSIT 19:00 And working about Co products, it's a need, but there is not a lot of events about it. So that's why we are interested. 146 Samire Gurgurovci 19:08 Mm hmm. Right, so this lack of not having much opportunities, yeah. Did you experience any challenges or obstacles like when implementing those actions, those activities or events? 147 H1 19:34 One big one was mentioned during the video is the size of the regions the two regions. They are really big in France. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 17 148 Samire Gurgurovci 19:35 And. Mm hmm mm hmm. 149 H1 19:43 And both hubs so having. Points to make people meet is quite complicated. It's difficult to have people to travel for only one day meeting. And from. One part of the region to the other. So that's one big challenge. That we had in both hubs. I think that was the major one. I don't know if you saw if there is another one. Yeah, making them attending online training was a ********. 150 Samire Gurgurovci 20:28 OK, so why would you, would you say? Why would you say that the on the the online trainings were not really because we had another interview with another hub and they they had different reasons why people wouldn't wouldn't like to have online training and instead have this B2B meetings? 151 H1 20:51 So we had two types of online trainings, 1 some that are organised by us. On specific topics related to Bioeconomy, where we invite not only the hub members but all the major police valleys members. So it's broader and it's in French and it sounds very specific topic and this one's work. The ones that don't work at all are the. English one. That are very generic and that we promote from other new projects. We try to promote the scale up. Workshops. And we just don't manage to get people at them. Road workshops in English and I think that well, there is the language reason. The quantity reason there are so many. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 18 Eu projects ongoing. Offering online trainings in English that we it's difficult to make people. Take part to these trainings online trainings because they are not specific enough, they are not in the language they speak, so it's very difficult and there are just too many of them. So it was difficult to make some of them more interesting to our communities and I don't think we managed at the beginning. We had maybe one or two participants from the hubs. And now I don't think there is anyone. Taking back to this training, so the ones that are very focused and in French they work but not the others. 152 Samire Gurgurovci 22:38 Yeah, that makes perfect sense actually, yeah. Is there is there anything that you would do differently at this point? I don't know. Maybe, maybe also collaborate with the other initiatives that are happening in the regions or? Anything that you would think would work different if you had to do it again, you would do it differently. 153 H1 23:12 Well, in in the West Hub, we had two EU projects on the same topic from the same call starting at the same time. So. If we could have avoided that, I mean having only one common project that would have helped us because all the projects had to organise events, workshops. Sending questionnaires to different actors, so it was difficult when we tried to invite each other every time. But still it's the same area, same people. So the better coordination at EU level would have been nice for us, but it's also that we needed to discuss more with the local actors that were applying to this call at the same time as us. And for the other one, I don't know. What could have been done more? I think we were well prepared because that's the thematic we've been working on in the MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 19 cluster for a while. So many things were already taking place and was organising the B2B meetings on by products for I don't know how many years you've heard that there were, yes. 154 Maiti BOUSSIT 24:36 Yes, 5 rooms since five years, yeah. 155 H1 24:40 It has been. Something working. And updated through the projects that something that was already working that we reuse for the project. 156 Margit Hofer 24:55 I ask you, I think you are also involved in the on site meetings, you know, organised. I think by Kevin. Was that helpful for you too? Because we had several interviews and they were saying these ones were quite successful for them. Was it the same for you too? 157 H1 25:18 I'm not sure I understand which meeting. 158 Margit Hofer 25:21 You know these these. Exchange meetings like. 159 H1 25:26 I need a study visit no. 160 Margit Hofer 25:27 Yeah, exactly. Study these hits. That's what it was called. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 20 161 H1 25:33 So we had one where we hosted partners from. A new project from on hemp and we had common trainings together, so it was interesting but more in terms of collaboration at EU level. And the second one since the ones we organised were only study visits. In France, with local actors, so it's nice for the the actors to go and do A to have a visit of ongoing innovation, success to different topics, but it was not involving partners from. From the construction, but I think it was well appreciated in both hubs having this study visits and we now we try to merge everything at the same time having the hub meeting the study visit which will be even. So it's it's as interesting as possible for the two for all the participants to have everything in one day. 162 Margit Hofer 26:39 OK. If you would have to do. Actions and activities. What would or what are the five most important things that one has to consider? Sorry. 163 Maiti BOUSSIT 27:06 The place. 164 Margit Hofer 27:08 At the place? Yeah, I do agree. OK. Place is important. You mean it has to be central because your help was so big? Or are you talking about how the room looks like or where you do it? Or what exactly do you mean by place? 165 Maiti BOUSSIT 27:25 The place, easy to to find, to join and to to go. Because we have big region and like. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 21 166 Margit Hofer 27:32 OK. 167 Samire Gurgurovci 27:37 Like a middle point. 168 H1 27:39 Yeah, I think we we worked on this for the MMA workshop. 169 Maiti BOUSSIT 27:39 Yes. 170 H1-3 27:42 It's supposed to. 171 H1 27:46 And So what we recommended was to. Try to balance the profile of the participants. Have as many different profiles as possible to facilitate the exchanges. The location as Mighty was saying. Allow me to be meetings and time for the participants to exchange not only attend. Have done discussion or presentation but have time to discuss together. Propose different formats. So this is what we were saying before. We tried to have many formats, many stations in one day, so we had flash, flash presentations where the participants can. 172 H1-3 28:38 I think this this point is very important for the participants because we have we we mix different formats and the B2B meeting study visit collective network and it's a real good practise I think. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 22 173 H1 28:42 Yeah. 174 Samire Gurgurovci 28:58 So having different type of methods it was it was a good practise. Right. And you also mentioned that you in the beginning that you had a very narrow plan and you already had an established network before you started the project. And So what would be have you actually have you considered strategies to ensuring the project's long term sustainability in terms of also their stakeholder commitment? 175 H1 29:39 Well, we would like to have. Another project that would help us continue the work that has started on this one so. We'll be applying to. Regional, national and European projects to get funded on this topic in particular, so we can continue working on on this. And this, but also as we said, this was something we had started before. 176 Samire Gurgurovci 30:05 Mm hmm. 177 H1 30:11 The project and that increased a lot through the projects, but this is something we we need to maintain as a cluster because this is one of the. Aim of the classes to allow people to exchange and create this network. So yeah, getting another EU project would be. Ideal, but we will try to find solutions to maintain their link between all participants because it worked well and people are pleased with the results. 178 Samire Gurgurovci 30:50 So if this doesn't work, I don't know if I hope you get the findings for it. How would you? How would you keep the stake orders coming and being committed or engaged through MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 23 the project? Aside from the funding of keeping the project going on. 179 H1 31:17 The the byproducts aspect is one of the clusters topic of work, so it will remain in any case we have. Our cluster is working on this topic so. In any case, we are going to work on this and we will still organise events and take part to fairs in France. It's just that. The scale that will be reduced if we don't have different means, but the work will remain because this is one of the aim of our cluster in France. 180 Margit Hofer 32:00 Can I ask you one more question in between, you mentioned beforehand that you had many different stakeholders. Was it difficult for you to? Align the activities amongst the. How did you reach consensus between these stakeholders, or wasn't that an issue at all? 181 H1 32:23 I don't think it was an issue, but I don't my was it difficult. I think everyone was invited. And there were sessions for. All types of factors the visit. It's interesting. Depending on your needs to be to be meetings you are you get the chance to meet similar actors or actors from different categories. The trainings they were open to everyone as well, and the pitch presentation at the beginning was also only on voluntary basis so. Some partners decided to present themself and their needs and what they work on. Some didn't want to. Most of them wanted to, but it wasn't mandatory. So I think we had. Enough formats to make it. Convenient for everybody. Nothing was compulsory. But everyone wanted to make the most of these days. So. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 24 It worked well. We didn't have to look for a specific category or factors. We managed to have all of them represented. We worked with the regions as well to get. Local actors and political actors. So I may help as well to have a representative number of actors, but we didn't have to look for a specific category requested by the apps. 182 Margit Hofer 33:56 OK. 183 Samire Gurgurovci 34:08 I would have one more question on like in the general view of given you, you have a very long experience and with hubs and what what gaps do you see in strength in the bio bio economy in Europe? 184 H1 34:27 The economy in Europe. 185 Samire Gurgurovci 34:28 Yes. 186 Maiti BOUSSIT 34:42 Good question. 187 Margit Hofer 34:43 It's a tough question, right? 188 H1 34:43 Making you want to say something, yeah. 189 Maiti BOUSSIT 34:47 Be president. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 25 190 Samire Gurgurovci 34:52 I mean, I don't think there is one answer to it. And yeah, I understand the. 191 Maiti BOUSSIT 34:59 But maybe to have like funds to money for the bioeconomy. Heads to develop activities about this subject, so I I think it can help to develop a mean the world or in Europe. 192 Margit Hofer 35:07 Yeah. 193 Maiti BOUSSIT 35:16 Or phonetics. 194 Samire Gurgurovci 35:20 Yeah. Does anybody else have anything to add or anything that we didn't mention? I think we got a little bit. Because of the video and that and then the questions it got, maybe we forgot something or something got lost in in between but if you have anything else to add please? 195 H1 35:46 We have a second video that we can send you on. The second hub is not well the the the answers and the way we work is comment. So it's quite similar but it's specific to each region. So we will send you the link as well. So you can have a look and see if there are more information that you need. 196 Samire Gurgurovci 36:07 Yes, please mm hmm. 197 H1 36:08 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 32 37 H2-1 (16:45): "One more thing—I observed that they are very modest. They know a lot but still value collaborating with research institutes." 38 H2-2_X (16:57): "Yes, they don’t claim to know everything." 39 H2-1 (16:59): "They understand that universities and other entities are necessary. They admit they need external expertise." 40 H2-2_X (17:09): "That’s because of the cluster vision involving multiple actors—academia, research, business, and civil society. It’s a distinctive feature of the region." 41 Margit Hofer (17:51): "So, what you’re saying is that you have a very heterogeneous group that is open to collaboration. Is that correct?" 42 H2-1 (18:09): "Yes, absolutely." 43 Margit Hofer (18:12): "Alright. Is there anything from the last two or two-and-a-half years in RuralBioUp that you would do differently?" 44 H2-1 (18:29): "Maybe something related to the application form." 45 Margit Hofer (18:35): "Okay." 46 H2-2_X (18:44): "Okay." 47 Margit Hofer (18:48): "Did you receive any feedback from the stakeholders? What kind of feedback did you get?" 48 H2-2_X (18:53): [No response] 49 H2-1 (18:59): "They are very patient. Almost every time, they ask about financing opportunities linked to MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 33 their participation. They care about their region and its future, but they also have to deal with economic difficulties." 50 Margit Hofer (19:36): "Of course." 51 H2-1 (19:37): "I was very impressed that during our previous European project 'BeRural'—even amid the pandemic—they participated in all our online events, despite concerns about the economic downturn." 52 Margit Hofer (20:01): "Mm-hmm." 53 H2-2_X (20:02): "Because of the economic downturn during the pandemic." 54 H2-1 (20:05): "Yes. And maybe you know, in Iasi our meetings were organized with the support of the European Commission during the European Cluster Meeting framework." 55 H2-2_X (20:26): "Yes, or through European TV clusters that helped regions meet online. During the pandemic, for instance, the Spanish Presidency organized weekly online meetings addressing economic difficulties and collaboration opportunities, similar to what we did in our project." 56 Margit Hofer (21:11): "So that was...?" 57 H2-1 (21:12): "What I’d like to underline is that the project perhaps should have delivered more practical results—something tangible the stakeholders could see." 58 Margit Hofer (21:28): "Mm-hmm." 59 H2-1 (21:28): "They expected something concrete from these projects." 60 H2-2_X (21:32): [No response] MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 34 61 Margit Hofer (21:34): "In terms of practical results, what did you have in mind? Were you thinking of guidelines on how to receive funding? I noticed that despite the challenges, they continued participating in online activities." 62 H2-1 (21:54): "Yes." 63 Margit Hofer (22:07): "This is interesting because our French colleagues mentioned that only face-to-face meetings worked for them—not online trainings." 64 H2-1 (22:22): "Please understand me correctly—I’m referring to the pandemic period." 65 Margit Hofer (22:30): "Okay." 66 H2-2_X (22:30): [No response] 67 Margit Hofer (22:33): "Now that the pandemic is over, which activities or actions work best in your hub?" 68 H2-1 (22:45): "Actually, that was very much a pandemic-related situation…" 69 H2-2_X (22:47): "No, not now, H2-1—I mean in the other project we discussed, 'Rural Development by All.'" 70 Margit Hofer (22:48): "Not during the pandemic, then." 71 H2-1 (22:58): "Could you repeat the question, please, Margit?" 72 Margit Hofer (23:01): "When you organized activities with your stakeholder groups, which ones worked best for your hub?" 73 H2-1 (23:12): "I observed that if we organized events in association with other European projects, local events, or even university conferences, local stakeholders were very interested because MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 35 they learned more about the field and felt connected to an active life. In contrast, holding an event solely dedicated to the RuleBioUp project didn’t attract many participants. We learned this quickly—that’s why most of our events are organized in cooperation with others." 74 Margit Hofer (24:25): "So one challenge was also finding corporate partners to co-host events, correct?" 75 H2-1 (24:39): "Exactly. It wasn’t too difficult because we already know each other in the region. For example, the Regional Development Agency invited us to their events on circular economy, and it was natural to support one another. The biggest challenge was coordinating the timing for these events since every institution has a busy agenda." 76 Margit Hofer (25:33): "Okay, so it was more a timing issue." 77 H2-1 (25:38): "Yes, exactly." 78 Margit Hofer (25:43): "Were there any other structures or support that helped you during implementation? For regions looking to set up hubs and activities, what would you recommend?" 79 H2-1 (26:25): "For us, it was very helpful to learn from other consortium partners. I was honestly very inspired by colleagues from other European projects—especially Italian representatives, with whom we started working 15 years ago. We learned a lot from each partner’s approach and adapted those lessons to our situation." 80 Margit Hofer (27:32): "Very good. Did you also take part in study visits? Were those helpful for your hub exchange?" 81 H2-1 (28:01): "Yes, I did. Stakeholders even asked to compare our approach to other European projects. Some projects had budgets to cover study visits for stakeholders, but in our case, we didn’t have enough funding. It would have been more helpful if we had a sufficient budget for public visits." 82 Margit Hofer (28:47): "Okay." MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 36 83 H2-1 (28:47): "I was asked, for example, by a representative from the Italian Cluster about how and when to arrange these visits. They didn’t have enough funds to participate—even though our coordinator invited us, it wasn’t possible." 84 Margit Hofer (29:26): "Essentially, next time you’d need a more sufficient budget to facilitate exchange with partners—like the Italian ones, right?" 85 H2-1 (29:37): "Yes, exactly." 86 Margit Hofer (29:41): "And do you think that with additional budget, study visits would have been a fruitful exchange? Do study visits, in principle, make sense?" 87 H2-1 (30:07): "We identified some common issues among our stakeholders. I was a little disappointed that, for example, the Italian colleagues had the funds but not the time to come, even if we had planned well in advance." 88 Margit Hofer (30:43): "Okay, I understand." 89 H2-1 (30:44): "I have to admit they are very busy business people, involved in many activities such as work fairs." 90 Margit Hofer (31:02): "So that means you need to find good incentives for them to attend." 91 H2-1 (31:13): "Yes, exactly. One Italian colleague who visited Iasi mentioned that two or three might come, but it wasn’t feasible given their busy schedules." 92 Margit Hofer (31:49): "Mm-hmm. Are there any other activities you’d pursue if you had sufficient funding?" 93 H2-1 (32:14): "For example, I would cover travel expenses for representatives of regional authorities and relevant ministries. This is very important because we work with many partners. Even though not everyone can participate, when they do, stakeholders are very pleased to have the opportunity to discuss directly with ministry representatives." MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 37 94 H2-2_X (32:37): [No response] 95 H2-1 (32:42): "When those representatives do participate, the stakeholders are really very pleased." 96 H2-2_X (32:57): [No response] 97 H2-1 (33:03): "They appreciate the chance to discuss directly with ministry representatives." 98 Margit Hofer (33:05): "Mm-hmm." 99 H2-1 (33:05): "It’s valuable to have direct discussions—even if the local representatives differ from ministry officials, the mix is beneficial." 100 H2-2_X (33:10): [No response] 101 H2-1 (33:11): "Even though sometimes the local participants aren’t the same as ministry officials, having both perspectives is useful." 102 H2-2_X (33:23): "Ministers, however, are a bit removed from the real issues stakeholders face; they’re somewhat out of touch." 103 H2-1 (33:24): "Exactly—they might not fully grasp the local challenges." 104 H2-2_X (33:31): "They are somewhat removed from day-to-day issues." 105 H2-1 (33:34): "Yes, precisely." 106 H2-2_X (33:36): "Ministers tend to be distant from the real-life issues that stakeholders experience." 107 Margit Hofer (33:50): "Okay—so to summarize, there’s a difference between political stakeholders and business MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 38 people. The political ones operate in a different level than the local business people, correct?" 108 H2-2_X (34:18): [No response] 109 Margit Hofer (34:23): We were discussing political stakeholders versus business people. You’re saying there’s a disconnect because top-level ministry decision-makers aren’t as connected to local issues as regional agencies are?" 110 H2-2_X (34:47): "Hold on, H2-1—please clarify. She’s referring to top-level ministry decision-making versus local agencies that are much closer to the issues people face." 111 Margit Hofer (35:14): "Yes." 112 H2-2_X (35:15): "So, H2-1, please be clear: in our project, the central political stakeholders differ from the local ones who work directly with local issues." 113 Margit Hofer (35:21): "Mm-hmm." 114 H2-1 (35:23): "Yes, exactly." 115 H2-2_ (35:33): "We have to be careful to distinguish between the top administrative tiers and the local stakeholders." 116 H2-1 (35:44): "Absolutely." 117 H2-2_ (35:48): "Often, there’s a disconnect between top-level administration and those on the ground." 118 H2-1 (35:50): "Yes, that’s correct." 119 H2-2_ (36:12): "We need to be very careful here." MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 39 120 H2-1 (36:18): "Of course." 121 Margit Hofer (36:18): "I think it’s similar in Austria—the regional development people understand local needs, whereas in Vienna things run differently. Do you think it would be advantageous to include top ministry officials in activities alongside regional stakeholders, even though they’re not in daily contact with farmers or business people?" 122 H2-1 (36:57): "Yes. For example, I remember 15 years ago in a (xxx anonomized) programme, there was an option to allocate funds to support the attendance of ministry representatives. When they attended practical events, they gained a better understanding of the economic difficulties faced by entrepreneurs." 123 H2-2_X (37:51): "However, the ministry doesn’t have the funds to cover their participation, so we must be careful not to place blame—they have specific constraints." 124 H2-1 (37:55): "Yes, exactly." 125 H2-2_X (38:13): "We need to be cautious and not accuse them of being uninformed." 126 H2-1 (38:18): "Yes, of course." 127 H2-2_X (38:20): "Just to explain a bit better: thanks to those projects, some Ministry of Economy representatives later supported the creation of the H2-hub Cluster Association and other financing lines in the national budget for cluster development." 128 Margit Hofer (38:57): "Understood. Now, how will you ensure that your bioeconomy sustains in your region after the project ends?" 129 H2-1 (39:13): "The people in our region really care about their area. They practice bioeconomy—even if they don’t call it that—because the Regional Development Agency has long supported them. Our project’s deliverables, particularly the sustainable strategy, will likely be integrated into the regional development plan. This strategy is inspired by local stakeholder suggestions as well as other ongoing projects." MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 40 130 H2-2_X (39:26): "That is a complication—development without the project framework." 131 Margit Hofer (39:32): "Understood correctly." 132 H2-1 (39:36): "People in the region care deeply about their landscape. They continue practicing bioeconomy, supported by the Regional Development Agency, even if they don’t label it as such. Our sustainable strategy will eventually become part of the regional development plan and serve as an official document." 133 H2-2_X (40:42): "Sister projects…" 134 H2-1 (40:44): "I mean, the national, local, and regional stakeholders have periodic meetings with the agency. Based on their recommendations, they develop financial lifelines." 135 H2-2_X (40:46): "Not necessarily." 136 H2-1 (41:04): "In the framework of the regional development plan, the financial offer will fulfill these expectations, and the agency will adopt our sustainable strategy as an official document. This was even discussed in our hub meetings—one of the directors participated in our meeting." 137 H2-2_X (41:44): "Actually…" 138 H2-1 (41:47): "Yes, one of the directors was present at our hub meeting." 139 Margit Hofer (42:09): "Okay, thanks. Now, what are your top lessons learned for regions that want to establish their own bioeconomy hub? What are the key points?" 140 H2-2_X (42:40): "Like teaching the followers how to do it?" 141 Margit Hofer (42:44): "Exactly." MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 41 142 H2-1 (42:47): "First of all, focus on the local bioeconomic potential—understand your resources and traditions. For instance, even xxx hub visiting xxx hub is very beneficial because his visits help advertise his properties here." 143 H2-2_X (43:11): " 144 H2-1 (43:12): "Yes. It’s very important to have strong local resources. Collaborate with local authorities to identify influential figures within civil society." 145 H2-2_X (43:18): "In other words, they need to understand how the local framework and network of interests function." 146 H2-1 (43:18): "Exactly. It’s crucial to identify the main interests related to bioeconomy, build contacts, and start from there. In our area, there’s a strong interest in preserving local natural resources, ensuring good administration, and making the best use of what they have." 147 Margit Hofer (45:17): "That makes perfect sense. Essentially, you tapped into the strong local interests, understood the stakeholder mentality, and that’s why your bioeconomy initiatives have worked so well within the network." 148 H2-2_X (45:47): "You have to align with their interests and stay as close as possible to their local priorities." 149 Margit Hofer (45:51): "Mm-hmm." 150 H2-2_X (45:57): "Because if you impose something from the top down, they won’t participate." 151 Margit Hofer (46:05): "Yes, exactly." 152 H2-2_X (46:08): "It has to be built bottom-up." MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 48 challenges to set up such a network? What do you think or what was tricky for you? What was a bit of an issue? 194 H2-1 7:44 As I said, the network. Did exist at at that moment and. Maybe the network was. Little bit develop and improve thanks to the requirement of the project. And. Thanks to the clusters which the local clusters which worked with our institute, they were available and curious and full. They you were they agreed to to be engaged. The project activity, there's a natural process actually. We didn't need to for them in a way for us. 195 Margit Hofer 8:41 So would you say that the the aim of the project fitted very well together with the interest of the stakeholders? OK, OK. 196 H2-2_X 8:45 None. 197 H2-1 8:49 Yes, yes, yes. And let me allow me, please also to mention without to know, we prepared in a way this new project will by off because with the Court of the of the pop contact point, we will work very, very close together in a previous European project, be rural and that project was dedicated to a smaller. Area of the bigger region xxxx. It was only at the level of county. And. As I said, it was a natural continuation actually. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 49 198 Margit Hofer 9:34 Since you mentioned the size of your hub, do you have the impression that it's easier to work with a smaller group of people, or do you see an advantage to work with a bigger region because at some point I had done an interview with the French people and they were saying 1 issue for them was really the size of the hub. Was it the same for you? 199 H2-1 9:57 Yes, yes. And for us, for example. Hard to hard to believe, but in in this region, our region. There are 6 counties and they are not so different, but they have. Some specificities. Related to. Mentality, tradition, ethnicity. Because the area is multicultural. And we, we had a real great support from the regional development from the regional Agency for Development. Who that which knows the people? The local authorities and so on, and they work together. But as you already mentioned, on smaller groups, that's why we organise more happy things. Two, two different kickoff meetings in in four different. Days and so on. It all, all all this required a kind of special coordination in in our opinion. So we do have this. 200 Margit Hofer 11:14 Mm hmm. Oh yeah, this is this interview's only about your opinion and how how you did it in your half. So what I understand from you is if I may summarise, first of all this collaboration with regional development institution is a good thing or was a good thing for you. And then it also have like. In your hub you had like different interests possibly or different approaches in your stakeholder groups. So how did you manage to to combine these different interests? So how? MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 50 201 H2-1 12:00 Well, not not, not not. Excuse me. My gift. Not different approaches. What different mentality and maybe smaller interest, different interest. But with the small differences. But even though you have to to understand very well as regional facilitators. The specificity of smaller areas, for example, the regional Agency for Development. Has six different offices local offices. Because they have such different. Not different, but with with the small they have. Objective object staying general objective but with small difference specific object. At at local level. 202 Margit Hofer 13:01 OK, so basically what you did was you organised. Different activities and more activities, specifically with. Our special adapted to very specific target groups, right? OK. And this was a very good strategy for you. Yeah, obviously because it worked out, right. 203 H2-1 13:17 Yes. Yes. And we had to to adapt we already. Had worked. With the smaller areas. And. We knew from our work experience. 204 Margit Hofer 13:39 So so you also knew? OK, so basically you knew already your target groups already. They will correct. So this is a big advantage from from this perspective, right? OK. 205 H2-1 13:54 But with with years ago. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 51 We had also. Big challenges we had to learn the local state. 206 Margit Hofer 14:07 Yeah, now looking. 207 H2-1 14:07 And. 208 Margit Hofer 14:10 And looking backwards, what were the best strategies to set up such a network? I mean, if if you look back. In these recent years where you set up that network, what were the really good strategies that you would also recommend to other regions that would like to set up a similar network? 209 H2-1 14:31 To work with first of all with the, let's say regional not to with special local but the regional. Association. 210 H2-2_X 14:42 Development agency. 211 H2-1 14:46 Professional association and in in our case there were the plaster. 212 Margit Hofer 14:46 Mm hmm. 213 H2-1 14:53 They are very good to organise the entities. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 52 And very specific. And. I I explained maybe with another occasions this gentle region is in the middle of the country. 214 H2-2_X 15:04 None. 215 H2-1 15:13 And contains. 3 minority that will help help me, the Hungarian one, the German one. And the the H2-hub. 216 H2-2_X 15:28 And also some areas smaller aroma xxxx population. 217 H2-1 15:32 Yes, yes. And they had during the history they had to to live together and that's why maybe they are more flexible. Or more. Than the South. 218 H2-2_X 15:49 A relatively strong minority, so. They are strong minorities. 219 H2-1 15:57 Yes, yes. And they they succeed to to. Build a community, a multicultural community. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 53 220 Margit Hofer 16:10 OK. 221 H2-2_X 16:11 I'm very serious development of the area. 222 Margit Hofer 16:16 K. 223 H2-2_X 16:16 Long term on long term meaning they are working not on 2-3 years projects but on. Multiple. Periods of projects, but then do I say right, H2-1? 224 H2-1 16:33 Yes. 225 Margit Hofer 16:35 OK. 226 H2-2_X 16:35 So it's a long journey leisure. In the area advantage of this specific region, to put it crisis. 227 Margit Hofer 16:40 OK. 228 H2-1 16:45 And do one more thing, if I may. I observed they are very. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 54 229 Margit Hofer 16:46 Mm hmm. 230 H2-1 16:53 Modest ralluka. It's correct in English. 231 H2-2_X 16:57 Yeah, they don't. 232 H2-1 16:59 But I mean they they know a lot, but they do look after the collaboration with the the academ with the Research Institute. 233 H2-2_X 17:09 They don't know everything. 234 H2-1 17:11 And universities and. In other areas in in the country, very hard they they admit that they need also the people from. 235 H2-2_X 17:24 You know why the cluster vision with? Multiple actors. How do I call it the cluster approach, H2-1? It was with three. Academia. 236 H2-1 17:38 Yes, triple helic, triple helic and. 237 H2-2_X 17:40 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 55 Research and. Business people, civil society. So they are really working strong with this vision. So it's a specificity of the region. 238 Margit Hofer 17:51 Mm hmm. OK, so you put what you are observing is that you had a very heterogenous group, so many or at least they are looking around or or. They're open for collaboration. Is that correct? 239 H2-1 18:09 Yes, yes. 240 Margit Hofer 18:12 K. Is there something where you are saying? During this last two years, or 2 1/2 years in RuralBioUp, is there anything where you say you would do differently? 241 H2-1 18:29 Maybe related to the application form? 242 Margit Hofer 18:35 OK. Right. 243 H2-2_X 18:44 OK. 244 Margit Hofer 18:48 Did you also receive some feedback from the stakeholders or from those people you were working with? MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 56 245 H2-2_X 18:53 None. 246 Margit Hofer 18:55 And what type of feedback was that? 247 H2-1 18:59 As I said, they are really patient, but. Almost at every occasion they ask about the financing opportunities. Based on the participation on their participation to the project, because as I said, they are business people. They do care about their region and the future, but. They have to deal with the economic difficulties. 248 Margit Hofer 19:36 Of course. 249 H2-1 19:37 I was very impressed to, for example, during the previous European project, be rural already mentioned. That they even they were so upset and. They participate to all our online events. During the pandemic I I mean. 250 Margit Hofer 20:01 Mm hmm. 251 H2-2_X 20:02 Because of the economy downturn during the pandemic. 252 H2-1 20:05 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 57 Yes. And maybe you know. In Yash, our confidence will organise under the European Commission's support to during the European, in the framework of this European. 253 H2-2_X 20:26 Cluster meeting. 254 H2-1 20:27 Yes, or European TV or how we call it clusters, meet regions and during the pandemic. The Spanish Presidency organised. The Nice weekly online. Meetings. Related regarding the the economic difficulties and opportunities to collaborate between the European actors belonging to the cluster and they they in a way we did do at that time the same in our. Project we wrote that. 255 Margit Hofer 21:11 So this was, yeah. 256 H2-1 21:12 What? Excuse me? What? What would I try to do? Underline that this project. Maybe should have also. A more practical result. 257 Margit Hofer 21:28 Mm hmm. 258 H2-1 21:28 They expect something from these projects. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 64 One Italian colleagues, one of the Italian colleagues who came to Yash. Said to me that they are really interested and the two or three maybe would come, but I don't know. They are in their approach. It could be a very. Good organised team. To come to a study with so it was not possible. 297 Margit Hofer 31:49 Mm hmm. Are there any other activities where you think that would be beneficial for a help or for network? If you would have sufficient money, what would you do? 298 H2-1 32:14 For example, I would do sure the travel expenses for the. Representative of the regional authorities and all the ministries in charge with the field. We are involved in. This is very important, very important, because we we have some. 299 H2-2_X 32:37 None. 300 H2-1 32:42 Friends or people who? We work with whom we work and so on, and they try to participate to some of our events, but we did not receive all this. But when it happened, the stakeholders. 301 H2-2_X 32:57 None. 302 H2-1 33:03 Were really, really very pleased. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 65 303 Margit Hofer 33:05 Mm hmm. 304 H2-1 33:05 To to have the opportunity to. Discuss directly. 305 H2-2_X 33:10 None. 306 H2-1 33:11 With the representatives from ministry expression. 'Cause they are very good constraints, right? Not. 307 H2-2_X 33:23 The chair. 308 H2-1 33:24 It may not be the local boy. Let them promote early stakeholder. 309 H2-2_X 33:31 She has some picture in the portal. 310 H2-1 33:34 Minister. 311 H2-2_X 33:36 The ministers are a little bit away from the real life issues that stakeholders are facing. They are a little bit in in others. Years. To put it I don't know what I'm saying, right? But there are technical. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 66 312 Margit Hofer 33:50 OK. So would you. OK so. Is it? Is it correct if I would summarise it under the topic that's saying? That, oh, excuse me just a minute. 313 H2-2_X 34:18 None. 314 Margit Hofer 34:23 Sorry, my daughter touched the ring. 100 of apologies. Yeah, we were about the the political stakeholders and the business people. So you're saying that they're sort of not the same understanding a bit, so that the political people are a bit in a different streamline than the business people. 315 H2-2_X 34:47 No. Hold on a little bit, H2-1. I think you should be more clarifying here. She was talking about ministry top level, very much central level political decision making, while the local ones like the central regions and the agency. Is very well connected to the issues that people have. 316 Margit Hofer 35:14 Yeah. 317 H2-2_X 35:15 That she was talking about the Central High Level administration. So I I, H2-1 please correct me, but please be very clear about this, because political stakeholders, if you are talking for our project that's are direct. 318 Margit Hofer 35:21 Mm hmm. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 67 319 H2-1 35:23 Yes, yes, yes, I mean, I mean. For. 320 H2-2_X 35:33 Different original development agency, which is very, very close to the issue that business stakeholders and other stakeholders are facing are doing their best to help them. 321 H2-1 35:44 Yes. Yes. 322 H2-2_X 35:48 If OK, so we have to be very careful about distinction and the central part tiers of administrative power that probably what is in every country, it's a little bit of a disconnect between the top, top, top, top administration political levels and the top. 323 H2-1 35:50 Yes. Yes. Yes. 324 H2-2_X 36:12 The real down. We have to be very careful here. Excuse me, but. 325 H2-1 36:18 Of course, but. 326 Margit Hofer 36:18 Yeah, I think I do understand you. I think it's it's a bit the same in Austria too, so. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 68 The regional development people, they are, they aware about the regions and about the needs of the stakeholders. While in Vienna, things run a bit differently, so this is. Yeah. Do you think it would be an advantage to include like these top people from ministry into different into different activities and actions and bring them together with the regional stakeholders? The local don't know farmers, business people and so on. 327 H2-1 36:57 Yes. For example, I I remember at the beginning. 15 years ago, we were involved in the project in the framework of Southeast Europe programme. And it was a possibility in this programme. To allocate some funds in the total budget. Who to support the assistance of the representatives from ministry? Because if if they come to to very practical. Events in such a project is our they are, they have the chance to understand better the the economic difficulties of the entrepreneurs especially. 328 H2-2_X 37:51 But but the ministry does not have the money to announce them, so the work we have to be a very figure about these issues because you don't want to how to put it to say well, they don't know. They have certain very specific reasons why they don't. They are not able to lower everything meaning. 329 H2-1 37:55 Yes, we, yes. Yes. Yes. 330 H2-2_X 38:13 We have to be very careful, not large accusations that people are not informed. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 69 331 H2-1 38:18 Yes, yes, of course. 332 H2-2_X 38:20 Levels so. 333 H2-1 38:21 And just to to explain a little bit better, thanks to to the to those projects, at least at the Ministry of Economy, some representatives supported a little years later the constructions of the H2-hub Cluster Association and other financing. Lines in the national budget for helping the cluster. Thanks to to those European project at the beginning. 334 Margit Hofer 38:57 Yeah, OK, I understand. Now my question would then be how will you continue? So how will you make sure that your bio economy? Will sustain in a way. 335 H2-1 39:13 In in that region or how? 336 H2-2_X 39:13 This is complication. H2-1, after the project, after the end of the system, ability issue of the action plan. 337 Margit Hofer 39:17 Yeah, in your region. Yeah, exactly. 338 H2-2_X 39:26 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 70 Development without the project. Right. 339 H2-1 39:31 As I said, we are not in a way because. 340 Margit Hofer 39:32 Understood correctly. 341 H2-1 39:36 The the people in the region do care about their area. They are landscape. They they practise by economy without to know that it is called by economy, since a lot don't period of time, the regional Development Agency supports them and is. And nose. Our project and it's deliverables. I meant, I mean this sustainable strategy which you I think it would be considered also by the Regional Development Agency in the near future and because they they. Let me inspired about the suggestions of the local stakeholders and also from the of the other projects ongoing project and it would be the case I I suppose also. 342 H2-2_X 40:42 Sister projects the sister. 343 H2-1 40:44 No, no, I mean the national, local, regional, they they have periodical meetings. I mean, this video development agency with the stakeholders and based on on their recommendations, they develop financial life lines. 344 H2-2_X 40:46 Not necessary. 345 H2-1 41:04 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 71 Or access. It's more correct in the framework of regional development plan. So they are, they are, they are. Expectations will be fulfilled with this financial offer and and then I think that they. Will use the original development agency as a as an official document. Also, this sustainable strategy of our hub at the end of the day. 346 H2-2_X 41:44 Actually. 347 H2-1 41:47 Because it was discussed in in our hop meetings at which also the Regional Development Agency to park representatives of it and even the director, it's like one of the It's directors took place for our half meeting. 348 H2-2_X 41:47 He actually. 349 Margit Hofer 42:09 OK, baby, thanks. I'm just looking at my questions, yeah. There're not many left. But what are your top lessons learned? Foreign regions wanting to establish their own bio economy hub? So what are these really important points? If you want to set up a bio economy hub? 350 H2-2_X 42:40 Like teaching the followers. How to do it? 351 Margit Hofer 42:44 Sexy. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 72 352 H2-1 42:47 Looking first of all, at the local biocompatential. And the idea on the resources and the traditions. Because. If you know maybe. Even. The. Prince Charles of the Great Britain visit. 353 H2-2_X 43:11 King Charles. 354 H2-1 43:12 Continues to visit Transylvania and so on is the best. 355 H2-2_X 43:18 His properties here. 356 H2-1 43:18 Advertise. Yeah. So it's it's very important. 357 H2-2_X 43:22 No, for real. Are his properties. 358 H2-1 43:25 Yes, yes, it's very important to have local resources. This is first of all to to collaborate with the local authorities to find influence representatives of the. Social society. Of the civil Society of the Civil society. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 73 359 H2-2_X 43:54 Say something. They need to know the way the local frame frameworks and local network of interests is functioning. First of all, that's the most important thing, and know what are the. 360 H2-1 43:55 Please. 361 H2-2_X 44:14 Main interests that would relate to. Buy economy issues. Does it make sense what I'm saying and then? Build contact those people and be start building from there. Because in our area it was a strong interest in local resources maintaining local environmental natural resources. Good administration to put it like this conservation and good use of local people became aware of what they have. Am I right, H2-1? Do I say right? And being aware of their potential. And their willingness to preserve it and make the best use of it. Does it make sense? So a good local 1. 362 Margit Hofer 45:17 For me, it totally makes sense. So basically you hooked up with a very strong interest of the stakeholders. You try to understand the mentality and how these networks or these stakeholders worked. And this is sort of where you started to to implement the bioeconomy and where you started to implement the activities and in actions. And this is also the reason why it worked out so well with you within this network. Is that correct? 363 H2-2_X 45:47 You have to blend on their interest and and yet as close as you can to their local interests. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 80 Yeah. Yeah. And maybe I'm, I imagine, a spiral economy is like a more like a modern, let's say, economic. 18 H3-2 6:28 This is maybe. Exactly, and if? 19 Martina Lindorfer 6:35 Change so maybe it's also easier to work than with the younger generation that are more open instead of like the older, more classic generations. 20 H3-2 6:45 Exactly, exactly. But it goes slowly. Somebody has to start and then others will come. 21 Martina Lindorfer 6:48 Yeah. Yes. Yes, I understand. OK. Then maybe you can shortly say what was your role in the project, your main roles and responsibilities? And also, I mean, how did you go about this in the in in your, in the checkup, did you have very clear roles and very clear hub structure or was it rather like whoever has time does whatever comes next? 22 H3 H3-3 H3 7:17 It helped us a lot that we have the national hub , Because then we have some, you know Headquarters or how to say it so. So then there is a probably, you know, Ms x (anonomyzed) and Mr x (anonomiezed). So they are the heads of the national hub. They have a very good connections. So they built up a network between the stakeholders and even the policy makers and th ese groups of population. And I and H3-2we are rather regional let's say managers. My role, especially my role, is rather a project manager rather to collect network and to listen and do what the national hubs Want to implement in in the regional. So there is the CEO, Let's say. I'm somehow MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 81 cooperating with H3-2to implement it in the region and Hana's role I see rather local facilitator? How you would call it your role? 23 24 H3-2 8:57 Maybe something like that. I wasn't in the project from beginning, so. 25 Martina Lindorfer 8:59 Yeah, yeah. 26 H3-2 9:01 I was sorry, but yeah. 27 H3 H3-3 H3 9:03 H3-2 came in a time when we saw that we need to be more in a contact with the people in the in the region. So when we saw that it's impossible to… Somehow from the main capital, just observe and sending emails and so on. We start to cooperate with H3-2and she she's more active in contacting people. She's travelling in the region more than more than we. So she is probably contact point and regional facilitator. 28 Martina Lindorfer 9:42 Yeah, that's that's interesting. That's already a learning that you saw. OK, there was like a role missing this time. More direct link to the people. And then you introduced this role. Would you then say now to set up kind of works very well or would you still see gaps in the structure of the hub that you see some roles maybe or some persons are missing that would have, I don't know, important link to or do you think it's now kind of working out well? 29 H3 H3-3 H3 10:08 H3-2helps us a lot because all of us are sitting in the city centre, you know? So what to do in the region which is 200 kilometres far away?! and H3-2communicates a lot with the MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 82 people by travelling to the region. So this is very important for us and helps us a lot! And the CEO brings us some 30 Connections to policymakers or brings a new project, a new money have some, you know, trainings and so on. So they bring they knowledge. I take care about fitting these knowledges and networking in a project; to fulfil the KPI and so on. And H3-2communicate with the people and take care about the region. So I think that now it's working good, probably now we can see the gap. Am I right? Do do you think that there should be some some more role to help us in the region? 31 H3-2 11:35 I I'm thinking about that. I don't know now. Now we are like this and it's like just more work this way. And maybe we'll see on the way, but. 32 Martina Lindorfer 11:49 H3-2, do you then have very direct contact also to the to the policy makers or to the governor, local government then in the region that you work in or is it rather really more working with the with the, I don't know with the SMEs and associations? 33 H3-2 12:07 Yeah, I I wasn't. not Directly speaking with somebody from government, but there is a connection via the CEO of Hubs, so. 34 Martina Lindorfer 12:19 OK, OK. OK. Thank you. That were like more the general questions and I would like to go like to the through the different phases of the project, starting with what we call like the preparatory phase, you know that was like before you even started building your hub, there was about how did you manage to find your concrete scope, your concrete objectives, your, your, your themes, how did you go about identifying the value chains MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 83 you wanted to address? And also assessing the state-of-the-art of the bio economy. So what was your method to like to narrow down this big, this big topic to something very specific for your hub and and yeah, how challenging was that and how did, how did it work out? 35 H3 H3-3 H3 13:05 Again, the national hub helps us a lot. They have the knowledges and a lot of studies and the strategies and analytical documents. Then, especially me, I prepare the desk study: What's the gaps? What's the strong points in in this region, etc. 36 Then we start to thinking about the value chains: What's the most promising parts to focus on? 37 It was probably October 2023 when we decide to Have some, let's say conference or or networking event. And we Invited the stakeholders, the policymakers and all the important people which we thought it could be good to have them in a hub. There was a big advantage that the CEO and the national hub has the contact persons, who know the national hub and Who know the people. And because of that, they wanted to come for the conference. 38 The conference was rather a Speaking and learning event about what's bio economy? Because the bio economy is not so well known as A term in the H3 country. So it was Some kind of presentation. 39 We even presented boots made from the hemp. So even some Practical things to see that that’s a product of bio economy. So we tried to persuade them that bio economy has a sense and it's a way how to build up development in the region. 40 And then we showed them the SWOT analysis and tried to think with them, with the people in in the conference - the stakeholders of our hub - to think what's the best way how to develop the regions? So then we choose the 3 value chains. 41 But all these exercise or all of these discussions were based on massive desk research - based on a lot of analytical documents, strategic documents and so on. 42 Martina Lindorfer 16:14 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 84 Yeah. And was it done challenging for you to kind of because in the end you had to kind of prioritise the topics and so on was it, was it easy to or was it rather challenging to find common to kind of combine the different interests, the different priorities to decide and to really to decide on the three value chains? Or was it very controversial between the stakeholders? 43 H3 H3-3 H3 16:41 It was mainly based on the discussion and discussion wasn't so tough…because we had the data. So based on these data … It's logical that we decide for these value chains. So it wasn't so tough or hard to persuade them . Ands also because of our background - the CEO is also the director of the research institution. 44 Taking care about the crop fields and so on and bi biomass and so on. So because of our background and we know more people in agriculture and this Type of stakeholders. So we decided to go do this way. 45 Martina Lindorfer 17:46 OK. And would you like from them like looking at the method, how you did it with like first doing the test then having this conference, would you do it exactly the same if you did it again or is that is there something that you would do differently if you had to do it again? 46 H3 H3-3 H3 18:04 It's a hard question, I think no, because it was the only way. I can't see another method how to persuade people to come, to show them what is bioeconomy, show them that this is our Task. This is what we would like to support in this region. This is a final product. What you - stakeholders - in in this region can reach. So it was, I think, the best way how we did it. I can't imagine that we will do it probably online or hybrid or on in a different way and even a few days after the conference, we have a study visit and it was also not so successful. The interest of the people was rather low. Lower then at the conference. So at the conference there were much more people than in a study visit. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 85 47 Martina Lindorfer 19:02 Yeah. OK. OK, alright. Interesting. You're the first person who says that. Why do you think? How come you think? You don't know. 48 H3 H3-3 H3 19:28 Because we we took them to composting plant. If the people see a thing that it's not their way of a business, probably …because We also face that if some farmer have a cow and they care about milk and yoghurts and this stuff, they Don't think that their job could also be about composting. They just see their main Business and don't care about the value chain. 49 Martina Lindorfer 20:10 OK, OK. OK. And why you do you then think that the conference was interesting for the the stakeholders, what what motivated them to go to the conference? 50 H3 H3-3 H3 20:23 I think so. I think so, because at the conference we also had a presentation about Financial subsidies and financial opportunities and this is the topic which is always the best topic. 51 Martina Lindorfer 20:36 OK. OK. OK. Yeah. Interesting. OK. Thank you. Then let's let's go to the next next next phase. So now you have identified your stakeholders and you have you kind of trying to build up your your network and then the next step is to really work with the stakeholders, that is that was actually your task when you really had to to develop this action action plan with the stakeholders really narrow down concrete actions, concrete. Milestones. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 86 Create also management structures, harmonising the different interests and also harmonising the actions with the regulatory framework. So how, how did that work out? 52 H3 H3-3 H3 21:20 It was for me. Yeah, it was the first step. When I start to communicate with the stakeholders. And it was just, sending emails and anything comes back to me. So that was that was a few months that we start to think that we really need a person who will be in a More close contact with the stakeholders. So then then H3-2starts to to work on it. And what about the KPIs and goals and these? 53 Martina Lindorfer 21:42 Yeah. 54 H3 H3-3 H3 21:50 Everything happens in the in the. In this conference we started to think about the action plan, about the goals, about the main vision of the hub, and this this action plan; the main pages were written in the conference with the stakeholders. So we guided them through some questions, through the studies, through the data and we Altogether discussed what could be good. And my main role was To be sure that the objectives and tasks will be in, you know, in line with the DOW of the project. 55 So we started with the DOW. What's necessary to be done, then see what's the possibilities in the region and based on the desk studies, we somehow see how to fulfil the KPIs of of the project. So it was somehow the discussion method. 56 57 Martina Lindorfer 23:29 And yeah, and along the way, how then did you still involve the stakeholders after the conference? We had the conference then in the conference you decided on the actions on the timeline and so on and how in the process did you done kind of keep the stakeholders involved in what way with which methods or? 58 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 87 59 H3 H3-3 H3 23:53 H3-2communicated a lot with them. I know that they have some conference also in a circle of about innovations and so on. Probably, H3-2, it's it's your task or your question and you will answer it better than me because I just know that you invite them and you communicate with them. But I don't know how. 60 H3-2 24:10 we had some other conference. And some meetings there and. As you said, the KPIs maybe helped us even to get the structure to see what, what, what do we need to do a bit and. How we kept the interests of people. Were very hard! And to be honest, we maybe Got interest of some people, but we lost on the way of the interest and got some others. So we not always Managed to keep the interest of the same people the whole time. 61 But it's slowly and slowly getting better. But yeah, it's we are still on a long, long way probably. 62 Martina Lindorfer 25:16 Yeah. Yeah, I understand. Maybe you can tell me on the one hand, what was maybe especially challenging, keeping them on board and on the other hand, we're like maybe also have some concrete examples of what worked well, how did you achieve middle, I don't know, mid little actions or ideas or something that worked out well in, in kind of keeping up the interesting motivating stakeholders. 63 H3-2 25:50 To persuade them that. This way, the bio economy is good to be followed. There are ways to. To. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 88 Which? Different. Different. Interests can can use and you know, and maybe. Somewhere on the way, we also got interests of some people who were only searching for, for money to get. But so they lost interest if they saw that. It's also hard work. 64 Not only free money. and on the other hand, we have some people who just are used to hard work. And they are used for their old ways to do stuff, and they are. Only it takes time to persuade them that new ways of bio economy. Which is quite many times connecting to old, old fashioned ways in in agriculture. Actually the composting it's old method. [Martina Idee Handbook: Methoden finden, die das Alte valorisieren und trotzdem Neues ansprechen] 65 Martina Lindorfer 27:20 Yeah. 66 H3-2 27:21 So. 67 Martina Lindorfer 27:23 So I am. I understand. Yeah. You said it now several times that. So I need very interesting that you said you had it, that's this you have to work a lot on this culture and attitudes and convincing people to be open to something new. So could you imagine any action, any would you have needed any additional action in the in the in the project maybe to address this more if you could do the project again and you could have I don't know extra funds extra money from I don't know. 68 H3-2 27:23 Yeah, but. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 89 69 Martina Lindorfer 27:51 Different or new activities? Can you think of something that would have helped you to work more on this? You know, convincing people of trying something new and. 70 H3-2 28:04 I was thinking about maybe more..trying to more address the younger people and the way younger people are rather to be connected using maybe Some virtual reality or because that's what I saw. Too. 71 H3 H3-3 H3 28:28 Oh, probably. H3-2lost the connection, so I will continue. She even starts to the same way as us I was thinking, Martina, you know that we together in a bioloc. 72 Martina Lindorfer 28:45 73 H3 H3-3 H3 28:45 in the Bioloc project, the marginalised group which we are focused on is the young unemployment people. 74 And to be honest, I am so shocked that in the H3region is so classical thinking: “we are not going to do anything more. and we don't know what is bioeconomy and we don't care”. And the more BIOLOC region: if we are speaking with the younger unemployed people - they care! They are asking us, they want to cooperate with us! So you know: one Republic, two regions - and such a different approach of the people! So, it's not about what project actions you do, it's not about the project tasks, it's about the people with whom we are implementing the project! 75 Martina Lindorfer 29:36 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 96 o Older generations: Prefer face-to-face meetings and traditional outreach methods. 122 o Younger generations: Respond better to workshops, webinars, and potentially innovative tools like virtual reality. 123 • Lesson: Understand stakeholder demographics and adapt communication methods accordingly. 124 125 3. Importance of Local Relevance and Trust Building 126 • Challenge: A lack of trust in new initiatives and fear of business failure hindered participation. 127 • Strategy: 128 o Conducted a regional conference to introduce the concept of bioeconomy, including practical examples (e.g., products made from hemp). 129 o Focused on presenting financial subsidy opportunities, which attracted stakeholders. 130 • Lesson: Financial incentives and clear demonstrations of practical benefits are powerful motivators. 131 132 4. Data-Driven Decision Making for Value Chains 133 • Approach: 134 o Conducted a comprehensive desk study analyzing regional strengths and gaps. 135 o Chose three value chains aligned with local expertise (e.g., agriculture and biomass) through stakeholder discussions. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 97 136 • Lesson: Decisions should be data-driven and grounded in regional strengths, making them logical and acceptable to stakeholders. 137 138 5. Building Long-Term Relationships Over Quick Wins 139 • Challenge: Sustaining stakeholder interest over time was difficult. Some stakeholders lost interest when realizing the required effort. 140 • Success: Established a core group of committed stakeholders willing to continue collaborating on future projects. 141 • Lesson: Quality over quantity in stakeholder engagement. Building a small, dedicated core group is more impactful than having a large, disengaged network. 142 143 Key Recommendations for Future Hubs: 144 1. Prioritize Face-to-Face Engagement: 145 o Particularly in conservative regions, personal contact is essential for building trust. 146 1. Understand Stakeholder Needs: 147 o Tailor communication channels and engagement activities to specific demographic preferences. 148 1. Involve Younger Generations Early: 149 o Focus on school collaborations and youth-oriented initiatives to foster longterm regional engagement. 150 o Use modern technologies (e.g., VR) to make bioeconomy appealing to younger audiences. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 98 151 1. Leverage Existing Networks: 152 o National hubs with established stakeholder and policymaker connections significantly ease regional hub establishment. 153 1. Demonstrate Immediate Value: 154 o Financial topics and funding opportunities consistently attract stakeholder attention—use these as entry points for engagement. 155 1. Be Patient and Persistent: 156 o Cultural and economic transformations take time, especially in post-industrial regions. Long-term strategies are essential. 157 Recommendations for European-Level Policymakers: 158 • Push for stronger prioritization of bioeconomy at the national level by emphasizing its strategic importance in EU policies. 159 • Develop incentive structures that encourage national governments to treat the bioeconomy as a key development sector. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 99 Transcript_H4 Hub 1 Transcript 2 13 February 2025, 02:01pm 3 So just to start off, maybe you can just tell me shortly like what is the mission of your hub and what is your role as well? 4 H4 - 1 0:56 Yeah, sure. So Hub is the H4 hub. It's actually the full country, but we are based in (xxxx – anonomized), so that's where H4 Bio Economy Foundation is based, quite a rural area of in the middle of H4. So there is quite a lot of agriculture in the area, particularly around Dairy and animal farming. So our own role within the project was to kind of use the project to help the region, implement and understand bio based solutions and how they can be used to kind of better manage agriculture and agricultural emissions, and also make more economic opportunities for farmers in the area and in H4 in general as well. Our role in the project. So, I've been working on the project since it started, as the project manager. So, our role is kind of within the home was to kind of organise all of the activities that needed to be done, organise the kick off meeting, engagement with stakeholders, organising city visits, network events, trainings, coaching these kind of things. 5 Samire Gurgurovci 2:40 We gonna go maybe a little bit further into the study visits cause so far we know that you have been quite successful in that and it proved to be one of the best engagement strategy but maybe first you can tell me a little bit how did you initially identify the scope and the objective of the project and what if any challenges did you experience during this phase? 6 H4 - 1 3:02 Yeah. So I suppose just the start of it was to actually read the Grant Agreement once that MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 100 was released, before the kickoff meeting of the project. I was the project manager, but I was working closely with my other team members within H4 to plan out what was it that we're going to be doing for the rest of the project. So, kind of plan out the trainings, the study visits, all of the plans that we were going to be doing throughout the project. And yeah, I think we'll start talk a bit more about the kind of stakeholders to get involved in the project later. But yeah, that was the main thing to kind of read up about what it was we had to do. Most of the work that we were doing on H4, the time was more so around, 7 startup finance and this kind of thing. Another aspect of it was to form a closer relationship with (xxx – anonomized) County Council. We work with them quite a bit and we needed a kind of contact person within the organisation to work with, so this turned out to be a lady called Elaine Coleman, who was at the time economic development officer. And since she's been in this role since the start of the project as hub contact point for ourselves at the H4 Hub. She's now gone on to another role with (xxxx anonomized) County Council as a circuit bio economy reach officer. So she kind of got more of an understanding of biocompat. 8 Samire Gurgurovci 4:46 Were there any resources or information that you thought would have been helpful to have from the beginning? 9 H4 - 1 5:13 Yeah. What would have been helpful actually was something similar to what we were trying to build with rural spots. So that kind of online platform with the different resources available, I think a lot of the time European projects, they kind of they work on a similar initiative, but then the funding might run out and then the platform kind of is no longer alive. So something that I've been kind of thinking about within the H4 bioeconomy hub is having some kind of platform where all of the information from previous European projects and other ongoing initiatives could be there and I think something like that will be very helpful where it's kind of a one stop shop for a bio economy in the region. So for example like something within the H4 bio economy where you can get information on who's working on what, who is working on what projects, because there is actually similar enough projects ongoing at the moment around rural development and bioeconomy. It MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 101 would have been helpful to have lists of what partners were involved, and then you could kind of see which ways you can kind of collaborate as well. 10 Samire Gurgurovci 6:24 Anything you would have done differently during this preparatory phase? 11 H4 - 1 6:32 Yeah. That's a good question. Yeah what I was just mentioning there kind of seeing who else is working on what, because I know there are other H4 partners that are working on similar initiatives and we did end up in the end doing a joint study visiting, networking event, there might have been other things that we could have been working, if I had a better overview of what they were working on so we could collaborate with them further. That's probably yeah. 12 Samire Gurgurovci 7:34 Yes. So now maybe you can tell me how did you identify and prioritise the stakeholders and what engagement methods were more effective or didn't work out as well? 13 H4 - 1 7:40 Thanks. Sure. Yeah, for identifying the stakeholders, I actually I did a good bit of stakeholder analysis before, not before the project, but just as it started, so that I know who to invite when the time came so. I made quite a collage excel with all the details of the different people I was considering to invite or then circulate that with my team members who would kind of add or subtract depending on what they thought themselves, we thought it was important to get people from different levels of government from the H4 Government through southern kind of the regional assemblies, and then the county councils as well, so that we got different levels of government. We also got people from industries that will be relevant for our own hubs such as dairy and forestry and then cooperatives as well. And then people who are working within bioeconomy, research and biotechnology. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 102 And this kind of thing. So I think quite an extensive stakeholder analysis and we actually still use a similar enough one today that we kind of have been building on since then. So that was for identifying the stakeholders. So what was your second question? It was engagement. 14 Samire Gurgurovci 9:11 What engagement methods worked out well and what didn't work out well? 15 H4 - 1 9:16 Yeah, yeah, I suppose we didn't really have any particular stakeholder engagement methods. So to start off, when I invited them to be part of the project, I emailed them with information on the project and then I asked them to join an online meeting, so then I would have an online meeting with them kind of discuss the project, do a presentation, discuss the project. Then I followed up with them a few weeks later to actually invite them to the kick off meeting and a few other emails just to give them further information on the events so that they could prayer accordingly. And then we started off with a study visit to our own facility, xxx Biocoming foundations facility, xxxx (anonomized). And then we went to a hotel conference room and then I gave presentations on H4 hub RuralBioUp. And what we were going to be discussing throughout today. And then the afternoon session was more of a workshop. The plan was originally to have them fill out stickers on posters kind of thing both, you know, we were kind of at a round table and people just prefer to sit down and have more of a discussion. So what I did was I kind of became the note taker and then we would take a break between each discussion and people were able to put the notes on the poster if they were felt it was relevant. But mostly I was the one just taking notes and engaging with the discussion. 16 And then yeah, that was that was that was it really. As for us kind of stakeholder engagement methods and then? Just always be following up with stakeholders through emails invitations to the different things we were organising, but yet I would say no real kind of other methods I would say. 17 Samire Gurgurovci 11:11 Kind of adapting to the stakeholder group as well, like finding the right strategies for the right people to involve them, right? Yeah. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 103 18 H4 - 1 11:18 Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 19 Samire Gurgurovci 11:21 And. What did? Did you give any incentive to stakeholders or what motivated them actually to be part of the project? 20 H4 - 1 11:32 I'm not too sure exactly. I would say that it was a few different aspects. One of the things that we did do was like I mentioned, we did a kind of a trip to our facility at the national Bio Economy campus. And this was actually one of the first times that people were able to visit the facility. So this was a pilot scale facility that we have been trying to get up and running for fermentation and it's kind of the first time people were invited to visit. So I would say that was one of the interest that got people as well and then kind of the discussion of the project itself. I was saying to them that they can take part in whatever they thought was most relevant to themselves. So that kind of formed wasting their time with stuff that they didn't want to do. So whether that would be study visits, network events or whatever was that we were organising. I think it's also good opportunity to collaborate with the stakeholders, so some of them are actually working on similar initiatives or kind of got ideas to work on similar initiatives and it allows us to get more people working on the same topic rather than working on it separately. So that was another thing as well. 21 They were the main aspects I would say I tried I always try and keep if we're having a stakeholder engagement kind of meeting or workshop or trying to keep it as interesting as possible and as informative as possible so that it kind of keeps people engaged rather than sometimes you can go to these workshops and it's more so you know, it's project heavy and it's not actually getting too much information from the stakeholders which is the most important aspect and it can be overlooked. 22 Samire Gurgurovci 13:26 Did you also not just coming to our mind because you said also you had the regular MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 104 informative emails or you were informing them regularly, did you have stakeholders that were more active in the sense of more interested and wanting to be part of the practical part? And then other stakeholders that were less involved? How did that work out? 23 H4 - 1 13:26 We kind of had some that had turned up on the day for the kickoff meeting and then didn't follow up too much since then. But then there were others, of course, who were a bit more interested. They'd probably be the ones that I'd be working with more closely anyway on other things. So yeah, it kind of depended on the person and sure, like I said, we kind of kept it so that people can be as engaged or not engaged as they saw fit. So yeah, so that was the case. There were some people that were more interested and taking part and then others who kind of weren't. 24 Samire Gurgurovci 14:34 Right. So maybe now we can talk more about the field visits and like? 25 H4 - 1 14:40 Sure. 26 Samire Gurgurovci 14:41 How was the preparation How did you go about it? And did you follow up with other side of visits afterwards? 27 H4 - 1 15:03 Yeah. It can take a good bit of preparation and logistics to organise these. I organised one before starting a ruralbioup, actually, where we had a few 15 Italian stakeholders from the spring cluster come to H4 and for a three day visit and we explore different bioeconomy opportunities in the southern region of world. So I kind of knew what was involved in organising one of these study visits before I start the project and then we started the project and I'll be I found the task lead of study visits. So we organised them a kind of pilot study visit and this was in collaboration with SPRING where we visited northern Italy, Italian sites. So it was kind of between myself and the manager director there, Mario MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 105 colleague Leonardo. And so between the two of us we picked whatever was free dates that we would go. And I think there was sometime in March 23. Yeah. From there, your kind of both doing the logistics as well as well, I suppose organising the people is or the logistics as well, but you're inviting the people while you're still kind of preparing the agenda. And preparing the flights and accommodation and this. So yeah, you kind of have to do it concurrently. I invited people from the hub firstly and then I invited other stakeholders that I thought might be interested in whether people heard through word of mouth and we didn't really promote it on LinkedIn. We kind of kept it to just emailing people invites specifically. And yeah, people were quite impressed with how that went. So that was the kind of main foreign study visit we did. And then we also organised several times to temporary site in the national Bio Economy campus. So like I say, we're trying to set up a fermentation facility there and to do that work, it's one of the main aspects is to organise people on site to kind of give them information on what is actually happening because they might read articles we recently got awarded €5 million funding from the H4 Government. And so, we were trying to kind of provide information about the facility on the ground so that people could get a better understanding of what it was previously. 28 What it is currently and what we hope to do within the future. So I think in total we've probably organised three study visits there alone. One of them was in collaboration with the mainstream Bio project, where we worked with MTU, mostly technological university. So we did a joint event, Joint City visit and it seems to go well because people do get a better understanding of what it is that we're trying to do there. That might not be able to be done through an article or an online meeting. So I think that's impactful, yeah. 29 Samire Gurgurovci 18:19 Right. And why did you decide to not make it public like? Why did you decide? Maybe you had a thought behind it that you didn't decide to open up in LinkedIn or any other social media, but kept it in this circle of the stakeholders that are already established. 30 H4 - 1 18:42 Yeah, I think you get people that are the most interested involved. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 112 that you're actually offering as part of the project interesting, then they're going to be more willing to take part. They'd be the main kinda aspects 'cause there is cuz there is a lot of coming from rural development projects and other ongoing initiatives that are working on kind of hub creation as well. So you there's a lot of work on it and I would say not to start from scratch not start from zero. So like I say we're kind of going to be working on in a workshop now in April, where we're going to be using the results of this project. Let's see how we can leverage it into other projects so that we're not again just starting from scratch. So once I look at other stuff that was ongoing, I'd say even within the country. So H4, there's quite a lot of information that is out there about different hubs and they go by other names as well. But you know, you can kind of see what the results are from that, who was involved, in that project and read some deliverables. Yeah, I would say Don't reinvent the wheel. 60 What are your thoughts on gaps that you see in strengthening the bioeconomy in Europe in general? 61 H4 - 1 34:29 Yeah, maybe I would have said maybe some more lack of collaboration. But, you know, recently H4 Bioeconomy Foundation and SPRING who, you know, are also involved in the project, starting new collaboration with bioeconomy clusters in Europe. So several of the, I'm not sure how many maybe seven or eight of the main bioeconomic clusters when in Europe kind of signed a cluster agreement, there and during the week in Brussels. So that we can kind of collaborate further to grow the bio economy within Europe. So maybe I would have said lack of collaboration before, but maybe that hopefully won't be the case anymore with this kind of new agreement, I would say. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 113 H5 1 Transcript 2 7 February 2025, 09:06am 3 Martina Lindorfer 0:46 So the reason why we're doing this interview is really, is to gather the lessons learned for our deliverable and also the handbook where we try to share our experience of the project with upcoming projects or anyone who can get inspired by us and tries to or wants to establish a bioeconomy hub. They should profit from our experience and from our lessons learned. So we now will go through all the phases that we had in the project, the main tasks lets say, in order to see how each phase individually went for you, what was easy, what was challenging and what maybe you would do different next time. You can share a bit of your experience and you can talk very openly. It's not for the monitoring, it's not for the evaluation and all your answers will be anonymized. 4 Could you summarise what was would you say the main mission of your hub is? So what was the purpose of your hub? What kind of difference in the end should your hub make in your region? 5 H5-1 2:36 I will start with mission. We are a research institution, for research mostly on trees but we decided to cooperate with organisation which gather together different agriculture sector. NGOs, as well, producers. The overall goal, of course, is to promote local bioeconomy and to transfer our knowledge from different countries as well, knowledge from science to the practitioners. Our interest as foresters and as tree growers is make connection with agriculture sector and to push them to look at trees from different perspective and to to catch how trees could benefit from all this. The practical needs and goals as well as this, the European ones and all these so horizontal priorities. 6 Martina Lindorfer 4:01 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 114 OK, so connect different perspective from different disciplines to gain economic profits for the region. 7 H5-1 4:07 Yeah. And also normally foresters and agriculture sectors, they are concurrence for one of resources which is land. And we are going with also with this mission to make peace that we could keep both trees and agriculture production on our land and we should not compete and fight. They should cooperate and to argue that socially also how we are working and what we are doing is that we are not over exploiters for our land, but we are producing a lot of different kind of goods, yeah. 8 Martina Lindorfer 4:51 And. Yeah. Nice. So, enhance the cooperation, combine different perspectives. So maybe right away would you say that this last years of the project you could improve on these goals? 9 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 5:16 I think we can improve in these goals because as H5-1 mentioned, we work in forestry, but as the project says, the main goal would be bioeconomy. So then the bioeconomy is also together with agriculture and so now we have the contacts also in agriculture. So now I think we could do it better because we have both the agriculture and the forestry together. 10 Martina Lindorfer 5:44 OK. So that was for you, like a main result of the project that you could establish kind of this partnership or at least start this this network? Do do you see that as the main result of the project. 11 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 5:58 Yeah, I think the networking is a good result because now we could do more, because now we know the people also from the agriculture sector, what we didn't know before so MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 115 well and also they didn't know us as well. Well they know of us but we didn’t have a personal connection. 12 H5-1 6:18 Yeah. And I I think success is also because for example, during the outlast meeting some other NGOs came to us and said that they would like to have some training and even some events for their members. So that is the start to benefit from our previous activities. That's not as fast as we would like to have, but it will happen. 13 Martina Lindorfer 6:36 Maybe once again, what was concretely your role in the project or your main responsibilities? Did you have concrete roles in the project? 14 Maybe you have a coordinator for communication or for management or for whatever networking or so? 15 H5-1 7:07 I would like I could say that for communication and networking. We are working both, for publicity it is mainly me and other ones involved in projects they are active in Z7, so they help both of us to organise events and sometimes also to make some content of event. And Christophe is more involved in administrative part. 16 Martina Lindorfer 8:02 OK. And did this work alright? Would it have needed like clearer roles, maybe different roles, additional roles to manage the hub? Or it just worked well the way you did it? as I understand you did it more like, let's see who has time to do something and be very flexible with the responsibilities and everyone does a little bit of everything. 17 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 8:32 No, I think this project is maybe quite hard to divide some roles because I think there's a specific of the project, it's not that it's very divided some different tasks they are quite connected. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 116 18 H5-1 8:50 Yes, because when it's more related to economy and to economic terms and to calculations, then xxxx (anonomized) will do because he has a PhD in economics and when it's more about how to use resources and what kind of resources we could use in different ways, then it's me, because I have a background in biology and forestry. 19 And as we are joking in our events, so when we are both present, I say that of us are educated in forestry. I have a degree in biology. He has degree in economy and finally we are specialists in the bioeconomy. 20 Martina Lindorfer 9:45 OK, I'm super. So then I would start already with like as I said, going through the different phases of the project, the first phase, we called preparatory phase. So you remember maybe where each hub had to find a concrete scope, concrete objectives for the hubs. Also, you had to identify the value chains you wanted to work with. And you had to assess the state-of-the-art. A state of art of the bio economy in your region and also to see if there are gaps that you wanted to fill. So all in all, how did you experience this phase and maybe also you can quickly again remind us of how you accomplished this. So how did you initially identify the scope and the concrete objectives of your project? How could narrow it down to something more concrete? 21 H5-1 10:50 Since this initial stage, starting to implement the project, initially we wanted to work narrow it down just in forestry but due to at that time, political processes and also what was happening in the social media and socially, we understood that we should work wider and therefore we changed our partners, which are not project partners, but partners in our hub. A more wider auditorium for the H5n Agriculture council. And also in agriculture council, as members are Forest Owner Association, they are also included. So, we look in a more wider perspective. I think that that was our success. 22 Martina Lindorfer 11:56 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 117 And was it then hard? Because it's interesting you did it the other way around. You know, you didn't start like from a bigger scale and narrowed it down. You kind of opened it up. Because you then included more and more stakeholders, as I understood. And was it then difficult together with these new stakeholders to define concrete objectives because you know I understand that it is a task of negotiation, whether to focus on this objective or on the other one? What makes most sense for all of us? Was that a difficult process or was it quite clear? 23 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 12:35 I think it's quite difficult because we have different stakeholders because we wanted a pool of stakeholders. So there are different stakeholders, but it's also hard because they have different interests. For example, the association has different interests like some businessmen or like a stakeholder, so it's not always fitting together what they want, what are their interests for them. And also stakeholders, if they are from agriculture, it means that some are for example baking bread and others are growing some potatoes and some are from the forest, so it's also hard for them to find something common because they are from different industries. Although all are from agriculture or from forestry, but there are different industries and also different levels what in which they work in these industries. 24 Martina Lindorfer 13:40 Yeah, I mentioned that that's a difficult process, but so how did you manage this process? Because you had to come up with clear priorities, clear topics, clear objectives. So how did you in the end reach a decision among these different interests? 25 H5-1 13:47 Yeah. In our case solution was to speak with them more in general. To catch those topics, which are interesting for all of us. For example, in the first meetings we talked about funds and the fundings where we could cooperate and we introduced it with ourselves and we tried to look what's common for all of us and also regarding that, this hub is in cooperation with agriculture organisations, but the stakeholders have been involved with also through another one networks. We have very good cooperation with them, planning region, which is the largest one in H5 and nearby which we are and where we are both of us are living in this planning region and also we cooperated with cluster of clean MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 118 technology, some that we have project and there is activity, you could follow us. So, when we are cooperating with these NGOs it is easier to reach Target Auditorium because when we are writing there is a signature foresters or forest research institutes, they took it as like a spam. Oh, it's for foresters. That's not for us. That's for foresters, because they are doing this screening also by, by the sender, who is sender. But the ones that message comes from innovation with the planning region, or from Clinton cluster or another one. And then it's different if they accept, if these managers of organisation do accept that we are coming and doing something together oh then it's OK then it's for us. That's so that's how we solved it. 26 Martina Lindorfer 16:15 OK, so summarising maybe this phase of the finding the priorities among all partners. Is there something you're proud of you, well that you would say worked well, or is there something you would say, that you would do differently next time if you repeat it again? 27 H5-1 16:42 So about what we are proud is that now when we say bioeconomy, it's not mixed up with organic farming anymore. When we started the first thing, we did was explaining what is biological farming or organic farming and what is Bioeconomy and then that those bonds are not the same. Yeah. That's the first step. First mind step. 28 Martina Lindorfer 17:19 OK. And something that you would do differently if you did it again this first phase? Or maybe not. Maybe you would do it exactly the same because it's worked out well. 29 H5-1 17:38 Maybe I will remember later on what, what, what we could do different. 30 Martina Lindorfer 17:41 OK, OK. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 119 31 H5-1 17:45 It. Maybe in the beginning, we didn't sort out such short terms about our project task and activities. We, as we had the web page which we had later on, but it would be good to have it from the beginning. Have one paragraph of summary of project what we are going to do and then to send out to everybody to be prepared. 32 Martina Lindorfer 18:23 Summary: Have better information about the projects that will be helpful. In the beginning of the project. 33 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 18:49 I think yes, maybe in the beginning it would be better that we maybe could do invest more in the screening of the stakeholders probably. But I think we have a good connection with the contact points, so it was good to see that we could use stakeholders that were already in the contact point. 34 Martina Lindorfer 19:16 Yeah, that would actually already be my next question because that is now actually phase two is the stakeholder engagement phase. That would be everything that you know we did in our first kickoff meeting when we introduced this stakeholder mapping methods? And ask you to map your stakeholders and create the stakeholder engagement plan. So really to see which stakeholders do we need on board, also to see how can we diversify our stakeholders, how can we get many different stakeholders on board. How can we reach them? How can we communicate with them? So how? How did that work for you? You already started to comment on that so. What was your main method actually? How did you identify and how did you prioritise your stakeholders at the beginning? MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 120 35 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 20:14 So how we started in the beginning we had the hub contact point. Who was the organisation who are different members from the agriculture and forestry. So it's basically like the bioeconomy corporation. And then we went to them and then we saw which stakeholders could be used in this project. In cooperation with the contact point, we got a stakeholder database. 36 Martina Lindorfer 20:51 How did you decide who could be used for the project? That was like kind of you decided on your own evaluation? 37 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 21:03 Yes, basically, we just propose to all the Members who are in the Council, do they want to join? Do they want to join the project? So who wanted just signed the forms and then we included them as a stakeholder and then send information to them about the project and the meetings. 38 Martina Lindorfer 21:18 OK, that's how you reached out. You first, you identified them from the list and then you sent them invitation emails with information. 39 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 21:34 Yes. 40 H5-1 21:35 Yeah. 41 Martina Lindorfer 21:35 And did that work out? I mean, I can imagine if you sent like an e-mail inviting them that many would be kind of reluctant and not be too motivated because so how did you in the MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 121 end really motivate him to, you know, that they should join because they gained something out of it? 42 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 21:52 OK, in the beginning there was this first hub meeting. So in that first Hub meeting, there were most of the members of that organisation and then we just introduced the project and they who wanted to join the project when they already saw what the project is about, then they decided to join the project. 43 Martina Lindorfer 22:19 OK. But was it an issue that through this method you didn't reach enough stakeholders or also because the task was also to gain different stakeholders with different backgrounds and also from different institutions and different stakeholder groups like policy, industry, NGO and education etc? Was that an issue for you to kind of not be able to cover the different groups? 44 H5-1 22:45 This we solved through the connection with different NGOs, so that one association of agriculture sectors that we got agriculturist and land managers. By cooperating with them planning region, we got source who is a local policy makers and implementators and who is working with local entrepreneurs in a wider scope by cooperating with clean technology cluster, we got those ones who are working in in technologies. So finally, we reach a different target audience by cooperating with different organisations, which gather them together as well as those persons who are on social organisations. Which are involved in NGOs on government organisations, they are these more active ones which really wanted to do something more. 45 Excluding just their business. So that's the way how to attract the active persons who wants the opportunities and who wants to take part in some activities. So we did not this so much. That was not like spam tool but more targeted. 46 Martina Lindorfer 24:14. OK. So just to see if I understood it correctly, your tactic was rather to engage the ones MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 128 81 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 38:22 Within showing the good practise examples there is in the forest state or within the forest. 82 H5-1 38:30 Yeah. And also inviting for lectures. Who are the practises? Some bioeconomy, but in some special way, some persons who are involved in agriculture as well. In the last meeting we invited the professor in bioeconomy as well, so we are cooperating with the bioeconomy ecosystem activists in H5 not only with another project but also those who are working in that field outside of our institution. And in such way we also let them know that we are active and there is project. As well that there is somehow diversification of our activities for our stakeholders. 83 Martina Lindorfer 39:43 Yeah. OK. Nice. And during the implementation of the action, were there any unexpected challenges or problems or obstacles you had to deal with? 84 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 40:00 I didn't have nothing in mind in the first. 85 H5-1 40:03 Weather condition. As they are real farmers the majority of our stakeholders. They go together during winter time, so in summer and spring and autumn times they are busy with the farming and other stuff. And when we organise events in winter, and if there is too slippery or too icy roads, somebody decides not to come. Yeah, yeah. That's why I say weather condition, and not other issues. 86 Martina Lindorfer 40:56 OK. Could you imagine now thinking about like support structures. Is there anything that you would have needed or that would have helped you in the project, maybe from the whole project structure, from any kind of support that you could have gotten in addition MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 129 not only for your region but overall for the whole team, the whole project team? Is there anything that you think would have helped you to better implement the project? I don't know anything more meetings, more trainings, more exchange, more kind of also communication material, more whatever clearer structure, clearer management structures, additional roles. 87 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 41:46 Yeah, maybe in the beginning more information about what is a hub and maybe some other examples would have bene useful. 88 Martina Lindorfer 42:04 So to really know what the hub should look like, how it should be structured, how it should be built, have good examples for that. H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 42:14 Yes, more of that. And also examples of already existing hubs and maybe that these existing hubs could share some experience or just see how they work or how it looks like, because I understand that could be different hubs or different ways how to manage the hubs and. 89 H5-1 42:34 That took us some time to explain to our partners. Because they said we will cooperate with you, but what is happening? what is our obligations? 90 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 42:55 It is because many of them already are in one in some organisation or in some different cluster and then there is hub and then they want to know what's the difference between the hub or the cluster if they are already in five clusters, what would be the benefit their benefit to be in this hub? 91 Martina Lindorfer 43:09 I understand. Yeah. And do you think that in the end, it made a difference for them or would you say in the end it doesn't really matter being a hub or not or is it in the end just MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 130 something to make to kind of upscale the cluster or did it get clearer in the end for the stakeholders or for you? 92 H5-1 43:18 In simply words, it's the difference between hub. In hub it's like they are, as I understood working in certain H5, so they are point where from where information is coming and shouting and through which one it is accessible and they should not pay those because it's projects they should not pay for cluster and other ones they should pay something. And there is coming activities for free and also this extension and even funded some activities and that I think that was the thing also which led them to continue to cooperate with us and to stay focus on that one, because it is voluntary, but they should not pay. And also they got some benefit from that one. 93 Martina Lindorfer 44:45 OK, getting some free information and some free benefits. 94 So we are almost at the end. So just do you have any ideas on the sustainability of your hub? Did you have the chance to think about any strategies about how to ensure the sustainability of your hub? 95 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 45:11 I think the Hub will stay because most of the members or most of the stakeholders are members of the contact point, so they are related to the contact point and so the contact point is the next who need to continue the hub, so I think it wouldn't be any problem. And I think that we have a good right and check the contact points. So we could also be involved in this hub actions through the contact point in the future. H5-1 45:45 Yeah. And just something that came to my mind, I don't know what it is, is it age, is it business specific or what? But our stakeholders are very ’’lazy’’ to take part in online events. Because where we're getting that information, we are sending out all of them that there is such and such nice webinars. But they are very passive to visit webinars. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 131 96 Martina Lindorfer 46:27 OK. Yeah. Maybe they are just spending too much time in front of computers and are happy if they can meet people in person. 97 H5-1 46:38 Yeah, that is like this whole horizontal challenge. And we would be happy if they if they use the information more if they connected, more to the webinars and to listen it's something and to take a look from different approach. But what they don’t do that. 98 And for this sustainability issues. Maybe one of the ways and also one of the activity as organisation could be is that we could become a Member of this hub NGO. And then we could continue activities from inside, because we also do some agriculture activities or long term tree plantings are agriculture crops. So we are also living agriculturists in spite of status of forest Research Organisation. Maybe that one could be also a way how to keep more alive or more active our connection. 99 Because from our hub the information are extracted but we are not involved in an active process, but as members we could also be involved in a more active process. 100 Martina Lindorfer 48:36 OK, So my last two questions that are now more general questions. So imagine now because you know we're collecting these lessons learned now for other regions who might also build bioeconomy hubs. So imagine there's another region wherever in Europe, who wants to build a bio economy hub, what are for you like the top lessons learned from your experience where you say, OK? You should know this or that. Before you start building your hub, is there something that comes to your mind? So something you think about that would help me a lot, if I had known that from the beginning on? 101 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 49:18 Yeah, maybe about the hub information, how the hub will look like. We didn't know MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 132 exactly what we it would look like when we started doing it. It would be much easier for them if they have the clear picture, what it will, how it will and what will be in the end. 102 H5-1 49:39 103 We would like to encourage others too cooperate with NGOs and associations, because there are more active people and a these CEOs or directors or heads of Engineers, they know their members and they know to whom to what to spread to avoid a spamming of projects. We learnt this from previous projects, but in this one we started to use this approach from the beginning. 104 Martina Lindorfer 50:43 OK. And very last question now looking more also on the EU level. Do you see some major gaps on the EU level that need to be kind of filled in order to really move bioeconomy forward? Is there anything that if you could talk to, I don't know a EU official, what does bioeconomy need in Europe to kind of get to the next level? 105 H5-2H5-2 (Guest) 51:15 I don't know if this is a good advice, but I think that what they saw also in the last matchmaking event that maybe not all who are involved actually understands what is bioeconomy. 106 'Cause, I think there could be different stakeholders or different people think that the bioeconomy is something different. It's not the same understanding. Not everybody understands the same concept of bioeconomy. I don't know how itcould be fixed, but I think that's probably some gap there. 107 H5-1 51:55 And also. I don't know how, but also to change the attitude or classification or stereotype is that by beconomies, it's about simple things. Maybe that it is in H5, but that's also what I know from colleagues from other countries. So when it's applications when it's artificial intelligence as a result let's worry that's very smart. That's yeah. But the bioeconomy is bio-based, it's natural grown. That's very simple, MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 133 and that's not so high level, let's say. Yeah, but the real bioeconomy that includes also some IT solutions who is working with biometrics that include some IE who is working with recognising biomaterials in the processes. So that is to highlight that the economy is the more just to harvest, grind and timber, but that it includes also this processing and other things that is wider. 108 Martina Lindorfer 53:45 Yeah, good points. Mm hmm. I see what you mean. Great. Thank you. So I already took one hour of your time. Thank you very much. As I said, we will use the information in an anonymous way for the handbook and for the lessons learned report and then hopefully next upcoming projects will profit from everything that you have experienced. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 134 RuralBioUp lessons learned H6 1 Transcript 2 14 February 2025, 10:03am 3 Martina Lindorfer 0:35 Yes, excellent. So let's start with to go back like to sum up again, maybe you could say in a few sentences what was like the main mission of your hub, what was its main purpose? 4 H6-1 0:54 Yes, OK. The main objective of the H6 hub was to promote the development of a sustainable bioeconomy. In particular, through collaboration among the different stakeholder, the local stakeholder. That includes different realities. So for example, businesses as means, but also resource Centre, university, policy maker and Sector association. In particular, our idea was to support the valorisation Of biomass and bio based innovation through collaboration, but also through knowledge sharing and opportunities for networking, but also for funding opportunities. So share information about funding opportunities and give the possibility to the stakeholder to create a new partnership and collaboration. 5 Martina Lindorfer 2:07 So maybe like the summing up, what would you say you you now are named several key objectives, which of those you would say you reached fairly well and maybe are there others that you were not able to reach so good? 6 H6-1 2:07 So all. Sorry I don't can't today the question. 7 Martina Lindorfer 2:29 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 135 Well, now you just summarised the the objectives of the hub, several objectives. And now my question is, is now, you know as the project it is coming to an end, I'm just curious, do you think that you achieved all of these objectives quite well or are there some that you achieved very well you would say and others maybe not so much? 8 H6-1 2:33 OK, OK. OK. No, no, I think that we achieved this objective. Yes, we have some problem after the beginning with stakeholder and in particular with the policy maker. But I think that during the process of the hub activities we reached most of these objectives, yes. 9 Martina Lindorfer 3:03 Mm hmm. OK. And what was your concrete role and responsibility in the hub? 10 H6-1 3:17 Yes, I am the reference point for the H6 hup in particular, as the project manager of the H4 Green Chemistry Association. In particular, I coordinated all the activities of the H6 hup. 11 Martina Lindorfer 3:31 OK. What kind of structure did you have? Did you have very concrete roles, let's say the core team, did you had a fixed core team and with very clear responsibilities or was it more like more flexible and and more dynamic that whenever something came up, you kind of took parts or so or we had a very clear roles and responsibilities? 12 H6-1 3:55 No, I have clear responsibility. Yes, yes, yes. 13 Martina Lindorfer 3:59 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 136 Yeah. OK. So then I would go through the different phases of the project, you know. Being you've seen it in the in, in in the interview guidelines. So let's start with what we call the preparatory phase. So that is, you know, that was the first phase when you really had to find the focus of your hub, the thematic kind of focus that you have to define your concrete scope, the concrete objectives of the hub to identify the value chains you wanted to work with and also assess the state-of-the-art of the bio economy. So what was your kind of method to to, you know, to find this focus to identify the like this this main key objectives and how did you go about it and how did it work out? 14 H6-1 4:44 Yes. We start with a study. Studying the state-of-the-art and the state of bio economy in our region in particular, we will do a SWOT analysis. So we focus on the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of the bio economy in our region. After that our second main point was to engage the key stakeholders of the region. 15 And in particular, we try to engage all the different stakeholders. So as I said before, SMEs, businesses, but also resources, policymaker and association. To understand their challenges, their needs and but also their expectation from by economy and. Our idea was to create a network that can Help us To identify the main aspect Where we have to focus during the hUb activities. 16 Martina Lindorfer 5:59 Mm hmm, where the animated major challenges in this first phase. Anything that was especially difficult, maybe I could start start, maybe you could think of something already. 17 H6-1 6:11 Yes, yes, yes, yes. I totally think about the difficulty to get in contact with local authorities because they have a lot of responsibility. They have a busy schedule, so. 18 They often don't have time to actually actively engage with the project activities with the hub activities, so this was a very hard point. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 137 19 In particular, during the first part of the hUP creation and the hUP activities. 20 21 And I think the second challenge was. Create activities and opportunities for all the different types of stakeholder because they are very different. They have different priorities and also different levels of awareness about by bioeconomy opportunities. So I think that these are the main challenges. 22 Martina Lindorfer 7:14 Did you find any solution or how did you solve kind of this problem as you said that there were very different priorities. So how in the end could you motivate different stakeholders with different interests and different priorities to still find something that they would kind of they all of them would have an interest in? 23 H6-1 7:35 We tried to understand what are the priorities that can bring together stakeholder. For example, I remember that during the first period of the hub we create some questionnaire about the bio economy and the expectation, their needs. and in this way we tried to compare the different Responses. and in this way we try to Focus on the most common aspect. 24 Martina Lindorfer 8:14 OK, so in the end we could find topics that were interesting for all of them, OK? And was there would have there been anything that would have helped you in at the beginning? Was there something, I don't know, some kind of support information? 25 26 H6-1 8:37 Yes, because we work with…, we are involved and we coordinate in a lot of different European projects and initiatives about bio economy sector with the clusters. So in this MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 144 just one week's ago and we see that the physical activities Generate strong interest among stakeholder. 58 59 Martina Lindorfer 22:18 Did any unexpected challenges emerge during this time of implementing actions? 60 H6-1 22:28 I will repeat the same thing that I already said: I think the stakeholder engagement because they are very busy and so on. 61 Martina Lindorfer 22:35 Would it? Are there any? Would there be any support structures that would have helped you? Maybe anything that you could have kind of in the back services from the project that would have helped you maybe? Is there anything you can think of? Any support or service that would have helped you? 62 H6-1 23:05 Yes, as cluster we have a lot of stakeholder networks, so these help us to, for example, engage different types of stakeholder, but also to create synergies and collaboration. And as I said before, also the collaboration with other project, this was the best. The best practise ever. 63 Martina Lindorfer 23:29 Yeah. OK. But were there any gaps for you in the projects, you know, missing links, gaps where you say, well, this was really missing for me this was missing to be able to really be able to perform better? 64 H6-1 23:49 I don't know. I I don't have any additional information about what I have. I have just. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 145 65 Martina Lindorfer 23:51 I'm not talking about the sustainability of your hub. I don't know if there are any ideas already of strategies to keep up the hub in in any form. Is there anything that you have already thought about? 66 H6-1 24:10 And I think that probably long term partnership between the different stakeholder, so try to create this long term partnership. 67 Martina Lindorfer 24:21 OK. 68 H6-1 24:21 For example, create a the base for a new projects or a new collaboration in the in the future. 69 Martina Lindorfer 24:30 OK. Thank you. And then I already come to my last questions which are like summing up again our discussion. So really summing up the whole project and everything we have now talked about what are for you like the top lessons learned. So for example, if somebody would come to you and saying, oh, I'm going to build up AI want to build up a bio economy hub, what I may be there one 2-3 pieces of advice that you would give the person. 70 H6-1 24:57 Yes. First of all, the stakeholder engagement, so this was very important. Is important to have a continuous dialogue with the stakeholder to align the priorities of the of the region and the stakeholder with our activities. I think that the second point could be that visibility is very important, so provide visibility opportunities to stakeholder can help the hub to engage them also in a longer Term. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 146 71 And As I said, before the collaboration, with other projects or initiatives is essential because they gave the possibility to share best practice but also to create new collaboration and the new opportunities. And as I said before to implement structural mechanisms to help the hub to have information about the impact assessment of the activities from the stakeholder. Because the collecting feedback was very very hard. 72 73 Martina Lindorfer 26:33 OK. And then last question, I'm moving like going beyond your EUR region and going more to the European level kind of. What do you see? What are the main gaps on the European level that need to be filled so that we can strengthen bio economy in Europe? Can you think of anything if you, yeah, that would you would tell, I don't know European stakeholders. 74 H6-1 26:57 Yes, I think that it's it's important that the access to funding will be easier. because I saw that many companies Have great ideas and the potential to have a better contribution to the by economy, but the lack of financial resources to develop and scale up their project was a very hard point. Because there a lot of time there is bureaucracy, complexity, the the processes were very time consuming, requests a lot of administrative effort and sometimes especially for the SM ES and then the startups and the small reality. It is very difficult to face these aspects. 75 76 Key Lessons Learned from the H6 77 1. Early and Continuous Stakeholder Engagement is Crucial 78 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 147 • Engaging a broad range of stakeholders—including SMEs, research centers, policymakers, and sector associations—was fundamental to the success of the hub. 79 • A major challenge was getting policymakers actively involved due to their busy schedules. A key lesson was to engage policymakers from the very beginning, rather than later in the process, to ensure better participation and alignment. 80 • Different stakeholders have diverse priorities and levels of awareness regarding the bioeconomy. Using questionnaires to identify common interests and expectations helped in aligning the hub’s activities with stakeholder needs. 81 2. Visibility Opportunities Enhance Stakeholder Commitment 82 • One of the most effective incentives for stakeholder engagement was offering visibility opportunities. 83 • Allowing stakeholders to participate as speakers in events, workshops, and webinars or featuring them in promotional videos increased their motivation and involvement. 84 • Collaboration at the European level was particularly attractive, as stakeholders valued the opportunity to learn from best practices in other countries. 85 3. A Structured but Flexible Approach to Action Planning Works Best 86 • The hub used a co-creation approach to develop the action plan, first gathering insights through stakeholder surveys and then refining the plan through feedback sessions. 87 • Differences in stakeholder priorities were inevitable, but focusing on common key areas helped ensure a balanced and inclusive action plan. 88 • Challenges in engagement persisted, especially in obtaining feedback (for the impact assessment and evaluation), as stakeholders were often too busy to respond to online questionnaires. A proposed solution was to collect feedback in person at events, rather than relying solely on online surveys. 89 4. Concrete Opportunities Matter More Than Just Networking 90 • While networking and knowledge sharing were valuable, stakeholders were primarily looking for tangible opportunities, particularly in the form of funding opportunities. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 148 91 • The hub’s expertise in public funding was a significant advantage, allowing them to provide stakeholders with relevant information and support for accessing financial resources. 92 5. Training and Study Visits Strengthened Engagement and Learning 93 • Targeted training activities were highly successful in building stakeholder knowledge on bioeconomy topics. 94 • Study visits generated strong interest, as they provided practical insights and direct exposure to best practices in the sector. 95 6. Collaboration with Other Projects and Hubs was Invaluable 96 • Working closely with other regional and European bioeconomy hubs helped in sharing best practices and avoiding redundant efforts. It was a great help to know about good practices of other hubs at the start. 97 • European collaboration also enhanced stakeholder interest and provided opportunities for cross-border partnerships. 98 7. Ensuring Long-term Sustainability Requires Strategic Planning 99 • To maintain momentum after the project’s end, the hub emphasized the importance of establishing long-term partnerships between stakeholders. 100 • Encouraging follow-up projects and collaborations beyond the initial three-year period was identified as a key sustainability strategy. 101 8. Access to Funding is a Major Barrier at the European Level 102 • Many SMEs and startups have strong bioeconomy ideas but struggle with complex and timeconsuming funding processes. 103 MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 149 • Bureaucratic hurdles and administrative burdens limit the ability of small companies to scale up their innovations. 104 • There is a need for simplified and more accessible funding mechanisms at the European level to foster greater participation and innovation. 105 Advice for Future Bioeconomy Hub Managers 106 If you are planning to set up a bioeconomy hub, consider these key pieces of advice: 107 1. Engage policymakers from the start – Getting them involved early makes it easier to align strategies and secure long-term support. Engaging policy makers was one of the major challenges. 108 1. Offer visibility opportunities to stakeholders – This increases their motivation and involvement in hub activities. 109 1. Focus on delivering concrete benefits, not just networking – Stakeholders are more interested in funding and practical support than just knowledge exchange. 110 1. Use structured engagement techniques – Surveys, co-creation workshops, and in-person feedback collection can help maintain continuous stakeholder engagement. 111 1. Collaborate with other projects and hubs – This provides access to best practices and expands opportunities for stakeholders. It also makes it easier to start setting up the hub in the first place. 112 1. Plan for sustainability early – Establish long-term partnerships to keep the hub relevant beyond the project’s official timeline. 113 1. Advocate for easier access to funding – Complexity in funding applications is a major barrier; pushing for streamlined processes at the European level can help foster more bioeconomy innovations. 114 ORIGINAL TRANSCRIPT 115 Transcript 116 14 February 2025, 10:03am MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 150 117  Martina Lindorfer 0:06 OK, so I don't know. Did you get the chance to to read through the interview guideline? 118  H6-1 0:12 Yes, yes, I see the guidelines and I tried to I I know I know some consideration for all questions, so I will probably read. 119  Martina Lindorfer 0:22 OK. OK. But it was not. Yeah, it was not an obligation just for you to know. So you know, more or less what we're going to talk about that what? Yeah. 120  H6-1 0:25 Something and. Yes, yes, yes. No, just in this way, I don't miss any information and. 121  Martina Lindorfer 0:35 Yes, excellent. So let's start with to go back like to sum up again, maybe you could say in a few sentences what was like the main mission of your hub, what was its main purpose, would you say what, what, what was the reason for for its existence, let's say? 122  H6-1 0:54 Yes, OK. The main objective of the H6 hub was to promote the development of a sustainable by economy. In particular, through collaboration among the different stakeholder, the local stakeholder. That includes different realities. So for example, businesses as means, but also resource Centre, university, police, maker and. Sector association. In particular, our idea was to support the devaluation. Of biomass and bio based innovation. Through the collaboration, but also through knowledge sharing and freight opportunities for networking, but also for funding opportunities so. Uh share information about about refunding opportunities and give the possibility to the stakeholder to create a new partnership and and collaboration. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 151 123  Martina Lindorfer 2:07 So maybe like the summing up, what would you say you you now are named several key objectives, which of those you would say you reached fairly well and maybe are there others that you you were not able to reach so good? 124  H6-1 2:07 So all. Sorry I don't can't today the question. 125  Martina Lindorfer 2:29 Well, now you just summarised the the objectives of the hub, several objectives. And now my question is, is now, you know as the project it is coming to an end, I'm just curious, do you think that you achieved all of this objectives quite well or are there some that you achieved very well you would say and others maybe not so much? 126  H6-1 2:33 OK, OK. OK. No, no, I think that we achieved this objective. Yes, we have some problem after the beginning with stakeholder and in particular with the police maker. But I think that during the process of of the activities we we reach almost this objective, yes. 127  Martina Lindorfer 3:03 Mm hmm. OK. And what was your concrete role in responsibility in in the hub? 128  H6-1 3:17 Yes, I am the reference point for the H6 up in particular, as the project manager of the H4 Green Chemistry Association. In particular, I coordinated all the activities of the H6 up. 129  Martina Lindorfer 3:31 OK. What kind of structure did you have? Did you have very concrete roles, let's say the core MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 152 team, did you had a fixed core team and with very clear responsibilities or was it more like more flexible and and more dynamic that whenever something came up, you kind of took parts or so or we had a very clear roles and responsibilities? 130  H6-1 3:55 No, I have clear responsibility. Yes, yes, yes. 131  Martina Lindorfer 3:59 Yeah. OK. So then I would go through the different phases of the project, you know. Being you've seen it in the in, in in the interview guidelines. So let's start with what we call the preparatory phase. So that is, you know, that was the first phase when you really had to find the focus of your hub, the thematic kind of focus that you have to define your concrete scope, the concrete objectives of the hub to identify the value chains you wanted to work with and also assess the state-of-the-art of the bio economy. So what was your kind of method to to, you know, to find this focus to identify the like this this main key objectives and how did you go about it and how did it work out? 132  H6-1 4:44 Yes. We start with a study. Studying the state-of-the-art and the start of thought, the by economy in our region in particular, we will do as what analysis. So we focus on straight weakness opportunities, entries of of the bio economy in our region. After that we our second main point was to engage the key stakeholders of the region. 133  Martina Lindorfer 5:14 Mm hmm. 134  H6-1 5:14 And in particular, we try to engage all the different stakeholders. So as I said before, as means businesses, but also resources, policymaker and association. To understand their challenges, their needs and but also their expertise expectation from from by economy and. MAXQDA 24 28.07.2025 153 135  Martina Lindorfer 5:35 Yeah, yeah. 136  H6-1 5:38 Our idea was to create a network that can. Help us. To identify the main the main aspect. Where we have to focus the during the the UP activities. 137  Martina Lindorfer 5:59 Mm hmm, where the animated major challenges in this first phase. Anything that was especially difficult, maybe I could start start, maybe you could think of something already. 138  H6-1 6:11 Yes, yes, yes, yes. I totally think about the the difficulty to get in contact with local authorities because they have a lot of responsibility. They have a busy schedule, so. 139  Martina Lindorfer 6:11 OK. Yeah. 140  H6-1 6:25 They often don't have time to actually actively engage with the project activities with the app activities, so this was a very hard point. 141  Martina Lindorfer 6:29 Yeah. 142  H6-1 6:39 In particular, during the first part of the UP creation and the UP activities. 143  Martina Lindorfer 6:44 Mm hmm.