Methodology and stakeholder needs report. Deliverable 1.1 of the ShapingBio Project

The ShapingBio project aims to support and accelerate bioeconomy innovation and the deployment of new knowledge in the EU and its member states. The project seeks to provide evidence-based information, guidelines and recommendations for better policy alignment and stakeholder actions to realize the cross-sectoral potential of the bioeconomy and to reduce the fragmentation across bio-based sectors, the food system and policies across regions, domains and governance levels. To achieve these objectives, ShapingBio employs several qualitative and quantitative methods and a co-creation approach within a multi-actor context. The approach ensures the robustness and relevance of the project's findings, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the bioeconomy landscape and its various stakeholder groups. This approach also enables the project to identify potential areas for further investigation and improvement, ultimately contributing to the successful transition to a circular bioeconomy. Data collection methods utilized in ShapingBio, and further explained in this Deliverable, include interviews, surveys, and policy document analysis. In order to provide information and advisory tailored to stakeholder needs, the project conducted a stakeholder needs assessment with interviews and an online survey. The Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from various sectors, such as industry, academia, policy-making, and civil society, to gain in-depth insights into their perspectives, needs, and concerns regarding the bioeconomy. These semi-structured interviews allowed for the exploration of diverse viewpoints and facilitated a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics within the bioeconomy sector and to collect directly ideas for in-depth assessment. To complement the interview approach, surveys were administered to a wider audience to gather quantitative data on stakeholders' information needs, perceptions, and expectations. In addition, secondary data and information such as policy documents were analyzed to provide a deeper understanding of the bioeconomy landscape and its various stakeholder groups. This methodological approach enables the project to identify key areas of concern and opportunity, ultimately guiding the development of effective strategies and tools to support the successful transition to a sustainable, circular bioeconomy. The insights from interviews, surveys, and policy document analysis cover critical areas such as governance and policy, R&D and technology transfer, cross-sectoral collaboration, financing, and communication channels and formats. Understanding the perspectives and challenges faced by stakeholders is crucial for designing effective initiatives and ensuring the long-term success of the bioeconomy. The stakeholder assessment confirms that these topics are of crucial relevance for the acceleration of the bioeconomy and for each topic a number of challenges and advise was identified. In the upcoming tasks ShapingBio will consider these identified aspects for the fine-tuning of research questions and implementation activities. Moreover, Effective communication channels and formats were identified as vital tools for raising awareness, sharing information, and fostering dialogue among stakeholders. Stakeholders expressed that a range of formats and channels are relevant for their needs; ShapingBio will utilize a mix of methods to reach them, such as public forums, matchmaking events, social media platforms, and more. By incorporating the insights gained from this research, ShapingBio can better address stakeholders' concerns and design initiatives that resonate with different stakeholder groups. This will help the project to achieve its goals of fostering cross-sectoral collaboration, identifying best practices and success factors, and developing tailored tools and strategies for the sustainable development of the bioeconomy. In doing so, ShapingBio can contribute to informed decision-making, facilitate innovation, and promote the long-term success of the bioeconomy.