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ItalianoThe importance of regional cycles and value chains has been brought to the attention of the general public, not least by the Corona crisis. Often, it is fresh, innovative product ideas and unusual routes to the customer that are particularly successful despite difficult framework conditions. The Interreg Alpine Space project AlpBioEco, which aims to develop new and particularly sustainable business models in the bioeconomy, has been running since April 2018. The research project focuses on business models based on apples, nuts and alpine herbs. The results should also be transferable to other alpine products. An interdisciplinary group of researchers from the MCI has been involved from the very beginning.
In the initial phase of the project, apples were examined in the MCI laboratories for their properties, specific potentials were determined and their feasibility was tested. Building on market studies, laboratory analyses, interviews and interactive knowledge exchange, the phase of developing business concepts with high sustainability standards began under the leadership of the MCI.
After 22 Open Innovation Workshops with 182 participants at nine locations in five European countries, the results were astonishing: farmers, entrepreneurs, scientists and representatives of regional and economic interest groups developed exactly 440 (!) ideas for new business models. The 440 ideas were condensed into 26 concepts, and from these in turn seven detailed business models were developed, called "blueprints". Those who want to take a closer look can look forward to business concepts for disposable tableware made from apple pomace, baby soothers with herbal essences, innovative greening of ski meadows, gluten- and allergen-free flour and much more. These are described in recently published results reports.
The MCI researchers talk enthusiastically about their work, which was particularly exciting not only because of the cooperation between several scientific disciplines, but also because of the involvement of a wide variety of professional and interest groups. MCI project leaderOliver Som from the MCI Department of Business & Management emphasises that the chosen open innovation format is an excellent creativity booster: "We deliberately put the workshops together in a mixed way in order to take advantage of different perspectives and to promote the cross-sectoral transfer of ideas." These are enormous opportunities and potentials for farmers, but also for SMEs, to reposition well-known products by means of innovative processes and distribution channels and to add value to previously worthless by-products, such as apple pomace. Food technologist Katrin Bach also praises the interdisciplinarity of the research group: "Due to the special orientation of the MCI as an Entrepreneurial University®, we had the opportunity to bring together business administration, food technology and process knowledge. We benefited greatly from each other." High praise also goes to the workshop participants: "It was exciting and inspiring to be able to share in the enormous wealth of knowledge and experience of the participants," agree the MCI researchers.
In a next step, the seven "blueprints" will now be implemented as pilot projects in companies and tested for their practical suitability. In addition to tips and suggestions for farmers and entrepreneurs, recommendations for action for political decision-makers are also to be developed.
Alp Bio EcoAlpBioEcois an interdisciplinary project group with 13 partners in Germany, Italy, Slovenia, France and Austria, which has set itself the task of searching for new possibilities for the bioeconomy, i.e. the use of plant products, in the Alpine region. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg Alpine Space Programme.
The aim is to generate added value for the Alpine region through the sustainable use of by-products or waste products such as apple pomace or walnut press cake. This opens up new perspectives for agriculture, moving away from being a pure producer of raw materials towards greater added value and new business areas. Additional potential and fields of application arise from the use of new technologies such as 3D printing.
Thus, the interdisciplinary and cross-regional AlpBioEco project could lead to the development of new markets, support smaller farmers in their continued existence, create new jobs and, last but not least, strengthen the networks between farmers, producers and distribution platforms.
If you are interested in the project and the project results, please contact:FH-Prof. Dr. Oliver SomMCI-Professor (FH) and Head of Department "Innovation Management "Research Area "Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Marketing "Universitätsstraße 15, 6020 Innsbruck, AustriaTel: +43 512 2070-3132, Fax: -3199,
Results reports: