BioEcho Life Sciences is a specialized solution provider for the extraction and analysis of nucleic acids. We create disruptive technologies, products, and workflows that make downstream processing of nucleic acids easier and faster, significantly increase throughput, and deliver reliable results. Our EchoLUTION technology enables the fastest DNA and RNA extraction on the market – in just one single step. It reduces the associated plastic consumption by up to 70 %.

BioEcho, headquartered in Cologne, Germany, was founded in 2016 by leading industry experts and is certified according to ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.

BioEcho. The Nucleic Acid Experts.

BioIndustry e.V. is a regional life science cluster committed to the promotion of biotechnology in science, research and application. The cluster’s regional focus is the Ruhr Metropolis and eastern Westphalia. BioIndustry synergizes the activities of local technology centers, companies and academic research groups to strengthen the field of Biotechnology and Bioeconomy and to generate product and process innovations through interdisciplinary transfer work. Within the current project KLIC.Ruhr (Kompetenzverbund Life Sciences.Ruhr), which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, an online platform is established where universities and companies can offer and share their special equipment and services. Thereby start ups gain easy and cost-efficient access to devices and methods. KLIC.Ruhr aims to improve the communication between science and industry and to adapt scientific research to economic needs in an early stage. In a long-term goal through interdisciplinary transfer activities new product- and process innovations will be generated within the Ruhr area.

BioökonomieREVIER, initiated 2018 at Forschungszentrum Jülich, works to enable the transformation of the Rhineland through targeted innovation towards a circular, sustainable bioeconomy. Therefore, climate neutral and ressource efficient, biobased business models and novel value chains are initiated that contribute to the compensation of the consequences of lignite exit.

The BioökonomieREVIER coordination office acts as subject-related, regional partner driving an innovation system built on regional strengths and aiming at the creation of new type of work. Together with multifaceted, regional stakeholder approaches are being developed for a successful transformation becoming a model region for sustainable bioeconomy.

Another part of the initiative is the “Innovation Cluster BioökonomieREVIER”, comprised of 14 so-called “innovation labs”. These are promising research approaches with very good economic implementation possibilities within the fields of innovative agriculture, biotechnology, plastics technology and integrated biorefineries. Several regional scientific institutions, universities as well as companies are engaged in basic research and application.

BluCon Biotech GmbH founded in 2017 and based in Cologne enables the next generation of bioplastics, through a novel process to produce L-lactic acid, the main precursor of the bio-based and bio-degradable plastic polylactic acid (PLA). PLA is currently produced from valued food and feed biomasses and is therefore not commercially competitive with petroleum-based plastics. The unique BluCon process waives the usage of food biomass, but uses low-value wheat straw and other lignocellulosic feedstocks in a direct fermentation using our proprietary bacteria. BluCon will therefore contribute significantly to combating climate change & plastics pollution. BluCon follows the concept of circular and bioeconomy and by that supports to achieve the Green Deal climate goals for 2050. Further company information, including vacancies can be found at https://blucon-biotech.com/.

As a renowned supplier of devices and equipment for testing the most of different material properties, we stand for high quality and durable measuring and process technology for food and feed, plastics, rubber and other areas. From laboratory equipment to small-scale production, our instruments are used in quality assurance as well as in research and development. Thereby we always attach great importance to individual advice on the use of our and comprehensive services throughout the entire product cycle.

Brabender, founded in Duisburg in 1923, is a leading global manufacturer of measurement and process engineering solutions for testing the quality of various raw materials as well as for the development and optimization of products, formulations, methods and processes.

“Textile recycling is currently the biggest unsolved problem in the fashion industry.” (Handelsblatt) Every second, a truckload of used textiles is incinerated or landfilled. As a result, an annual loss of raw materials amounting to more than €80 billion arises. At the same time, new resources are being cultivated for the ever-growing textile fiber production, leaving an enormous ecological footprint.

For this reason, both consumers and politicians are demanding more sustainability and recycling from fashion brands. However, they do not have the materials to meet this demand.

EEDEN enables the textile industry to use high-quality recycled materials. By using a green-chemical upcycling process, EEDEN extracts cellulose from waste cotton textiles. This cellulose can be seamlessly integrated into existing lyocell/viscose production. In this way, EEDEN transforms the textile industry into a resource-efficient cycle and enables your old clothing to be turned into new high-quality apparel again.

Welcome to fair-technology

Our trading company acts in Germany as B2B marketer for the Probiotic Group Luxembourg. We put health and environment in the foreground.
The extensive product range of fair-technology is based on the cooperation with the probiotic group in Luxembourg. The probiotic group is a manufacturer of products with environmentally friendly components and unlimited hygienic effect. The special advantage of the products is based on the addition of supporting microorganisms, which can be found in our environment.
Antibiotic resistance is one of the important challenges of the 21st century, which we fight with probiotic group products. The products are manufactured in an environmentally friendly way, are safe to use, skin-friendly and animal-free. By using probiot

Fibrothelium is a technology start-up business derived from the RWTH university, located in Aachen, Germany. We believe that nature’s continued evolutionary skill should not be left unexploited. Therefore, we specialize in the isolation and further processing of proteins extracted from natural silk into an ample variety of products while benefiting from unlimited possibilities concerning further refinement and application. With silk proteins it is indeed possible to obtain a large set of structures ranging from textiles to gels to coatings. Aside from its natural origin, the capacity of adjustable biodegradation eminently substantiates the striving role silk protein currently inherits in the working field of biomedical engineering. Due to its outstanding versatility, the employment of silk is not limited exclusively to the biomedical field: innovative applications in the food, cosmetic and textile industry are constantly emerging and acquiring more and more importance. Our objective is to strictly omit toxic solvents while maintaining low process costs and to remain thoroughly environmentally friendly.

The state-owned foreign trade promotion agency NRW.Global Business is the partner for all companies when it comes to investment projects and settling in North Rhine-Westphalia, developing growth markets and networking with international business partners.

NRW.Global Business conducts international location marketing for Germany’s No. 1 investment location, North Rhine-Westphalia, and promotes foreign direct investment here worldwide. The experts at NRW.Global Business support investors in tax and legal matters and provide detailed information on the economic structure and industry clusters. They analyze investment plans, identify suitable locations and accompany an investment project from the first step to successful settlement and beyond.

In close coordination with its partners NRW.Global Business provides a variety of measures tailored to the companies’ needs: It is responsible for the organisation of joint trade fair presentations abroad as well as the coordination and support of international trade delegations from North Rhine-Westphalia to foreign countries. Numerous other industry information and brokerage events offer companies additional assistance in setting up and expanding international business.

Bioeconomy: a concept for the future? – Prospects for fundraising

Speaker: Dr Michael Brandkamp

Michael Brandkamp is one of the three founders and General Partners of the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF). Michael and his team’s goal is to speed up the transformation from a fossil-based to a bio-based circular economy in Europe. The German entrepreneur wrote and executed the business plan of High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), the most active early-stage fund in Europe, investing in innovative technologies and business models since 2005. As the first managing director, he led HTGF until 2019. Michael has 25 years of experience in investment and management in the venture capital industry.

AI and sustainability are transforming your coffee to-go!

Speaker: Rafael Dyll

CUNA is a startup from North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), providing a reusable cup and bowl system for the gastronomy sector. With CUNAs solution, consumers grab their coffee or salad to-go by paying a deposit for the cup/bowl, instead of using throw-away products. This cycle leads to a massive saving of resources already and thus protects the environment. However, what makes CUNA so special and different, compared to competitors? All CUNA products are made from a high-quality bio-based plastic (polyethylene made from around 95% biological waste) and manufactured locally in NRW. This means that the potential CO2 savings within the material is an additional, huge leap over fossile resources. The products are dishwasher safe and, thanks to their long lifetime, offer an overall better and environmentally friendly alternative to disposable packaging. CUNA now joined up with the Fraunhofer Institute to further improve the CO2 footprint using AI and even developed their own recycling process, allowing them to use broken cups returned to manufacture new products.

A novel and sustainable method to make lactic acid from agricultural residues

Speaker: Dr. Albrecht Läufer

BluCon Biotech GmbH develops a novel production process for the PLA precursor L-lactic acid. In the proprietary process, L-lactic acid is produced from lignocellulosic biomasses coming from agricultural or forestry residues, by direct fermentation using a proprietary and patented bacterium. The BluCon process will supply the plastics industry with a biodegradable plastic, made from non-food biomass at competitive cost.
In 2022, BluCon Biotech GmbH started a next series of scale-up work, with the aim to demonstrate the feasibility of the process in the 10cbm fermentation scale range. The scale-up work includes downstream processing to generate polymer-grade L-lactic acid. The scale-up project is supported by a grant from Germany´s Ministry of Commerce (BMWK).

Enabling the circular textile economy

Speakers: Reiner Mantsch & Steffen Gerlach (Co-Founders of EEDEN)

EEDEN allows your old textiles to be turned into new high-quality clothing. For this purpose, EEDEN is developing a green-chemical upcycling process that transforms end-of-life textiles into a resource for existing fiber production.

The startup was founded in 2019 by Reiner Mantsch and Steffen Gerlach to protect our planet’s limited resources. Meanwhile, EEDEN has received initial funding, which they use to develop their technology further. This development is the responsibility of Reiner Mantsch’s team, who came up with the idea for EEDEN during his textile technology studies. His co-founder Steffen Gerlach studied business administration in Hamburg and worked in various roles such as project management, sales, and change management. At EEDEN, he is responsible for the company’s finances and business model.

Bioeconomy at HSHL – Biotechnology and Materials
Science for a sustainable and healthy lifestyle 

Speaker: Dr. Ronja Kossack

Our consumption behavior and our diet have a major influence on environmental and climate protection. The Bioeconomy Research Group at the HSHL combines biotechnology and materials science to develop products for a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. In this way, biotechnological processes are developed to return regional residues from agriculture and the food industry into the food cycle. For example, residues from rapeseed oil production are used to produce a vitamin-rich meat alternative from fungal mycelium.  Other projects deal with the generation of energy from biomass or the question how the application of renewable raw materials in biomaterials can be optimized.

Healthy & Sustainable Microbial Based Products, how can probiotics help to naturally rebalance our microbiome?

Speaker: Martin Schoonbroodt

Martin Schoonbroodt (36y) is Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Probiotic Group, company based in Luxembourg.
He co-runs this scale up since 2014 by promoting sustainability and healthcare through innovative biotechnologies. With a strong passion for microbiology, Martin created the start-up with experienced specialists that wanted to disrupt the way we think over bacteria. Living with bacteria in order to rebalance microbiomes, those of our spaces and on our skin. Because, indeed, Probiotic Group focuses on R&D and production of homecare and personal care products for human and animal beings (cleaning, care and cosmetics products).

Martin is a qualified IT Engineer from Brussels and conducted a MBA back in 2014 which, actually, was the start of his Probiotic Group journey. With over 14 years work experience in tech innovations, Martin likes change as long as it helps living beings to respect themselves on a health perspective and obviously in consideration of the environment. Martin is also a lecturer at HEC University, a Business School in Belgium, where he teaches and shares experiences about his entrepreneurial life.

The chewing-gum revolution: Plastic-free and sustainbale

Speaker: Thomas Krämer

After studying resource management with a focus on forestry, Thomas found that the best chewing gums are made from natural tree resins and not, as is common today, from synthetic ingredients derived from petrochemicals. He then went on a mission to flip the chewing gum market upside down. 

In his search for the best natural gum base, Thomas traveled around the world and found Chicle in the forest of Central America. Chicle is the tree sap of the Sapodilla tree and the perfect ingredient for a biodegradable gum base. Made from all natural resources, Forest Gum today is listed in over 6,500 supermarkets, three years after its start.

As a team, Forest Gum is fighting for a plastic-free future and climate- and environmental protection. Small changes can have crucial impacts. We are passionately working on the details to save our home planet. 

Greentech in North Rhine-Westphalia

Speaker: Eva Platz

Eva Platz is General Manager of the Department for International Trade Fairs at NRW.Global Business GmbH.
The state of NRW supports small and medium-sized enterprises from NRW as part of its foreign trade promotion with a broad-based trade fair program – coordinated by NRW.Global Business. Eva and her team organise the state’s joint company stands at international trade fairs, where exhibitors get to present their services and products directly in the target markets at favorable conditions. Especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, a trade fair abroad can be an excellent springboard for exports. Here entrepreneurs can gain a vivid impression of the country and people, sound out the new target market, present their products and services to a broad audience and establish initial business contacts. The services offered by NRW.Global Business range from the professional turnkey booth design by experienced architects, cross-company advertising activities, the collective transport of exhibits and the supporting program of the event.
As the state-owned trade and investment agency, NRW.Global Business supports all international companies when it comes to investing and settling in North Rhine-Westphalia and expanding throughout Europe as well as all companies from NRW with the development of growth markets and internationalisation activities.

Novel business opportunities: regional innovation through bioeconomy in Rhineland

Speaker: Dr. Christian Klar

Dr. Christian Klar is head of the BioeconomyREVIER coordination office at Forschungszentrum Jülich, which aims to shape the regional transition to a circular bioeconomy. Before, he held positions as researcher with a spatial analysis focus, as EU consultant and as innovation manager at the Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC). Since 2018, he has evolved to a transformation manager who, through networking, knowledge transfer and innovation management, supports the design and implementation of biobased value chains and the development of green industrial sites to foster a climate-neutral and ressource-efficient regional development.

Speakers: Benedetta Isella & Phillip Czichowski

Silk has a thousand-year history of use in textiles, but its potentialities exceed the classical use of this material. Starting from its essential components, the proteins fibroin and sericin, it is possible to achieve a variety of different shapes and applications for the medical, cosmetic, food and textile industry. Join us in this journey starting from the silkworms and the cocoons, through our proprietary extraction process, to the final products and future perspectives.

FungiFacturing = Fungi + Additive Manufacturing

Speaker: Ilhan Kahraman

Ilhan Kahraman, research assistant at the Fraunhofer UMSICHT institute, has been working in the open science laboratories of the institute for digital manufacturing and more recently for biotechnology.

The latest project “FungiFacturing” combined these fields in researching and developing a method for additive manufacturing of Fungi with the use of plant fibres. The additive manufacturing is the tool to give the biopaste a shape to reach desired geometry. Furthermore, it creates an environment in which the mycelium, the root network of the Fungi, can grow and prosper. The used sustenance is made of residues like straw. First prototypes of the project were sound absorbers. Which are taking advantage of the porous nature of the paste and the ability to create cavities due to additive manufacturing.

Innovative coatings for edible coffee cups

Speaker: Sarah Theresa Schulte

Sarah Theresa Schulte is the Co-Founder of AllCup. She started with her Co-founder Lara Wagemann in 2019 Wagemann while studying intercultural business psychology at the university of Hamm-Lippstadt. The product developer and Co-Founder Martin Nauen joined the team one year later. Sarah is responsible for Sales and Marketing, as she is communicative, has experience abroad and has insights into the complexity of the market.

AllCup is developing an innovative coating, which is like plastic: Therefore, it is heat- and water-resistant, and in contrast to plastic edible and compostable. The first use case is a transformation of a wafer into an edible coffee cup.
The start-up plans to replace multiple plastic packaging through its unique coating in the long term.

Seaweed based packaging – An opportunity for
tomorrow’s packaging industry

Speaker: Ludwig Schmidtchen

Ludwig Schmidtchen developed a natural seaweed based polymer material and appropriate production processes as Application Engineer for Biopolymers at Brabender GmbH & Co.KG and PhD student at Technical University of Dresden. He studied mechanical engineering with focus on packaging machinery. Afterwards he worked for the European seaweed cultivation pioneer Ocean Rainforest Sp\F and in industry driven packaging research project as research staff at Technical University of Dresden. Since he got in contact with seaweed first time in 2016 he is dedicated to the vision of natural seaweed based polymer material as part of tomorrow’s sustainable industry.

Introducing sustainability into molecular diagnostics –
Meet the Nucleic Acid experts

Speaker: Dr. Mona Al-Maarri

Mona Al-Maarri studied biology at the University of Cologne and switched to the biotechnology industry after completing her PhD in cancer research. Her job as a product manager perfectly combines her scientific focus with her creative mind.
The sustainability topic plays a major role in her private life, and the company BioEcho has also focused on this topic from the very beginning. Therefore, it is not surprising that Ms. Al-Maarri is also involved as sustainability manager at BioEcho. Together with a team, she ensures that greener practices are implemented in all areas of the company.
BioEcho Life Sciences is a specialized solution provider for the extraction and analysis of nucleic acids. The EchoLUTION technology enables the fastest DNA and RNA extraction on the market – in just one single step. It reduces the associated plastic consumption by up to 70 %.