In April 2026, we had the privilege of moderating our second regional Multi-stakeholder Focus Group Workshop in Brussels as part of the EU project #SYMBIO โ facilitated by Antonia Zerobin (Scientific Project Manager at alchemia-nova), Piotr Swiatek, and Katie Beverley (PDR Design), and joined by an incredible group of value chain actors ready to roll up their sleeves.
At the heart of our discussion: the fascinating potential of Corn Steep Liquor (CSL) โ a nutrient-rich by-product of starch production โ and its transformation into 1,3-Propanediol (PDO), a high-value chemical with applications ranging from textiles to cosmetics.
Together, we developed an implementation blueprint for Belgium: mapping the key actors, material flows, bottlenecks, and enablers along the value chain โ and jointly identifying the leverage points needed to turn this business model into reality. The room was full of practical insight and genuine forward momentum.
๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ:ย the next critical step is building market interest through proof of concept โ both economically and technologically โ and connecting the right actors to make it happen.
A heartfelt thank you to all participants and partners for bringing your expertise, your questions, and your energy to the table.
#SYMBIO #Bioeconomy #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Biotechnology #Innovation #Collaboration #BioBased #CSL #Propanediol
