April 18-20, 2018

Biobased Delta is like a Silicon Valley just that the focus is on the bio-economy. This geographically concentrated, internationally linked meta cluster,  a network, in fact, of several clusters (including the sugar cluster and biobased clusters organized around specific applications, technologies and feedstocks) – made a huge impression on all and every participant of the visit.

Biobased Delta is like a Silicon Valley just that the focus is on the bio-economy. This geographically concentrated, internationally linked meta cluster,  a network, in fact, of several clusters (including the sugar cluster and biobased clusters organized around specific applications, technologies and feedstocks) – made a huge impression on all and every participant of the visit.

Three days weren’t enough to see what was offered to see in this world’s biggest chemical cluster area located in the Antwerp – Rotterdam – Rhine – Ruhr Area. Macro region covered by Cluster’s activities includes provinces such as: Zeeland, West-Brabant and South Holland (in the Netherlands) and the Cluster has strong cross-border cooperation links with Belgium and Germany.

The focus of the Biobased Delta cluster is to use best agriculture and chemistry for replacing fossil carbon with green, renewable carbon and develop new products based on biomass. Biomass sources come mainly from local suppliers and those are: sugar beets, potato, various sources of pulp, grass wastes and others.

The strong triple helix network: companies, R&D institutions and public sector organizations, the infrastructure spread all over the Biobased Delta in 17 locations (seaports, industry-parks, pilot service plants, application, innovation and knowledge centers, education centers, campuses like: Green chemistry campus, Bio Innovation center), the long history of cooperation, strong regional smart specialization, clear focus, cross-breeding of two main industries (agriculture and chemical industry) – it all set the fundaments for many successful stories of commercialized products, to name just a few: biofoam, biodiesel from animal waste, biogas, natural detergents, starch based bioplastics, natural colorants, bionafta.

Cluster management organization model is light, very flexible and business-driven.

Lessons learned

Successful creation and functioning of such Cluster requires business orientation. Entrepreneurs should be in the lead of the cluster and provide part of the funding. However other sectors are strongly involved too according to the triple helix model: academic sector and public sector. This structure should be reflected proportionally as well in the Cluster management and supervising bodies.


Availability of local biomass is a huge asset but it does not define necessity to develop cluster initiative only around one or few available sources of biomass.

Value chain approach is just the same important as triple-helix one. Cross- sectoral cooperation is a way where competition can be avoided or very limited.

Cluster is geographically focused, yet not bound by the administrative borders as it has a very active international agenda.

Interactions between big companies and SMEs are facilitated within the cluster.

Flexible governance and management model, adapting quickly to the phase of cluster developments is one of success factors as well.

Patience is required: the Biobased Delta Cluster started its functioning in 2007.

Good practices that can be transferred to Świętokrzyski Region

Despite that excellent example of an innovation ecosystem, direct transfer of the whole concept is not possible due to different framework conditions and historical context of industry development. However, many elements can be used and adjusted, such as:

  • understanding the market, identification and mapping of available resources and strong areas and key actors,
  • building or further developing the network of committed stakeholders able to form and develop a bioeconomy cluster,
  • open innovation and innovation collaboration between companies,
  • communication, awareness building and ensuring public sector support for the bioeconomy cluster development,
  • initiation of bioeconomy clusters in RIS3 niches,
  • improving the structure, management, services, open innovation and collaboration within the existing clusters, broadening or narrowing the cluster value chains,
  • connecting clusters, cluster internationalization, integrating clusters in wider innovation hubs,
  • facilitating cross-cluster projects and activities;
  • developing support structures/incentives for bioeconomy product and services innovation.