At Bioboost, we are collaborating with BioHubCat on the evaluation of the implementation of the first pre-industrial scaling plant for alternative protein in the region. This facility aims to provide a solution to the current needs of the agri-food sector, which the European Union considers strategic for the future of Europe.
Bioboost’s main mission is to accelerate bioeconomy projects that are systemic and beneficial to the region by offering technical, business and finance, legal, and facilitation services, tailored to the needs of each project and free of charge to the promoter. Under this premise, the Bioboost Accelerator has selected as a “biobooster” the project of the pre-industrial scaling plant for open-access alternative protein that the Bioeconomy Hub of Catalonia (BioHubCat) is evaluating for implementation within the framework of the Shared Agenda for the Economic Transformation of the Terres de Lleida, Pirineu i Aran, and the Strategy for the Smart Specialisation of Catalonia 2030 (RIS3CAT 2030).
This initiative offers an innovative proposal for the agri-food sector in Catalonia and is also aligned with the objectives of the European Union. At the meeting of the Council of European Union Agriculture Ministers held on April 9, 2024, the need for strategic autonomy in protein production was highlighted. In this context, the project aims to provide a space where companies can access technology, machinery, and equipment to develop alternative protein lines at a pre-industrial scale.
Bioboost seeks projects that are not only replicable but also involve collaboration among various actors in the value chain. The pre-industrial scaling plant for alternative protein is a clear example of a project that will benefit all participants and contribute significantly to the sustainable industrial growth of Catalonia, potentially becoming a key project for the development of strategic autonomy in the production of alternative protein in Europe.
How are we helping at Bioboost?
In this initial phase of the project’s evaluation, we are collaborating with BioHubCat on legal aspects, as well as business and finance. Specifically, Bioboost is advising on the legal configuration of the governance model for the protein plant, which will attract both public and private investment. We are also studying how to address the legal challenges surrounding intellectual property. In open-access facilities like this one, there is often a degree of legal uncertainty regarding the confidentiality of information and documentation, or the ownership and subsequent exploitation of industrial property rights, intellectual property, and/or know-how that pre-exists or may be generated from the activities carried out at the plant. For this reason, Bioboost is working to find the best legal mechanisms to address these challenges and ensure the legal security of the environment. Finally, we are also contributing to the analysis of the project’s viability and identifying aspects that should be reconsidered to ensure the sustainability of the facility.
Legal security and guarantee of continuity of public objectives over time
Thanks to the specialised bioeconomy advice offered by Bioboost, some solutions have already been outlined to address challenges and needs that will enable the creation of a legally secure environment and, in addition, guarantee the continuity of public objectives over time, while ensuring the active participation of the private sector in the project’s growth and expansion.
Nevertheless, we are still in the initial phase of the project, so there is still a way to go, but the Accelerator will continue to support BioHubCat with our advice.
