Innovations – a cornerstone of bioeconomy development

Abstract

Shifting from fossil-based to a bio-based economy requires scientific research and innovations. Innovations will foster bioeconomy development. For this reason, the author presents the conceptual model for bioeconomy development and innovation interaction consisting of the drivers of bioeconomy development, types of innovations and the tasks necessary for the achievement of the goals of bioeconomy development. The main research methods used for preparation of the conceptual model were scientific abstraction, analysis and synthesis, content analysis, and modelling. Rising population, depletion of natural resources, increased environmental pressure, and climate change are the main global drivers of bioeconomy development. They imply a strong need for innovation, which in the context of a transitional bioeconomy must be radical, open, systematic and sustainable. Only through such types of innovations it will be possible to solve the tasks (in the conceptual model indefinite) and to achieve the goals of bioeconomy development. This does not mean that bioeconomy could not be developed through incremental, rationalisation or disruptive innovations. This means that they are not important for the transition period. The main tasks, such as replacement of fossil materials by biomass, replacement of one type of biomass with another one, searching for the new forms of biomass, increasing of food security and improvement of food quality, decreasing of food waste, development of circular economy, changing consumers' behaviour, creating value chains and markets, etc., presuppose the necessity to build horizontal, cross-sectoral economic structure. In general, the radical and open innovations are necessary for the transition process. Horizontal, cross-sectoral economic structure needs to be built and this leads to pressure, confusion and barriers that hamper the innovation process.