FIRST2RUN project aims at demonstrating (TRL8) the techno, economical and environmental sustainability at industrial scale of a first-of-kind value chain where low input and underutilized oil crops (i.e. cardoon) grown in arid and/or marginal lands and not in competition with food or feed, are exploited for the extraction of vegetable oils to be further converted through chemical and biotechnological processes into bio-monomers (mainly pelargonic and azelaic acids) and esters that will be applied in the formulation of bioproducts (biolubricants, cosmetics, bioplastics). By and co-products from the process will be valorised both for energy, feed for animals and added value chemicals productions in order to increase the sustainability of the value chain. Standardization, certification and dissemination activities will support the project in relation to increased marketability as well as social acceptability of developed biobased products in view of their penetration in the market.

The bioeconomy roll-out on a large scale needs the establishment of new models and interactions between the primary sector and other stakeholders toward co-participated bioindustries. In this sense, ROBOCOOP-EU proposes a breakthrough cultural change in the agrosector, by deploying effective regional and circular bio-based Business Models for the valorisation of waste streams from 3 agricultural sectors: grape, olive and stone fruit. This will expand real scenarios of commercial opportunities to diversify the economy of small and medium scale farmers and cooperatives, enabling a more versatile biorefinery with a portfolio of biobased products. This model will allow the integration of secondary streams in a holistic closed loop, thus improving the ecological footprint and revenues with social impact. ROBOCOOP-EU will: involve 8 actors of the primary sector in the establishment of biobased value chains; avoid 25-30% of GHG emissions by means of supply chain and logistic optimisation; design 1 zero-waste multi-feedstock biorefinery at industrial scale (based on existing processes for biocompounds extraction and 2nd streams valorisation); validate 17 new products (3 food formulations, 3 feed additives, 5 cosmetics and nutraceutics, 1 plasticiser and 5 biofertilisers). In order to achieve a successful implementation of the business models in its 3 regional hubs (Extremadura, Apulia and Western Macedonia), ROBOCOOP-EU will integrate multidisciplinary knowledge by developing co-creative spaces called “Living Labs”, where partners and stakeholders will discuss and validate the most consensual pathway towards sustainable and profitable co-participated biorefinery and seek for public and private fund scheme workable scenario. ROBOCOOP-EU consortium is composed by 22 multisectorial partners, specifically designed to cover the entire bio-based value chain in non-competitive and complementary position, which in turn will ensure an effective dissemination and exploitation of results.

Fatty amines possess cationic and surface-active properties, finding applications in cosmetics, coatings, detergents, and more with a projected market growth to $5.54 billion by 2027. The traditional "nitrile route" for their synthesis is flawed by drawbacks like high energy needs, toxic catalysts, harsh conditions, and low selectivity, resulting in complex amine mixtures. Biotechnological alternatives, deploying enzymes, offer a sustainable alternative, characterized by mild conditions and high selectivity but their industrial implementation is hampered by cost and complexity challenges. Currently, there's a lack of a holistic approach that considers upstream, midstream, and downstream factors when designing biotechnological processes. FLEXIZYME aims to pioneer an interdisciplinary, systematic biotechnological platform for fatty amine production from fat and protein-rich residues, encompassing all process stages. Integrating cutting-edge technologies will address limitations hindering enzyme use in cosmetics, detergents, and agriculture. Scaling up and validation across these sectors is a pivotal project aspect. Key project elements include a chemo/enzymatic approach, enzyme engineering/improvement, machine learning tools applied to experimental and in silico data, reactor design and monitoring. These findings will culminate in a biotechnological platform for fatty amine production, encouraging widespread adoption of biotechnological industrial applications. Guided by Techno-Economic Assessment and Life Cycle Assessment, FLEXIZYME ensures productivity, yield, robustness, and flexibility. A multi-actor approach and interdisciplinary collaboration aligned with industrial needs will streamline the implementation of the biotechnological platform's outputs in industry. This flexible, versatile biotechnological platform marks an innovative departure from existing fatty amine production processes, addressing current limitations enhancing environmental performance.