The conference will highlight the range of actors and their roles in the developing agri bioeconomy value chain in Ireland. Addressing the wider agri food community, the conference will showcase how the bioeconomy, as identified in the ‘Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025', can support local, sustainable, and circular bioeconomy development. The discussion aims to demonstrate how the bioeconomy presents opportunities for rural communities by boosting employment and new business opportunities in rural areas, supporting climate action by reducing carbon emissions, promoting a circular economy, and reducing waste, while also providing high-value diversification opportunities to transform agri food systems.

The discussion aims to demonstrate how the bioeconomy presents opportunities for rural communities by boosting employment and new business opportunities in rural areas.

On selecting the theme for this year’s conference, James Claffey, Project Manager at CAP Network Ireland added, "the bioeconomy is an exciting and growing area of green innovation and business development that is directly aligned with the goals of CAP 2023-2027 providing opportunities to support viable farm incomes, enhance the competitiveness and modernization of the sector, and improve the socio-economic vitality of rural areas, while also contributing to climate action and environmental protection."

CAP Network Ireland, co-funded by the European Union and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, champions sustainable agriculture and rural innovation.

The conference will open with a message from the Minister at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and will feature a talk by Gillian Barry, Head of Innovation & Enterprise at Technological University of the Shannon, on biomass, and the current and emerging opportunities for bioeconomy business models in Ireland. A panel of experts, including John Brosnan (Bioeconomy Executive at the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS)) and Kenneth Joyce (Head of Strategic Business Development at Coillte) will discuss the topic further. A fireside chat with Jack Norman (Co-founder of Zirkulu), Michelle Collins (Director of R&D at Tirlán), and Lalitha Gottumukkala (Director and Chief Innovation Officer at Celignis) will discuss their experience of building an agri bioeconomy business. A representative from Enterprise Ireland will delve into the topic of financing the bioeconomy and the financial supports that are currently available to bioeconomy businesses, with a panel discussion featuring Diana Patrascu (Head of the Sustainable Finance Unit at the European Investment Fund) and Michael Brandkamp (Managing Partner at the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund) exploring the area further. Darragh McCullough, journalist and broadcaster, will act as MC for the event, keeping the speakers on their toes and the audience engaged throughout the day.

In addition to this event, Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2025, which kicks off on the 13 October, will feature a range of other events across the country to highlight and raise awareness of Ireland’s rapidly growing bioeconomy. The celebration is a collaboration of events and awareness-raising initiatives involving industry, local communities, producers, researchers, and students throughout Ireland. This year’s theme is ‘Inspiring local communities for a sustainable, competitive Ireland’, where a broad range of stakeholders from across Ireland’s bioeconomy will demonstrate and share how individually and collectively the natural environment can be utilized in a sustainable and circular way to help achieve a fair and prosperous society.

The conference will open with a message from the Minister at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

CAP Network Ireland recognises that support for piloting and demonstration activities is a key objective of the Government of Ireland Bioeconomy Action Plan 2023-2025. Since 2023, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has committed over €30 million to bioeconomy demonstration activities via the EU Just Transition Fund, the Shared Island Fund, and Ireland’s Carbon Tax fund.

For more information and to register for the conference, visit https://capnetworkireland.eu/cap-network-ireland-national-conference-2025/.

CAP Network Ireland, co-funded by the European Union and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, champions sustainable agriculture and rural innovation. Its mission is to nurture connections, spark innovation and present funding opportunities within Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027. For more information, visit: www.capnetworkireland.eu.