Between the 26th and 27th of November, five teams from the Republic of North Macedonia joined a total of 13 participants at the regional workshop for the Southeastern Rural Bioeconomy Platform in Thessaloniki, Greece. Organized under the BioRural project, this workshop focused on helping participants develop their pitching, presentation, and entrepreneurship skills through hands-on mentoring sessions and guidance from experts in various areas from the bioeconomy sector. The final pitch decks were presented in front of a panel of experienced judges and three winners were selected all of which will participate in the finals of the European Bioeconomy Challenge in Brussels. The workshop also provided an excellent platform for participants to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and discuss their innovative bio-based solutions. Among the 13 participants, the five teams from North Macedonia showcased remarkable creativity and practical approaches to bioeconomy challenges.


The first team, Dronico Pro, introduced a solution that focuses on producing highly nutritive food supplements from drone larvae in beekeeping. Their idea stood out for its potential to provide a sustainable source of nutrition while supporting the health of bee populations and enhancing beekeeping productivity. Next, Rejuvenate highlighted their innovative approach to indoor microgreen production using techniques like hydroponics and the utilization of green energy. By addressing the challenge of food waste, their solution offered a unique perspective on improving food sustainability through the lyophilization of unsold items, reducing waste while maximizing resource efficiency.


Green Industries presented a sophisticated concept that aimed to develop bio-based cleaning and hygiene solutions with a focus on eco-friendly products and reduction of water usage. Their products are all of organic origin and free from toxic chemicals and byproducts which ensures a minimal environmental impact. Another advanced idea came from Green Graphene, whose solution addressed the challenge of waste generation from the agro-food sector. Their solution is production of graphene, a highly utilized carbon nanostructure, from various waste streams with low cost pyrolysis. Finally, Hide Tech shared their vision for the production of Kombucha-based, eco-friendly leather. With their innovative idea this team took the 2nd place at the regional workshop securing their participation in the finals of the European Bioeconomy Challenge in Brussels!

