The World Bioeconomy Association was officially launched on December 12 during the World BioEconomy Forum in Washington D.C. This association, headquartered in Finland, boasts a global presence through its extensive network and Ambassadors.
The establishment of the non-profit association, the World Bioeconomy Association, can be attributed to both external and internal factors.
External reasons include the increasing significance of the bioeconomy especially since 2022. Notably, there has been a surge in the development of bioeconomy strategies, with the bioeconomy offering solutions to global challenges, a progressing bio revolution, and a developing value proposition. In alignment with this trend, the World Bioeconomy Forum designated its theme as "Creating a global hub for the bioeconomy." To gather insights, a digital survey titled "A global hub for the bioeconomy" was conducted from February 15 to the end of October. The survey sought advice from bioeconomy stakeholders on topics such as international discussions on the bioeconomy, organizational formats for a potential hub, and financing strategies. Results from the survey indicated a clear majority favoring a hub built on a partnership between governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Internally, the World Bioeconomy Forum, operating since 2018, has engaged numerous top-level speakers, panelists, and thousands of participants in bioeconomy discussions, concluding each season with an Annual Declaration. Originally a private initiative, the Forum's role evolved, generating increased interest in public bioeconomy discourse. The Forum introduced Circle programs earlier, which bore similarities to advocacy activities. In the summer of 2023, Circle stakeholders initiated internal discussions on restructuring Circle activities, leading to the realization that these activities could be better served by an independent non-profit association. In the latter half of 2023, intensive discussions with Circle stakeholders, including the formulation of Articles of the Association and a strategic plan, took place. Towards the end of 2023, the decision to replace Circle activities with the World Bioeconomy Association was announced, and the association was officially registered on December 15, 2023.
