Another interview within our Consortium is available!
This time we get to know a little more about CiaoTech, the Italian branch of the PNO Group, a consultancy company specialised in Innovation Management and funding.
We had a nice talk with Patrizia Circelli, Senior Innovation management Consultant, leader of the agro-food and bioeconomy team in Italy and of the agro-food and bioeconomy cross board sector team for PNO at EU level who told us about her personal and professional background.
CIAOTECH, the Italian branch of the PNO Group, is specialised in Innovation Management and funding, providing support services to private and public organisations in Innovation processes, Technology Transfer, IT solutions and funding for research, development and innovation. PNO Group, established in 1984, is Europe’s leading funding and innovation consultancy made up of a pool of more than 400 professionals across 8 Member States (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, United Kingdom).
I am a PhD, Senior Innovation management Consultant, leader of the agro-food and bioeconomy team in Italy and of the agro-food and bioeconomy cross board sector team for PNO at EU level. PhD in plant biotechnology at the University of Viterbo “La Tuscia”. MBA at the BBS (Bologna Business School). Master and bachelor’s degree in biotechnology at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. Almost 15 years’ experience in Research and Innovation EU Projects, including experience on LIFE programme, FP7, H2020 and HEU programmes. I am also involved in several project in the implementation of several projects, other BBI project like e.g., Farmyng or green deal project like PyroCO2 and the H2020 project GLAMOUR. Moreover, I am also the coordinator of a Horizon Europe project started few days ago, BIOMODEL4REGIONS aiming to achieve a better-informed decision-making process on local and regional level.
I was involved since the beginning with my colleague Anna Franciosini, and other colleagues in PNO, to support the concept definition, the proposal writing, to build the consortium and to submit the proposal. It was really great to see the project funded and to participate to this great success!
CiaoTech is the leader of the Dissemination and Exploitation of the BIOBESTicide results, maximising the project impacts at European level. Ciaotech has successfully finalized the exploitation strategy for the project results and has also identified the most relevant potential stakeholders for the BIOBESticide value chain and led a deep analysis of the market and competitors landscape composition, gathering strategic information on the technology and market trends relevant for the project exploitation and stakeholders’ engagement.
The analysis allowed to pinpoint the major trends and opportunities within the European and global plant and crop protection market. In fact, the global biocontrol (biological crop protection) agents (BCA) market is expected to reach €6.5 B worth by 2025, with Europe one of the major actors reaching €2.3 B worth by 2025.
Moreover, CiaoTech PNO identified 254 stakeholders, 111 end-users (e.g., farmers, vineyards owners and wine producers), providing partners with a comprehensive overview of relevant players operating in the biopesticide field to ensure smooth commercialisation of the final product to vineyard owners and wine producers as well as agro-products distributors.
CiaoTech is also coordinating all the Dissemination and Communication actions performed by the whole consortium and is promoting BIOBESTicide in relevant events throughout Italy and Europe.
The European Green Deal set the climate target the EU aim to reach in the coming years, >55% GHG emissions reduction target by 2030 and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. It also outlines a very dedicated roadmap to this goal with fifty actions for 2050. Actions include, among others, developing the circular economy and exploiting the potential of biological resources for renewable products. So, in this context I really think that the Bioeconomy will have primary role, as to reach the ambitious objectives of the Green Deal we need to change the way we produce, use and dispose of goods today, to shift towards a more sustainable consumption model.
The biggest wish I have for 2022 and for BIOBESTicide is to have asap a meeting in person with all partners as, since the project start, all meetings were held online!