The main topic of the EU Advanced Fermentation Conference is the development, scaling, and regulation of advanced fermentation technologies in the European Union. 

This includes:

• research and innovation along the fermentation value chain from lab scale to industrial application;

• scaling up production and financing for bio-based products;

• navigating the EU regulatory framework and support for SMEs;

• sector-specific applications such as sustainable food ingredients, bio-based materials (e.g., textiles), and advanced biomanufacturing for health products. Central to the discussion is how these technologies can contribute to renewable, low-impact product streams and the EU bioeconomy.

These technologies can be used to produce a broad spectrum of high-end products from renewable raw materials with low environmental impact. Products include a wide range of sustainable food ingredients (e.g., natural colorants and low-calorie sweeteners), biopolymers (e.g., spider silk), cosmetics or biosurfactants, biopesticides, and chemicals.

Geographical focus:
The event is an EU-level policy and stakeholder conference taking place in Brussels, Belgium, aimed at promoting collaboration and policy development within the European Union.

The conference is relevant to the platform’s audience for the following reasons:

Direct relevance to production technologies
Advanced fermentation (biomass and precision fermentation) is increasingly used to produce novel proteins, enzymes, functional ingredients, feed additives, and bio-based inputs, all of which are directly applicable to agri-food value chains.

Regulatory clarity at the EU level
The conference addresses EU regulatory frameworks (including Novel Foods, industrial biotech, and bioeconomy policies). 

Scaling-up and industrialisation focus
Sessions explicitly target scale-up, financing, and industrial deployment, which are critical bottlenecks for companies moving from pilot to commercial production.

Access to innovation and partnerships
EU policymakers, R&I actors, SMEs, and industrial players, enabling partnerships for Horizon Europe projects, public-private collaborations, and supply-chain integration.

Alignment with EU strategic priorities
Advanced fermentation is positioned within the EU Bioeconomy and Life Sciences Strategy, making the conference relevant for companies aligning their portfolios with future EU funding and policy directions.

Competitive positioning
Participation helps EU agri-food actors monitor technological and market trends in fermentation-based foods and ingredients, supporting strategic decisions on investment, diversification, and innovation leadership within the EU market.

The target audience is summarised as follows: 

EU industrial stakeholders involved in agri-food, food ingredients, feed, biotechnology, and bio-based manufacturing (including SMEs and large companies).

Research and innovation actors, including universities, applied research institutes, and technology developers.

Start-ups and scale-ups developing fermentation-based products or processes seeking scale-up, financing, and market access.

EU and national policymakers and regulators working on bioeconomy, life sciences, industrial policy, food regulation, and sustainability frameworks.

Investors and funding bodies interested in biomanufacturing, food innovation, and bio-based value chains.

Business support organisations and clusters, including innovation hubs and industry associations.

Book tickets here: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EUAdvFermConf_2026_Registration

Participation deadline: Thursday, 18 December 2025, at 12:00 (noon)

Date: Monday, 9 February 2026, 09:30 – 18:30 (CET)

Venue: Breydel Auditorium - European Commission, Avenue d'Auderghem 45, 1000 Brussels, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

DG GROW F.3 (Food, retail, health)