Deliverable 6.2. Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation Plan · 2020-01-02 · Deliverable 6.2. Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation Plan Page 3 of 41 Executive Summary

This project has received funding from the Bio Based

Industries Joint Undertaking under the European

Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation

programme under grant agreement No 792221.

Deliverable 6.2.

Communication,

Dissemination &

Exploitation Plan

Acronym: ICTICTICTICT----BIOCHAINBIOCHAINBIOCHAINBIOCHAIN

Project title: ICT Tools in Efficient Biomass Supply Chains for Sustainable ICT Tools in Efficient Biomass Supply Chains for Sustainable ICT Tools in Efficient Biomass Supply Chains for Sustainable ICT Tools in Efficient Biomass Supply Chains for Sustainable

Chemical Chemical Chemical Chemical ProductionProductionProductionProduction

Contract Nº: 792221792221792221792221

Start date: 06/201806/201806/201806/2018

Duration: 24 Months24 Months24 Months24 Months

Deliverable number D6.2

Deliverable title Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation Plan

Submission due date M6 – October 2018

Actual submission date 10/2018

Work Package WP6

WP Lead Beneficiary SIE

Dissemination Level Public

Version 03

Authors Lorena BODEGAS, Sustainable Communication

Manager

Jesús SERRANO, Sustainability and Innovation Manager

Ref. Ares(2019)6653103 - 28/10/2019

Deliverable 6.2. Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation Plan

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DOCUMENT CONTROL PAGE

Author(s) Lorena BODEGAS, Sustainable Communication Manager

Jesús SERRANO, Sustainability and Innovation Manager

Version

history

#### ReviewerReviewerReviewerReviewer CommentsCommentsCommentsComments

00 SIE Document creation

01 Coordinator Document revised by CAPDER

02 Project

Officer

Document submitted to the EU Portal

Comments

This deliverable must be submitted again, in order to adapt it to the

template of the ICT-BIOCHAIN project

Status Draft

X FINAL


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Executive Summary

The aim of Work Package 6 ‘Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation Activities’

is to attain a wide audience reach and high level of interest in the promotion of the ICT-

BIOCHAIN project and its results. Together, consortium partners work to create

awareness, demonstrating the inherent value of the project in its application and

replication. All project partners have an important role to play in the successful

communication of the ICT-BIOCHAIN project.

D6.2 begins by defining the approach to communications and dissemination. It

describes our business needs, ‘SMART’ objectives, target audiences and the related key

messages we want them to receive, and the best tactics, channels, and timeframe to

use in order to reach them.

This deliverable outlines the methodology, strategy, tools, and production schedule we

have chosen for ICT-BIOCHAIN’s communication. In addition, we address the

exploitation plan and route that will be implemented to ensure significant engagement

with key stakeholders as we set our sights on the uptake of our project as a model for

future DiH developments across Europe’s biomass supply chains.

Lastly, the authors detail the clear targets and measurements that will be used to

determine the effectiveness of our initial plan. We have built into this design the

possibility to take corrective measures to assure successful communication and

dissemination if we see a need for improvements in order to meet the ambitious goals

set before us. Already, we are encouraged as a project team to see the involvement and

commitment demonstrated by all partners in the project, and we are confident in our

collaboration during the project’s 24 months and beyond.


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Contents

Executive Executive Executive Executive SummarySummarySummarySummary ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3333

Acronyms and abbreviationsAcronyms and abbreviationsAcronyms and abbreviationsAcronyms and abbreviations .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6666

FiguresFiguresFiguresFigures ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6666

TablesTablesTablesTables ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6666

1.1.1.1. IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7777

2.2.2.2. Communication and Dissemination MethodologyCommunication and Dissemination MethodologyCommunication and Dissemination MethodologyCommunication and Dissemination Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8888

2.1. Applying strategic and tactical communication methods in EU Projects ................ 8

2.2. The 7 steps of a strategic planning process ............................................................. 9

2.3. Exploitation Integration Model ................................................................................. 9

2.4. Internal Communication – Project Members ........................................................ 10

3.3.3.3. Communication and Dissemination Communication and Dissemination Communication and Dissemination Communication and Dissemination StrategyStrategyStrategyStrategy ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11111111

3.1. Business Needs ......................................................................................................... 11

3.2. ‘SMART’ Objectives................................................................................................... 12

3.3. Measurements .......................................................................................................... 13

3.4. Audience & Messages .............................................................................................. 14

3.5. Tactics........................................................................................................................ 17

3.6. Timeframe ................................................................................................................. 18

4.4.4.4. Communication and Dissemination ToolsCommunication and Dissemination ToolsCommunication and Dissemination ToolsCommunication and Dissemination Tools ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 20202020

4.1. Website ..................................................................................................................... 20

4.2 Project Branding / Visual Identity ............................................................................. 22

4.3 Flyer ............................................................................................................................ 22

4.4 Email ........................................................................................................................... 22

4.5 Video .......................................................................................................................... 23

4.6 e-newsletters ............................................................................................................. 23

4.7 Social Media ............................................................................................................... 24

4.8 Scientific Journals and Trade Publications ............................................................... 25

4.9 Events ......................................................................................................................... 26

5. Exploitation Plan5. Exploitation Plan5. Exploitation Plan5. Exploitation Plan ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 27272727

5.1 Innovation Objectives of ICT-BIOCHAIN Project ...................................................... 27


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5.2 Exploitable Results and Exploitation Routes ............................................................ 29

5.2.1 ICT-BIOCHAIN Platform ...................................................................................... 29

5.2.2 DIH Within Ready-made Test Bed Bio-Economy Regions ................................ 29

5.2.3 DIH Design and Implementation Roadmap ....................................................... 30

5.2.4 Recommendations for a Demand-driven European Research Agenda for

Digitizing the Bio-Based Economy ............................................................................... 31

6.6.6.6. Production Timeline: Project Deliverables & Communication ActivitiesProduction Timeline: Project Deliverables & Communication ActivitiesProduction Timeline: Project Deliverables & Communication ActivitiesProduction Timeline: Project Deliverables & Communication Activities ............................................................................ 31313131

7. References7. References7. References7. References ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 32323232

8. Annexes8. Annexes8. Annexes8. Annexes ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 33333333

Annex A. Key Exploitable Results Questionnaire ........................................................... 33

Annex B. Stakeholder Curation Template ...................................................................... 37

Annex C. Publications Tables .......................................................................................... 38

Annex D. Communication Matrix .................................................................................... 39


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Acronyms and abbreviations

DiHDiHDiHDiH Digital InnovaIon Hub

EUEUEUEU European Union

ICTICTICTICT InformaIon and CommunicaIon

Technology

IoTIoTIoTIoT Internet of Things

BSCBSCBSCBSC Biomass Supply Chain

MTMTMTMT Million Tonnes

GDPRGDPRGDPRGDPR General Data ProtecIon RegulaIon

Figures

Figure 1. Strategic Planning Process ..................................................................................... 9

Figure 2. Exploitation Integration Model ........................................................................... 10

Figure 3. Project website ..................................................................................................... 21

Figure 4. Branding lines ....................................................................................................... 22

Figure 5. Screen capture of the first Newsletter (M6) ...................................................... 23

Figure 6. Social media channels .......................................................................................... 24

Figure 7. Concept of Digital Innovation Hub (TNO, 2017) ................................................. 30

Tables

Table 1. Action Plan to Trigger Stakeholders: Feel, Know, and Do ................................... 12

Table 2. Measurement Metrics........................................................................................... 13

Table 3. Communication & Dissemination KPI .................................................................. 14

Table 4. Stakeholder Mapping of Target Groups .............................................................. 15

Table 5. 5W’s Tactics ........................................................................................................... 17

Table 6. Events to promote ICT-BIOCHAIN ........................................................................ 26

Table 7. EU Feedstock demand for the Bio-based Economy (USDA, 2015) ..................... 28

Table 8. Exploitable Results ................................................................................................ 28


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1. Introduction

This report is composed of two major parts: 1) The Communication and Dissemination

Plan; 2) The Exploitation Plan. The Communication and Dissemination Plan for the ICT-

BIOCHAIN project describes the means to ensure that project activities and outcomes

are communicated effectively in the project lifespan and beyond. The following

Dissemination and Communication Plan has been produced based on the indications

given in the Grant Agreement section 2.2.3 "communication activities” as an extension

of the initial dissemination and communication plan developed during the proposal

execution. The Exploitation Plan, on the other hand, focuses on describing the key

exploitation results that will be generated during the project lifetime and the potential

exploitation routes how the involved partners can exploit them after the end of the

project.

CONSORTIUM INVOLVEMENT CONSORTIUM INVOLVEMENT CONSORTIUM INVOLVEMENT CONSORTIUM INVOLVEMENT

The current plan will be further detailed, updated and agreed by all partners

periodically with a formalised planning document of project results developed once the

intellectual property has been protected. While the dissemination activities will be

coordinated by SIE as both task leader and WP Leader, it is expected that all partners

will contribute throughout the project. Similarly, for an exploitation plan, it is important

for the partners to have two-way communication with SIE to co-identify the most

suitable exploitation routes and strategy to successfully and effectively exploit the

results.

Various metrics will be used to gauge the effectiveness of the dissemination activities,

the results of which will be presented in the periodic reporting. This document includes

a description of the dissemination strategy and processes for ICT-BIOCHAIN activities

and outcomes, including defining key messages, target audience groups, and tools and

channels. Several dissemination tools and channels will be used, including a project

website, videos, newsletters, scientific papers and leaflets, social media, and

participation in workshops/conferences. The timeline for these outputs is intertwined

with the deliverables from the overall Work Package 6.

This plan is a working document specifying the approach and activities outlined in the

project’s Grant Agreement. It will be supplemented with the input and achievements of

all partners and be reviewed and updated at regular intervals thereafter (every six

months) for the Dissemination and Communication plan as a permanent agenda item

for the Work Package 6 meetings while more details how exploit the result(s) will be

further elaborated in the Deliverable 6.10 Definition of ICT-BIOCHAIN Platform Business

Models Strategies due at month 12 to continuously improve project notoriety, reach,

and impact.

ICTICTICTICT----BIOCHAIN COMMUNICATION, DISSEMINATION & EXPLOITATION PLAN GOALSBIOCHAIN COMMUNICATION, DISSEMINATION & EXPLOITATION PLAN GOALSBIOCHAIN COMMUNICATION, DISSEMINATION & EXPLOITATION PLAN GOALSBIOCHAIN COMMUNICATION, DISSEMINATION & EXPLOITATION PLAN GOALS

For Communication and Dissemination Plan:


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A) Raise awareness with respect to ICTBIOCHAIN activities,

outputs, and benefits arising from the project amongst selected Target Groups within

the industry value chain, including related research groups and key users;

B) Increase the willingness of target groups to make use of the project´s outputs;

C) Support the design and implementation of the Exploitation Plan for the ICT-BIOCHAIN

results.

For Exploitation Plan:

A) Maximize the exploitation of the project results using ICT, IoT and Industry

4.0 tools for improving biomass supply chains

2. Communication and Dissemination

Methodology

To broaden our reach and accelerate the uptake of the ICT-BIOCHAIN project and its

results, this plan is our road map for getting messages delivered to our audience in a

timely manner using the most appropriate channels.

Moreover, for cohesive, harmonious, and transparent planning and execution, it is an

essential tool for ensuring our consortium sends clear, specific messages with

measurable results. All members of the consortium are invited not only to review this

document but to contribute to it with their respective know-how. As illustrated by the

very concept of ICT-BIOCHAIN, ideas are the currency of today. We value input from all

partners and supervisory organisations such as the project advisory board, the BBI-JU,

and the European Commission, as we work towards the singular goal: a successful

example of technology serving the bio-economy supply chain.

ICT-BIOCHAIN’s Communications are phased into three parts:

2.1. Applying strategic and tactical communication methods in

EU Projects

Increasingly, we have remarked the desire for more deliberate and meaningful

communication approaches in Work Packages related to Communication,

Dissemination, and Exploitation. There are two commonly deployed approaches in

organizational communications: strategic and tactical. The tactical communication

approach focuses on producing output and aims to deliver what consortiums have

traditionally requested: a list of deliverables. Tactical approaches can be efficient, but

they are reactive and may be limited to the short-term scope of a project lifespan. The

Initial Awareness Strategic Formulation Exploitation


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strategic approach is focussed on achieving the desired

outcomes and aims to deliver what the consortium needs; it is planned and longer-term

to extend beyond the life of the project.

We present the following plan as a hybrid of both approaches. We are mindful of the

Grant Agreement and proposal’s amendments that have already projected a list of

deliverables. However, as the project progresses, new needs will be identified, and

opportunities will exist that could not be anticipated. We must, therefore, plan for the

longevity of the technology and the applications of the project.

2.2. The 7 steps of a strategic planning process

The development of this plan will continue to follow an iterative strategic planning

process as proposed in the Melcrum Internal Communications Black Belt programme.

Figure 1. Strategic Planning Process

2.3. Exploitation Integration Model

Exploitation objectives are tied to the C&D Plan to facilitate the advancement of project

objectives.


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Figure 2. Exploitation Integration Model

2.4. Internal Communication – Project Members

The communication activities within the project are both periodic (management group

meetings, newsletters, project group meetings and reporting to the commission) and

online (i.e. a project share point site). Effective internal communication is key to

sharing information and ensuring that the deliverables are met. Therefore, regular face-

to-face meetings and conference calls will take place to exchange project information,

update progress, and share results. Consortium and technical meetings will take place

every six months, while Skype and/or teleconferencing services will be used to facilitate

collaboration within WPs.

Beginning in M12, once a month a conference call for WP6 will be held to plan

upcoming dissemination and communication activities and events to update the

Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation Plan and streamline the content

curation process. This will allow the partners to take a more focused and systematic

approach, strengthening actions taken to communicate and report on the project.

Consortium partners responsible for the communication of ICT-BIOCHAIN will attend

this meeting.

Content Management System: For internal dissemination purposes, consortium

partners will have access to a password-protected site which will contain the proposal,

consortium agreement, grant agreement, budget, deliverables, periodic reports,

meeting and workshop reports and other relevant documents. The site will also be used

for communication purposes between the different groups of the consortium, including

preparation of interim and final reports, dissemination of joint project results and

teleconferences. Dedicated login for ICT-BIOCHAIN members can be accessed on the

project website: https://ictbiochain.eu/private-area/


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PROFESSIONAL NETWORKSPROFESSIONAL NETWORKSPROFESSIONAL NETWORKSPROFESSIONAL NETWORKS

Critical to the effective dissemination is making sure that there are connections with key

stakeholders, by building and maintaining appropriate networks. All consortium

partners will reach out to their professional networks and connect with relevant

organisations and professionals, requesting them to share information about ongoing

developments and recommend the ICT-BIOCHAIN project to their audiences. Such

endorsement can have a great impact on project dissemination, offering the possibility

for wider acceptance of the technological benefits of ICT solutions and faster adoption

of such tools in biobased supply chain management.

The geographic coverage of the Consortium members, who have networks across

Europe, will ensure far-reaching and systematic dissemination. Each partner of the ICT-

BIOCHAIN project will be actively involved in the dissemination activities of the project,

which will enhance the sustainability of the project results. They will also assist in

translating any dissemination and communication materials into the local languages

where the data hubs are located.

The ICT-BIOCHAIN project addresses a wide range of stakeholders and audiences, each

requiring appropriate tailored information. Each outreach task will be carefully designed

to have the maximum chance of reaching the audiences concerned. Annex. 1 provides

an indication of which communication tools and channels are best suited to the various

target audiences.

GDPR NOTICEGDPR NOTICEGDPR NOTICEGDPR NOTICE

The General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on

data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union and the

European Economic Area. It is understood that with the new GDPR having taken effect

May 2017, ICT-BIOCHAIN project cannot collect or retain private personal information

without explicit consent. The consortium also may not share their related contacts

without the related permissions granted by the individual.

3. Communication and Dissemination Strategy

3.1. Business Needs

We begin this process by stating the business needs. While these projects are publicly

funded, they are still subject to the same principles of professional planning and

operational excellence in business.


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• Bridging Statement: It is our desire to demonstrate that the innovation being

developed in the frame of the BBI JU is creating a clear path and competitive

advantage for the European Bioeconomy in the future.

• Aim: We want to ensure that the growing demand for biomass in Europe can be met

by local supply. This is the overall achievement we are targeting.

• Reality: ICT-Biochain has the confidence of the European Commission who has

provided funding. The consortium is complete with members from all aspects of

the project from ICT to agribusiness to assure the successful creation and

implementation of the Digital Innovation Hubs (DiH).

• Opportunities: Illustrating the “ICT-BIOCHAIN story” will make the biggest impact.

Using communication to impact hearts and minds, we will build a narrative where

the conceptual concepts of digitalisation and sector-specific industrial notions of

supply-chain become tangible to a real person. We will use communications to paint

the picture of the end-user and the lifecycle of the ICT-BIOCHAIN DiH.

• Risks: Certain communication tools, social media, carry the stigma of frivolous time-

wasting activity. Many people in the academic and scientific sectors are reluctant to

engage with it due to lack of time and not seeing the benefits of using it in a

professional context. Other barriers include concerns around copyright and legal

issues, different research discipline cultures, or personal barriers such as the fear of

appearing unprofessional, posting something wrong or being misunderstood, or a

lack of confidence in their communication skills.

3.2. ‘SMART’ Objectives

Setting SMART Objectives allows us to set objectives that are: Specific, Measurable,

Achievable, Realistic, & Timely. The result of which tells us what we want people in our

stakeholder groups to FEEL, KNOW, and DO. This exercise should be revised at each

phase of the communication and dissemination rollout.

Table 1. Action Plan to Trigger Stakeholders: Feel, Know, and Do


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This mapping can be applied to individual stakeholders, too, as the project advances.

For example, consumers are becoming more informed of the environmental impact of

industrial production demanding more efficient processes to reduce waste. By engaging

the general population, ICT-BIOCHAIN aims to inform a broader European public about

the project results, thereby facilitating industry acceptance of the technology and in the

most optimistic scenario, creating a bottom-up demand for the developed DiH solution

to serve from C-to-B, then B-to-B, by appealing to the ecology, economics, and

abundance of biomass as an alternative to traditional raw materials.

Objective Setting Example: Public

We want this group to feel concerned about the use of biobased products and sourcing of

biomass. We will work to inform them about the ecological and societal impacts of favouring a

biomass supply chain 100% in Europe. The call to action will focus on consumer vigilance

(buying local and bio-based) and spreading awareness about new end-user markets including

advocacy with their policymakers for the environmental stewardship and economics for new

job opportunities of incorporating a DiH and granting the public access.

3.3. Measurements

Key Performance Indicators provide credibility to our stakeholders with real data which

allow us to check progress of the plan and see how it is being received. This feedback

facilitates modifications and improvements to the plan. Metrics also need to offer the

correct mix of measurements:

Table 2. Measurement Metrics

QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE OBSERVATIONAL

how many, what? how and why? What, how many, why?

FEEL KNOW DO

attitudes about the project levels of knowledge behaviours and actions

Interested and engaged in the

project, concerned for the

planet’s natural resources,

attached to local resources

and activities

Digitalisation can help

accelerate adoption of new

technologies and democratize

end-user access to best

practice knowledge for

improved supply-chain

biomass management

Follow us the project on social

media, sign up for our

newsletter.


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Table 3. Communication & Dissemination KPI

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TARGET

Project website and social media 5 000 visitors; 1 000 connections

Newsletter and media (i.e. press releases,

video)

2 000 readers/newsletter; 40 communication

channels used

Project Flyers 2 500 copies distributed

DiHs & “train-the-trainer” workshops 600 attendees

Scientific publications 3 “papers” sent to scientific publications or

journals

Conferences and industrial fairs 10 events of interest

3.4. Audience & Messages

To generate a stakeholder map, the project team aims to capture relevant stakeholders

from the following categories: biobased chemicals, biobased materials, food & feed

ingredients, bioenergy and innovation services (ICT, Industry 4.0), amongst other supply

chain actors.

In a level of secondary importance, we will continuously identify investors, SMEs, start-

ups, about-to-be start-ups, scale-ups, large companies, as well as organisations offering

relevant innovation services such as scale-up trials, application testing, business plan

writing, feedstock analysis, life cycle assessment, social acceptance, and so on, with

whom we aim to share our project progress and results. By extending our respective

networks, we will accelerate dissemination with more strategic communication tools

and a targeted exploitation framework. A sample list is provided in Annex A. which will

be complemented by ICT-BIOCHAIN Partners and updated throughout the project.

HIGHHIGHHIGHHIGH----LEVEL MESSAGES: ICTLEVEL MESSAGES: ICTLEVEL MESSAGES: ICTLEVEL MESSAGES: ICT----BIOCHAINBIOCHAINBIOCHAINBIOCHAIN

At the project kick-off meeting in June 2018 in Brussels, consortium members

brainstormed about the high-level messages that we aim to communicate to our

various stakeholders. This exercise is valuable for helping partners demonstrate the

consortium’s alignment in defining the attributes for ICT-BIOCHAIN. Attributes refer to

what we want people to understand and say about the project, once they have

interacted with information or a particular communication.

These signposts for communication campaigns have been summarised below.

ICTICTICTICT----BIOCHAIN…BIOCHAIN…BIOCHAIN…BIOCHAIN…


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“… provides the digitalization of biomass supply chains using the

advantages of innovation tools and technologies.”

“… will increase the availability of sustainable biomass and positively influence supply

and demand of biomass.”

“… will demonstrate the benefits of ICT & IoT technologies in bioeconomy sector, paving

the way for other countries to follow suit.”

“… will demonstrate that ICT improves the efficiency of supply chains and stakeholder

knowledge.”

“… will provide the tools to identify bioresource flows and opportunities for the

development of biobased operations in Europe.”

“… will foster transparency and cooperation as actors in Biomass Supply Chain (BSC)

collaborate in a transnational effort.”

“… will permit common understanding about ICT, IoT, and Industry 4.0 solutions and

best practices as applied to BSC.”

These attributes help us identify with whom we wish to communicate. What people

know, feel, or do, will depend on their position, perspective and interpretation of a

message. Understanding the levers that motivate each stakeholder instruct which

channels are most appropriate to use in spreading our message for the mobilisation of

biomass across Europe.

Table 4. Stakeholder Mapping of Target Groups

TYPE OF AUDIENCE MESSAGING LEVERS

ICT Technology developers such as

industrial bioproducts developers,

Innovation brokers and investors;

Local authorities & public bodies from

other regions interested in

implementing DiH

Business approach, economic advantages

Biomass has already proven itself as a reliable way to

generate electricity and deliver predictable recurring income

to its operators but is at an early stage of development in

parts of Europe. With a long-term political and regulatory

framework in place to support the rapid expansion of

renewable energy, there are exciting investment

opportunities, and information technology accelerates

knowledge sharing, operational improvements, and increases

access. Laws and regulation compliance, incentive policies,

applications and ROI. Economic advantages for green jobs.


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Public organisations interested both in

the ICT-BIOCHAIN innovations as well

as the biomass mobilisation strategies

and management; Standardisation

bodies such as waste management

authorities, Biomass manufacturers

and processors, bioplastics processors

Methodology to improve collection and treatment to ensure

recovery, recycling, and reusing process

Strategies of many EU countries assume the future use of non-

EU sourced biomass. We must consider alternative options,

principally to better utilise indigenous resources and biomass

waste resources (including agricultural residues) to

supplement the bioenergy sector.

Biomass suppliers: agriculture

groups, farmers, industry associations,

large companies, SMEs, bio industrials,

industry groups, bioeconomy

investors, supply chain managers, etc.

Revolutionize the competitivity of farmers and biomass

owners

Better knowledge empowers stakeholders in a biobased

supply chain and opens new markets thanks to new business

opportunities, environmental and social awareness, and the

benefits of adopting ICT, IoT and Industry 4.0 tools for

biomass supply chain.

Media, communicators, and

journalists

Important role to educate

Industry, the market, and consumers appreciate the ‘neutral

position’ of media who make audiences aware of new

methods and products of the bio-based circular economy.

They create awareness of the project progress and results and

amplify outreach of project results to all other audiences.

General Public What is better for consumers?

Understanding their place in the supply chain, public citizens

will support biobased supply chains increasing sustainable

futures for local businesses, ecologically responsible, and

socially responsible job creation.

European Policy Makers European society will benefit from improving biomass supply

chains.

European framework for bio-based products and standards

for bio-based products; different partners are active in

relevant research and policy-making activities at the level of

central national and/or regional government, which will

significantly boost local knowledge transfer, particularly in the

designated test-bed regions.

The European Commission Results from the project will be useful to the continued

advancement of the EU objectives towards a bioeconomy.

Shared via the periodic reporting of the project (mid-term

review, minutes of periodical meetings, updates of this


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document) to modify related regulations if necessary and to

propose collaboration with other ongoing projects on

dissemination activities.

ICT-BIOCHAIN will equally disseminate and promote the results of the project to key

stakeholders. These include representatives from:

• Event organisations with a broad audience, for the private, public and domestic

sector;

• Academic Community;

• Associations & consortia from other funded projects on industrial processes;

• Innovation related initiatives, such as the BBI & BBI-JU where the project aims to

create impact.

3.5. Tactics

Tactics are the channels or tools we will employ to transmit messages to our audience.

In our case, many have been defined in the Proposal Phase [REF: Ares(2018)2075069 –

18/04/2018].

In the first half of the project (M1-12), communication will focus on the notoriety phase

with general messages explaining the environmental and political context why these

technologies are needed and the potential benefits of DiH that are being developed. As

the project progresses, the messages will shift to focus on the project’s progress and

achievements. For each project result that is marked for public dissemination, a tailored

outreach activity will be designed for the relevant target audiences listed later. To

determine the most appropriate tactic, we use “The 5W’s”:

Table 5. 5W’s Tactics

The 5 Ws Linked to… Questions to ask

Weight Business Needs How important is this issue for the Project?

How much will this affect the delivery of our project?

How much time should be invested in associated tactics?

Why Communication

Objectives

Which approaches will affect KNOW (build awareness, understanding)

FEEL (influence feelings and attitudes) and DO (inspire action and

behavioural change)?

Who Audiences/

Stakeholders

What do I know about my audience/s?

What channel will best reach them?

Who do they trust?

What Messages How can I make the messages stand out?

What tactics will help people remember them?

When Activity Outline Towards what deadlines and milestones are I working?

How much time do I have to develop and implement tactics?


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While the full description, including the timeframe and the target

audiences, can be found in the dedicated sections hereafter, the main communication

activities can be summed up as followed:

• Online Media:Online Media:Online Media:Online Media: the project website and social media channels will be the main

information resources of the project, providing an overview of project objectives,

consortium members, project progress, dissemination actions and results available

to a public audience.

• Dissemination tools:Dissemination tools:Dissemination tools:Dissemination tools: leaflets, newsletters, press releases, videos, papers in scientific

journals, and other “news” items will be used to share project progress and increase

awareness and strategic formulation as many supports will be dedicated to a

specific target group.

• FacFacFacFaceeee----totototo----face interactions & the ICTface interactions & the ICTface interactions & the ICTface interactions & the ICT----BIOCHAIN Platform:BIOCHAIN Platform:BIOCHAIN Platform:BIOCHAIN Platform: ICT-BIOCHAIN will interact

directly with stakeholders to promote the project results at relevant International,

EU and national events with a special focus on the train the trainer workshops,

networking events, and the final conference. These opportunities include industry

symposiums, exhibitions, and trade fairs. This will facilitate timely exchanges with

relevant end-users and their associations, scheme planners and decision-makers.

These activities are primarily dedicated to the exploitation phase.

3.6. Timeframe

The timeframe determines what we do and when and defines roles and responsibilities.

It will also allow for periods for measurement and review and modification of the plan if

required

ICT-BIOCHAIN’s communication is segmented into three phases:

PHASE 1: M1PHASE 1: M1PHASE 1: M1PHASE 1: M1----M6M6M6M6

In the first phase of the project, the project communication activities focused on

building “Initial Awareness” of the ICT-BIOCHAIN project goals. Public deliverables were

made available for dissemination via the project’s communication channels. In

collaboration with project partners, SIE will continue to fine-tune key messages and

highlight interesting findings in short, easy-to-read articles that will be posted on the

project website. The communication of the project outcomes will be further supported

by social media campaigns to generate traffic to the ICT-BIOCHAIN website. Already,

the project has benefitted from excellent exposure through the strong social presence

and early deliverables in an accelerated timeline, including the website and the first


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video, bot delivered in M3. In addition to the online

presence, there has been early participation by partners in some European bioeconomy

events where ICT BIOCHAIN has been promoted. Examples include: Bioeconomy Ireland

Day (October 2018) and Biospain (September 2018), where the partners, especially the

Model Demonstration Regions, promoted ICT BIOCHAIN with a stand, flyers,

presentations, etc., with the assistants, companies and other bioeconomy projects.

Going forward, additional efforts must be made for inter-project collaboration as well.

All project members are to assure that their corporate communications, public

relations, or similar department is aware of the project. If the partner company has a

social media account, it is requested that they follow the project’s LinkedIn and Twitter

accounts. It is also requested that individual professional social media accounts share

the project’s news, videos, and posts to build a network of interested parties. This

distribution method is to accelerate further the spread of our targeted campaign

messages. During this phase, we will curate a list of multipliers and other stakeholders

who will assist with the distribution strategy.

PHASE 2: M6 PHASE 2: M6 PHASE 2: M6 PHASE 2: M6 –––– M18 M18 M18 M18

“Strategic Formulation” refers to the second phase when the timeline of

communication and dissemination activities will be strongly correlated to the

deliverable timeline. It is expected that communication of the deliverable on the

website and social media will take place the month after the deliverable deadline.

Announcements on social media will be synchronised with updates on the project

progress and activities on the project website as they occur, intending to redirect the

users to the website as the main communication and dissemination platform.

In addition to the social media support, consortium partners are requested to

disseminate other tactics produced by the project, especially the newsletters, press

releases, and the events calendars. We cannot compromise the privacy of the

members of the partners’ communities, but materials will be provided in a shareable

format uploaded onto the shared project workspace. An email notification will advise

that there is new material to share.

PHASE 3: M18 PHASE 3: M18 PHASE 3: M18 PHASE 3: M18 –––– M24 M24 M24 M24

“Exploitation” addresses the final months of the project when peaks in the timeline of

communication activities will correlate with the public deliverables and events where

target audiences are expected to be present. SIE and the other partners of the

consortium will keep ICT-BIOCHAIN in the public eye with both regular and special event

activities that will run throughout the lifetime of the project. Communications activities

will include announcing events and providing summaries and digital content after the

event has taken place whilst building a relationship management tool.


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4. Communication and Dissemination Tools

Several dissemination tools and channels will be used, including the project website,

press releases, e-newsletters, scientific papers and leaflets, social media, and

participation in workshops/conferences. Templates will be created to curate

information needed for production and reporting. These templates will be located on

the project shared workspace.

Any dissemination activities and publications in the project, including the project

website, will specify that the project has received funding from the Bio-based Industries

Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, as well as

displaying the European emblem. When displayed in association with a logo, the

European emblem will be given appropriate prominence. All publications will reference

the grant agreement number. This should read as follows:

This project has received funding from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU)

under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under

grant agreement N° 792221.

Communication activities to stakeholders outside the project group are based on the

dissemination plan presented in section 2.2.1 of the Grant Agreement. The journal

articles are primarily intended to communicate the recent findings to the scientific and

academic communities. However, the project may also publish in trade journals and

magazines important to the industry to disseminate new relevant solutions to other

possible end-users. Project presentations at technical conferences are intended to

reach the same audience.

To spread the information on the ICT, IoT, and Industry 4.0 solutions for the biomass

supply chains, to reach stakeholders within other potential applications areas, an open,

web-based platform will be established to share information and for discussion. The

potential stakeholders will be identified and invited to the platform on a continuous

basis during the project.

Besides the technological aspects, the platform will also share information on their

social and economic impacts as well as feasibility for society. Transformation to a Bio-

Economy will lead to the growth of jobs requiring new skills. ICT-BIOCHAIN will pay

special attention to its communication activities addressing the younger generations. A

variety of channels including online and off-line (digital and print) will be used for mass

communication to end-users.

4.1. Website

Created for M3, the website will be updated constantly (ictbiochain.euictbiochain.euictbiochain.euictbiochain.eu). Two sections

are included: a public section and a private section. The public section includes


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information such as the project objective, consortium

description, project results, download section with project materials, news and events

of interest, and a contact section. This final section will be developed in English and

Spanish. The private section will include a collaborative space linked to the project

repository. WordPress Analytics are built into the site for rapid reporting of page views,

individual visitors, duration of navigation, etc.

Figure 3. Project website

The project website was set-up by SIE and will be managed, maintained and hosted for

the duration of the project and for a further 3 years after the completion of the project.

Statistical data will be collected about the website visitors that subsequently will be

analysed by Google Analytics software and included in the project reports. The website

is responsive to work on a variety of devices and screen sizes, such as smartphones.

Key Words to increase search engine optimization:

Computer sciences

Information science

Bioinformatics

Supply chain management

Scientific computing

Simulation and modelling tools

Bioproducts (products that are manufactured using biological material such as

feedstock)


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Biomaterials

Bioplastics

Biofuels

Bioderived bulk and fine chemicals

Bio-derived novel materials

4.2 Project Branding / Visual Identity

A recognisable project identity was developed to build a visual brand and ultimately

offer a package of templates that will facilitate the building of notoriety progressively

through the project. This includes creating a project logo and an accompanying style

guide. These will be consistently used for the project website and all other

communication templates, such as PowerPoint, Word, posters and EC Reports. At the

kick-off meeting, participants saw the printed materials such as the roll-up poster and

folders which can be used in exhibitions or workshops.

Figure 4. Branding lines

4.3 Flyer

A leaflet summarizing project objective impacts and key activities has also been created

for events being attended by partners. Moreover, two specific flyers, one per regional

DiH will be produced in the local language to maximise the population reached. As this

is offline support, we will require distributors to assess quantities distributed and

content appreciation.

4.4 Email

The various audiences will be contacted through email. A press release will be produced

at the end of the project. Regular press releases will be sent to suitable media channels


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and the project team during the project at important stages of

success worth disseminating. MailChimp analytics will be used in the creation of the

CRM. This is part of the website configuration.

4.5 Video

Two videos will be produced summarizing the project objectives (M3) and the results

obtained (M20). They will be then included in the project website and broadcasted

through YouTube. The video will be produced/subtitled also in Spanish and Irish

language to maximise the impact and foster the follow-up participation of Andalusian

and Irish people in DiHs after the project. It is important to tell the human side of the

story to make connections with our audiences. Technology can seem out-of-reach for

certain stakeholders. We need to make it not only accessible but attractive to them and

emotionally engaging. An idea emerged to make video n°2 central around the use of an

Irish dairy farmer and the value chain of the biomass his or her activity produces,

demonstrating the added value of being an active part of a revitalised system using new

technologies. In terms of indicators on video, we will gauge for external embedding and

the number of views or shares.

VIDEO 1 (M3) VIDEO 1 (M3) VIDEO 1 (M3) VIDEO 1 (M3) –––– YouTube:YouTube:YouTube:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUB8LiJ2s1U

4.6 e-newsletters

the e-newsletter will be produced every six months to provide information about

project progress. This e-newsletter will be managed using Mail Chimp, being delivered

to a wide list of contacts of different organization and entities at the EU level. A pdf

version will be also ready for download at the website. Visitors can subscribe on the

homepage as seen above in the footer. The first newsletter which was prepared for M6

and sent via MailChimp.

Figure 5. Screen capture of the first Newsletter (M6)


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4.7 Social Media

To reach a wider audience and especially young audience, social media will be used as

both a communication and dissemination channel. We make this differentiation here

because we will not only use the traditional sender-receiver model of communication,

where we publish content. Rather, the social media channels are intended to be

opportunities to exchange with members of the community and the extended sphere of

influence where we – the consortium as a collective – are present online. It is expected

that interaction with related projects will take place both online and offline, but social

media, as previously mentioned, is a good place to start building the network. Most of

the consortium members are currently involved in several EU or national funded

projects and the existing liaisons will be used for communication purposes.

Dissemination Accounts have been created for LinkedIn and Twitter.

(https://twitter.com/ictbiochain)

(https://www.linkedin.com/company/ict-biochain/)

As of the first draft of this report (31.10.2018), (31.10.2018), (31.10.2018), (31.10.2018), the following social media presence has

been reached:

TWITTER: 237 followers / 168 tweets | LINKEDIN: 151 followers

After our After our After our After our first year of the ICTfirst year of the ICTfirst year of the ICTfirst year of the ICT----BIOCHAIN ProjectBIOCHAIN ProjectBIOCHAIN ProjectBIOCHAIN Project::::

TWITTER: 393 followers / 221 tweets | LINKEDIN: 284 followers

Figure 6. Social media channels


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We share information about the description of the project, the events in which we

participate, the Consortium meetings and sometimes articles of interest on the actions

of the BBI JU. We always use hashtags like #bioeconomy #biobased and of course, we

always tag @BBIJU on both Twitter and LinkedIn.

4.8 Scientific Journals and Trade Publications

ICT-BIOCHAIN will aim to publish scientific papers relating to project activities will be in

specialised journals such as the following list to promote greater awareness of project

results. Papers will also be made available using open-source format. The participation

of regional Model Demonstrator Regions with their government and industry

connections allows for further dissemination of project outputs on opportunities

offered by cross-sectoral innovation. Partners are invited to contribute to this list. (See

Annex C.)

Journal of Supply Chain Management

Journal of Innovations in Digital Ecosystems

Biomass and Bioenergy Journal

Journal of Advances in Agriculture

Journal of Modern Science and Technology

Technology and System Interactions

Applied Informatics

Nature Research Journal

Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research


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American Chemical Society

Physics in Technology – IOPscience

Journal of Physical Materials – IOPscience

European Journal of Physics

IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics

The Journal of Biochemistry

BioScience - Oxford University Press

Central European Journal of Computer Science

Education and Information Technologies

EPJ Data Science

International Journal on Software Tools for Technology Transfer

Innovations in Systems and Software Engineering

Journal of Network and Systems Management

The consortium may equally pursue publishing in mainstream publications like

Agroalimentare News and AgriRegion in Europe.

4.9 Events

ICT-BIOCHAIN will host dedicated sessions and workshops; partners will both engage in

organising events and participating in events. The metrics used for measurement are:

Organizer: Attendance/turn-out from the invitation list, level of engagement with

attendees, dissemination of presentation, support documents, etc.

Participant: Type of intervention, turn-out (quality representation), network growth

The following events and occasions (non-exhaustive list) are considered high-potential

platforms for face-to-face communication and personal exchanges as well as promoting

the project and the thought leadership of various consortium partners. Partners are

invited to contribute to this list.

Table 6. Events to promote ICT-BIOCHAIN

WHEN EVENT NAME & INFO TYPE OF EVENT AUDIENCE

2018

Bioeconomy Ireland Day

Conference &Expo Industry,

Research Centers


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• ITT and IBF participated in this event

presenting ICT-BIOCHAIN + printed

material

ITT, IBF & producers

BIOSPAIN

• CAPDER and CTA participated in this

event presenting ICT-BIOCHAIN +

printed material

CAPDER,

CTA

Summit Industry,

Government

Institutions &

producers

2019

Smart AgriFood, Malaga

• CAPDER participated in this event,

presenting ICT-BIOCHAIN + printed

material

Summit Industry,

Investors

DiH Ireland - launch event

ITT, IBF Conferences &

Networking sessions

Industry &

producers

DiH Andalusia - launch event

CTA Conference, Expo &

Networking sessions

Industry & end-

users

Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2019 -

Knowledge Transfer Demonstration Day

ITT, IBF Industry,

research centers

& investors

2020

Smart AgriFood CAPDER,

CTA

Summit Industry,

research centers

& investors

Month

18

Knowledge Transfer Workshop /

Demonstration

CTA Workshop

Month

20

Knowledge Transfer Workshop /

Demonstration

ITT Workshop

Month

22

Train the trainer event

e-Learning Methods Training

Investment Day

CTA/ ITT Workshop

Month

24

Final Conference, Brussels, June 2020

A seminar will be organized at the end of the

project to present project results to the EU

audience. This event will have a general

scope and will be organized next to a high-

impact EU event.

SIE Conference Industry &

producers,

policymakers, EU

officials,

5. Exploitation Plan

5.1 Innovation Objectives of ICT-BIOCHAIN Project

Digitalization has swept across many industries over the past decades, not only

changing the way companies do things but also providing new value creation


Page 28 of 41

opportunities. One of the most precise explanations about

Digitalization is from Gartner: “ Digitalization is the use of digital technologies to change

a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities; it is the

process of moving to a digital business” (Gartner, 2018).

Biomass market has steadily grown in the past years especially in the new domains

where biomass is expected to replace coal and petroleum as a raw material to produce

products. Those emerging markets range from energy, plastic, chemical to

pharmaceutical sectors. The feedstock demand for the whole Bio-based Economy in

European Union (EU) regions for the production of liquid biofuels, power & heat, bio-

polymers and bio-chemicals are projected to reach 128 Million Tonnes (MT) by 2020,

among which 34 MT is expected to come from biomass (USDA, 2015). To ensure the

bio-based economy to flourish, an effective and sustainable supply chain to provide

steadily available biomass will be one of the most indispensable elements to be

established.

Table 7. EU Feedstock demand for the Bio-based Economy (USDA, 2015)

2013 2020 2030

Liquid Biofuels Current blend rate:

3.5% of gasoline

5.6% of diesel

Grains: 10 000

Fats & Oils: 9 600

Sugar beets: 11 700

Target blend rate:

10% of transport fuels

7% cap on conv.

Biofuels

Grains: 14 250

Fats & Oils: 17 300

Sugar beets: 16 500

Biomass: unknown

Target blend rate:

25% of transport fuels

(all advanced biofuels)

Biomass: unknown

Power & Heat Wood pellets: 17 500 Wood pellets: 50 000 Wood pellets: unknown

Bio-Polymers

& Bio-

Chemicals

Biomass: about 1 000 Biomass: 34 000

20% replacement

Biomass: 50 000

30% replacement

ICT-BIOCHAIN consortium partners together with leading experts and support networks

aim to identify potential opportunities how the biomass supply chain could improve its

efficiency and biomass mobilization with the help of technologies such as Information

and Communication Technology (ICT), Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0. The

current state-of-arts of ICT, IoT and Industry 4.0 solutions are evaluated and the

applicable applications, as well as the current digitalization level and good practices that

are already adopted in the biomass supply chain, are examined. On the other hands,

potential areas to be improved in terms of efficiency and sustainability will be identified.

At the current stage, four exploitable results have been identified (shown in Table 7):

Table 8. Exploitable Results

No. Exploitable Result Lead partner Participants

1 ICT-BIOCHAIN platform IML VTT, IBF, CAPDER,


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ITT, CTA

2 DiHs within ready-made test bed bio-

economy regions

CTA, ITT CAPDER, IBF, VTT,

IML

3 DIH design and implementation

roadmap

CTA, ITT CAPDER, VTT, IML,

IBF

4 Recommendations for a demand-

driven European research agenda for

digitizing the bio-based economy

ITT CTA, VTT, IML

5.2 Exploitable Results and Exploitation Routes

5.2.1 ICT-BIOCHAIN Platform

Currently, in the market, several agile data management solutions have been developed

but they are mostly focused on enterprise data governance. Available solutions adopted

by the companies include Oracle, SAS, IBM, TopBraid EDG™, etc. However, there is not

yet a platform available especially for sharing knowledge about ICT, IoT and Industrial

4.0 in the biomass supply chain context.

In the ICT-BIOCHAIN project, a prototype of a platform will be created in order to store

all the knowledge and information related to the state-of-the-art of ICT, IoT, and

Industrial 4.0 technologies and relevant applications to improve the biomass supply

chain efficiency and biomass mobilisation.

Through the browser of the platform, the users are empowered to create, update and

search for any relevant contents. All the information will be aggregated and stored in

compliance with Linked Data and FAIR Data principles to maximize the transparency and

reusability of the information for any stakeholders in the biomass supply chain who are

interested in utilizing it. An intuitive content management system like WordPress will be

used to offer a graphical user interface to display the information in an easy-to-

understand and user-friendly manner.

In brief, the most valuable aspects of this platform are the clear and unique focus on

the biomass supply chain and its simplicity and usability for the users. This prototype of

the platform will contain an ontology, requirement document and software

architecture.

The platform development will reach TRL 4 as a small-scale prototype by the end of the

project. For the moment, the exploitation route under consideration is to develop a

cooperation agreement or joint venture with current consortium partners to further

develop it to full scale.

5.2.2 DIH Within Ready-made Test Bed Bio-Economy Regions

Even though 21st century is widely recognized as the digital era in which our world has

been thoroughly transformed by diversified digital technologies, there is a huge

discrepancy of digitalization level among sectors, and companies within the same sector


Page 30 of 41

in Europe (McKinsey, 2016). Around 60% of large industries and

more than 90% of the SMEs find themselves as digital laggards who have difficulties to

know what technologies to invest in and how they can secure financing resources to

support their digital transformation (European Commission, 2018b).

The DIHs, as the concept proposed by the European Commission, are designed to be

one-stop-shops that help companies to become more competitive with regard to their

business/production process, products or services using digital technologies (European

Commission, 2018a).

Figure 7. Concept of Digital Innovation Hub (TNO, 2017)

In the ICT-BIOCHAIN project, two DiHs will be established separately in East and South

Ireland and Andalusia in Spain within ready-made test bed bio-economy regions. These

two DiHs shall bring different stakeholders in the biomass value chain together to

create new networks and clusters and serve as an ecosystem for an efficient

implementation of ICT, IoT, and Industrial 4.0 technologies in biomass supply chains by

offering services and innovations capabilities to the stakeholders. Three main actors to

be targeted are biomass suppliers and producers, logistics companies and technology

companies specialized in ICT, IoT and Industrial 4.0. Meanwhile, the competence

centers, policymakers and other relevant entities and associations should also be taken

into account.

The potential exploitation route for these two DiHs is cooperation agreement and joint

venture. A clear and unique DiH value proposition for each of the DiH shall be identified

in a later stage of the project in order to differentiate the positioning from other more

than 450 existing DiHs across Europe (European Commission, 2018b), especially in the

targeted regions.

5.2.3 DIH Design and Implementation Roadmap


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With the success of the first two DiHs established in the ICT-

BIOCHAIN project, the gaining know-how to design the DiH and following

implementation can provide roadmap and training to different biomass supply chains

and allow future replication to other regions for bio-based sectors all over Europe.

Elements to be covered in the roadmap include but not limited to the structure

definition, implementation, activities programming, methods to better identify relevant

stakeholder, understand their behaviours and involve them in the DiH.

This roadmap is expected to fill up the gap in the industry where no well-proven

methodology for DiH implementation is available. Until now, only a few communication

documents and literature papers could be used as a reference.

The potential exploitation route to exploit this roadmap is to develop and sell it as

consultancy service to public entities who are interested in establishing DiH in their

regions.

5.2.4 Recommendations for a Demand-driven European Research Agenda

for Digitizing the Bio-Based Economy

Based on the experience and know-how gained in the ICT-BIOCHAIN project, a report

with recommendations of potential fields of actions to address existing barriers and

further develop the innovation capacity and opportunities for Europe’s Digital Bio-based

Economy at different levels from regional, national to European scale will be provided.

It should be beneficial for biomass stakeholders, particularly European and regional

government as well as policymakers, to better understand what the obstacles to

breaking are and where the future areas of research to target regarding the

development of DiH in bioeconomy.

6. Production Timeline: Project Deliverables &

Communication Activities

N° Deliverable Title or Communication

Activity Name

Lead Type Dissemination

Level

Due Date (in

months)

2018

CA Roll-up Poster for conferences SIE Communication Activities Public 1 – JUN

D6.1 Project Website – continuous updates SIE Websites, Patents Filing,

etc.

Public 3 – SEPT

D6.8 Video – Project Presentation SIE Websites, Patents Filing,

etc.

Public 3 – SEPT

CA Project Flyer SIE Communication Activities Public 3 – SEPT

CA Social Networks – continuous updates SIE Communication Activities Public 3 – 24

D6.2 Dissemination, Communication, and

Exploitation Plan – punctual updates

SIE Report Public 6 – NOV

D6.3 Project Newsletter- Issue #1 ITT Report Public 6 – NOV

CA Non-Scientific Publication ALL Paper Public Every 6


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months

2019

CA Press Release #1 SIE Communication Activities Public 9 – FEB

D6.10 Definition of ICT-BIOCHAIN platform

business model strategies

SIE Report Public 12 – MAY

D6.4 Project Newsletter- Issue #2 ITT Report Public 12 – MAY

CA 3 Events – YEAR 1: trade fair, business

meeting, conference, expo

ALL Event Participation /

Organisation

Public 12 – MAY


months

CA Press Release #2 SIE Communication Activities Public 15 – AUG

D6.5 Project Newsletter- Issue #3 ITT Report Public 18 – NOV


months

2020

CA Press Release #3 SIE Communication Activities Public 20 – JAN

D6.9 Video – Final Results SIE Websites, Patents Filing,

etc.

Public 20 – JAN


months

CA European Seminar SIE Event Participation /

Organisation

Public 22 - MARCH

CA 3 Events – YEAR 2: trade fair, business

meeting, conference, expo

ALL Event Participation /

Organisation

Public 24 – MAY

D6.6 Project Newsletter- Issue #4 ITT Report Public 24 – MAY

D6.7 Final Conference Report SIE Report Public 24 – MAY

7. References

• European Commission. (2018a). Digital Innovation Hubs - Smart

Specialisation Platform. Retrieved November 7, 2018, from

http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/digital-innovation-hubs

• European Commission. (2018b). Pan-European network of Digital Innovation

Hubs (DIHs) | Digital Single Market. Retrieved November 7, 2018, from

https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/digital-innovation-hubs

• Gartner. (2018). Digitalization - Gartner IT Glossary. Retrieved October 30,

2018, from https://www.gartner.com/it-glossary/digitalization/

• McKinsey. (2016). DIGITAL EUROPE : PUSHING THE FRONTIER, CAPTURING

THE BENEFITS, (June).

• TNO. (2017). Digital Innovation Hubs Catalogue. Euroinnovazione. Retrieved

from http://euroinnovazione.eu/digital-innovation-hubs/

• USDA. (2015). EU-28 EU Bio-Based Economy and Its Inputs.


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8. Annexes

Annex A. Key Exploitable Results Questionnaire

Below is the questionnaire which has been designed and distributed to the consortium

partners in order to collect essential information regarding the key exploitable results that will

be generated during the project lifetime as well as the potential exploitation route how the

partners would like to exploit them after the end of the project. Some relevant topics such as

intellectual property rights and business models have also been covered in the same

questionnaire.

� Section 1: Key Exploitable Results (KER)

1.1 Please fill in the following information

KER Name

Lead partner

Participating

partners

TRL Initial: Choose an item.

Current: Choose an item.

Expected at the end: Choose an item.

1.2 KER description (Please include principal characteristics/functions/how it works, etc)

1.3 What makes this new DiH/platform (KER) attractive to the potential markets/users?

Key benefits or problems solved by this new DiH/platform? What it does better than

existing DiHs/platforms? What impacts will it bring? Please quantify it if applicable.

(e.g. Improve operational aspects, improve performance and yield, cost-efficient,

energy efficiency, sustainability, availability of feedstock etc.)

1.4 What is the current state of the art in the domain of this new DiH/platform (KER)?

1.5 What DiH/platform do you think will be the major competitors for this KER? Can you

briefly describe their profiles? (e.g. main characteristics, key strengths, price, etc.)


Page 34 of 41

1.6 How do you plan on exploiting the project results after the end of the project?

☐ Develop and sell the new product/service

☐ Spin-off activity

☐ Cooperation agreement/Joint venture

☐ Sell IP rights or IP-based business

☐ License IP rights

☐ Transfer ownership of IP rights to another partner from ICT-BIOCHAIN consortium

☐ Standardisation activities (new standards or support ongoing procedures)

☐ Other methods. Please indicate: Click or tap here to enter text.

Supplementary explanation if any:

1.7 What would be needed after M6 in order to make this DiH/platform be ready to be

exploitable? (e.g. external financing, obtaining authorization for operation,

management structure building, validation of the platform prototype, etc.)

� Section 2: IPR Strategy and Protection

2.1 Background IP (existing IP, previous to project start):

2.1.1 Does this new DiH/platform (KER) rely on any existing IP/background IP? What

is it and which partner(s) own it?

2.1.2 If this new DiH/platform is relying on any existing IP/background IP, how is this

background IP protected?

☐ Trade secret

☐ Copy right

☐ Trademark

☐ Patent

☐ Utility model

☐ Industrial design

☐ Other methods (Please indicate: Click or tap here to enter text.)

☐ Not protected (Please explain why: Click or tap here to enter text.)

If applicable, what is the registration number of the patent?

If applicable, what are the access rights to the background IP?


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2.2 Foreground IP (Intellectual protection of the KER):

2.2.1 How do you plan to protect this new DiH/platform (KER)?

☐ Trade secret

☐ Copy right

☐ Trademark

☐ Patent

☐ Utility model

☐ Industrial design

☐ Other methods (Please indicate: Click or tap here to enter text.)

☐ No protection is foreseen (Please explain why: Click or tap here to enter

text.)

2.2.2 What is or will be the scope of the IP protection for this new DiH/platform

(KER)?

(e.g. It will be the technology and/or the platform to be protected, at what

geographical range will the protection be valid, at what time frame, etc)

2.2.3 Patent Search:

2.2.3.1 Have you already made a Patent Research see if there is any similar

patent already existing?

Yes ☐ No ☐

2.2.3.2 If yes, what was the result of this search?

2.2.4 Will this new DiH/platform (KER) be developed by more than one partner?

Yes ☐ No☐

If yes, please indicate the contribution by each partner and how the ownership

will be distributed among the partners.

Partner Contribution (explain) Who will own the rights or how right

will be shared

� Section 3: Market Analysis

3.1 What are the different applications for this new DiH/platform (KER)?

3.2 Are there any legal, normative, or ethical requirements this KER has to comply with in

order to enter the target markets?


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� Section 4: Exploitation / CANVAS model

4.1 Who will be the target customers or users? Who will be interested in this new

DiH/platform (KER)? Any potential target customer already shows interests? (e.g.

research communities, European policymakers, Industrial companies/innovators,

investors, civil society, citizens, etc)

4.2 The new DiH/platform (KER) could be used in the form of?

Software ☐ Products ☐ Research Roadmaps ☐ Policy recommendations ☐

Processes ☐ Services☐ Pre-standards ☐ (Collaboration) platforms ☐

Data ☐ Reports ☐ Codes of conduct ☐ Educational material ☐

Patents ☐ Prototypes ☐ Publications ☐ Skills and knowledge ☐

4.3 What is the value that you would like to get from this new DiH/platform (KER)? (e.g.

for scientific, societal, or economic purposes, etc.) And how do you plan to get the

value?

4.4 Who will be responsible for the exploitation after the end of the project?


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Annex B. Stakeholder Curation Template

Partners are invited to contribute to the samples proposed below:

NAME Areas of interest

Bio-Base Europe Pilot

Plant (Ghent, Belgium)

Bio-Based Materials: enables the conversion of biomass (a.o.

agricultural crops and by-products, industrial side streams) into

biochemicals, biomaterials, biofuels and other bioproducts.

Flanders Biobased Valley

(Ghent, Belgium)

non-profit organization: supports the development of all biobased

activities, including bioenergy; provided a platform to inform the

general public on these new products and technologies in a concerted

way.

Biomass Power Group

(UK)

A network of 550+ company and individual members. The group’s

purpose is to promote and protect the interests of those involved in the

generation of electricity from biomass, throughout the complete supply

chain.

NNFCC - National Non-

Food Crops Centre

(NNFCC) help extend the

competitive non-food

uses of crops (York)

International consultancy providing advice on the conversion

of biomass to bioenergy, biofuels and bio-based products.

BCNP Consultants

Frankfurt, Germany

Business management consultant with strong networks in technology-

based industries.

ERRIN – European

Regions Research and

Innovations Network

(Bruxelles, Belgium)

Network supporting regions to develop their innovation and

shape European research and innovation policy from

a regional perspective

Bioeconomy Europe

(Bavaria, Germany)

An organization with the intention to raise awareness, support and

educate about the Bioeconomy and its progress in Europe!

AlpBioEco (EU Project) Valorisation of bioeconomical potentials along with biobased food &

botanical extracts, co-financed by the ERDF through the Interreg Alpine

Space Programme.

Projects BC Naklo

(Slovenia)

Educational & research institution: devoted to concern for nature and

healthy food production and processing

David Williams Works at Eco2 Ltd; Chair of the Biomass Power Group

James Court Renewable Energy Association Head of Public Affairs and Policy.


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Annex C. Publications Tables

Partners are invited to contribute to the samples below:

Journal of Supply Chain Management

Journal of Innovations in Digital Ecosystems

Biomass and Bioenergy Journal

Journal of Advances in Agriculture

Journal of Modern Science and Technology

Technology and System Interactions

Applied Informatics

Nature Research Journal

Journal of Biobased Materials and Bioenergy

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research

American Chemical Society

Physics in Technology – IOPscience

Journal of Physical Materials – IOPscience

European Journal of Physics

IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics

The Journal of Biochemistry

BioScience - Oxford University Press

Central European Journal of Computer Science

Education and Information Technologies

EPJ Data Science

International Journal on Software Tools for Technology Transfer

Innovations in Systems and Software Engineering

Journal of Network and Systems Management


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Annex D. Communication Matrix

The following table guides us through the project to manage communication efforts. The

media plan will be revisited continuously to assure that we are addressing all our audiences

and taking time-bound actions that are producing the desired results. Targeted messages may

be refined.

Stakeholder Timeline Media Channels Key Messages Feel Actions

General Public M1 –

M24

Social Media, website,

events, Mainstream

publications or digital

press coverage

Biomass optimisation within

Europe can lead to new job

creation.

Digital Innovation Hubs provide

transparent and democratic

access to information which

helps local agribusinesses.

ICT used in biomass supply keeps

European businesses more

competitive on the world market.

ICT-BIOCHAIN will positively

impact our planet, i.e. reduce

CO2 emissions from the

importation of non-indigenous

biomass.

Taking an interest in these

innovations puts consumers in-

the-know to make positive

purchasing choices.

Reassured that

their taxes are

used in funds that

bring about

positive change

through concrete

actions.

Europe is

positioned for a

sustainable future

for generations to

come.

Follow the

project on

social media.

Share the

information

we produce.

Take an

interest in

circular,

bioeconomy

for Europe.

ICT, IoT

Developers, new

generation IoT

enhanced

manufacturing:

Industry 4.0

M12-

M24

Workshops, Events,

Social Media, Website

The “Internet of Things” offers

supply chain management

limitless connections between all

participants and at all stages.

Remote farmers/agriculturalists

can be digitally connected to a

resource centre of real-time

valuable data for constantly

improved automation solutions

and decision-making.

Many IoT solutions were

originally thought to be used in a

closed network and not in open

Internet, therefore security risks

will need to be mitigated.

More than a buzz-

word or an

extension of

Machine to

Machine (M2M),

IoT and ICT

represent the

future for the

connected

business.

Interact with

the project

online

regarding the

DiH

formulation,

follow the

project.

Public Bodies,

Local Authorities

M20 -

M24

Reports, Press releases,

events

To assure a sustainable future for

regional businesses, a focus

needs to be placed on the

digitalization of local economy

sectors as well as the

development of the bioeconomy.

ICT-BIOCHAIN will help with

demonstrating how these pillars

work together, boosting both

markets and consumption.

The two testbed

areas are creating

competitive

advantages by

engaging their

regional value

chains in this

experiment

setting best-

practices.

Attend events,

contact the

project

coordinators,

learn how the

project is

working

toward

duplication.


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Biomass

suppliers &

Agribusiness

M6-

M24

Workshops, Events,


Biomass is not new. What is

critical today is the increase in

local, indigenous, sustainable

biomass which will positively

influence supply and demand of

biomass by also enriching local

suppliers from existing

agribusiness and industry.

Our project is

committed to

supporting

participants in the

adoption and use

these

technologies; new

skills will help

improve their

processes in the

long-term. We

will give them the

tools to do this.

Attend

workshops

demonstrate

curiosity

about the role

of IoT and ICT

in the value

chain for

biomass.

Sustainability

investors

M20-

M24

Press releases,

Workshops

One of the most advanced new

areas in IoT solutions is logistics.

When applied to biomass supply

chains, it makes investing in

those value chain players

appealing.

Consumers want products with a

greater conscious and in support

of local communities.

In addition to profit, which ICT-

BIOCHAIN will aim to improve,

two more measures: social and

environmental impact will be

taken into account.

Gauging the social

and

environmental

effects of biomass

value chains is

much harder than

measuring

financial

performance, but

with these metrics

built into the

project, values-

based, socially

responsible,

impact investing is

appealing and

offers substantial

rewards.

Attend

meetings and

workshops,

report on the

ICT-BIOCHAIN

outputs and

proof points

for a new

biomass

supply chain

model

incorporating

IoT/ICT.

Biomass buyers,

industrials

M6-

M24

Workshops, Events,


IoT will improve manufacturing

process monitoring, analysing,

optimising, managing, and

distribution. The entire biomass

value chain will perform better as

IoT applications can be taken into

use as cloud solutions where the

users see reporting results using

the web or mobile applications to

make better business decisions.

The single largest

limiting factor for

biomass

production

“independence” is

the unavailability

of biomass, but

regional focus on

biomass

availability will

help us overcome

this problem.

Take part in

success story;

participate in

events and

contribute to

achieving one

of the most

attractive

outputs:

environmental

sustainability

Media,

communicators,

influencers,

journalists

M22-

M24

Press releases, events,

social media

Europe has invested handsomely,

as have the project partners in

dedicating their time and

expertise in tackling these joint

industry problems addressing a

more sustainable future for

biomass industry.

The people behind the supply

chains, and all the steps

ICT-BIOCHAIN is at

the forefront of

an emerging and

promising concept

to optimise our

regional biomass

exploitation.

There are human

and

environmental

benefits to these

efforts.

Write articles,

pick up press

releases and

share, do a

televised story

covering the

project’s

application.


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Supply chain

industrials

M20-

M24

Supply Chain trade

press, press releases,

social media

networking, F2F

networking

Competitive advantage comes

with knowledge. Digitalisation in

the form of Digital Innovation

Hubs is the kind of 21st

-century

information businesses today

need to keep their edge and lead

confidently into a sustainable

future.

Concerned that

they will miss

securing their

business into the

future if they

don’t join a DiH.

Participate in

our

workshops at

the end of the

project; follow

us.

European Policy

Makers

M20-

M24

Media, trade press,

public opinion

newspapers/press

We have clearly shown the

benefits of ICT & IoT technologies

in bioeconomy sector. This

project, with its centres in Ireland

and Spain, are now paving the

way for other countries to follow

suit. Datahubs, with a

transparent exchange of

information, should be standard

practice within the EU to

compete on a worldwide scale

with North America and Asia, in

particular.

They are making

positive headway

in the

implementation

of measures

destined to

protect the planet

and Europeans in

particular;

confident in

supporting these

initiatives.

Show

constituents

that they are

in support of

these

H202/FP7

projects

bringing about

positive

change.

European

Commission

M1-M24 Consortium Reports,

Final meeting

ICT-BIOCHAIN will provide the

tools to identify bioresource

flows and opportunities for the

development of biobased

operations in Europe whilst

fostering transparency and

cooperation as actors in Biomass

Supply Chain (BSC) collaborate in

a transnational effort.

Confident in the

project progress

and results.

Recognise ICT-

BIOCHAIN as

an example of

a well-run and

impactful

project.

EU BBI JU &

related projects

M1-M24 Newsletters, social

media, public reports,

events, website

publications/newsletters

BSC collaboration is improved by

increased understanding about

ICT, IoT, and Industry 4.0

solutions and best practices -

leading the way for a better,

more sustainable Europe.

ICT-BIOCHAIN

embodies this

message and

works in

transparency to

benefit all actors

in the entire value

chain process.

Recognise ICT-

BIOCHAIN as

an example of

a well-run and

impactful

project.

Documents

Deliverable 6.2. Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation Plan · 2020-01-02 · Deliverable 6.2. Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation Plan Page 3 of 41 Executive Summary