“Governments and development partners should provide policy and economic incentives to industry to transition into smart manufacturing that meets our needs and decarbonizes our world”. Julius Ecuru, programmemanager at BioInnovate Africa Programme, talks to Il Bioeconomista. BioInnovate Africa supports scientists and innovators in the region to link biological based research ideas and technologies to business and the market. It is supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and is based at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi, Kenya. Current BioInnovate Africa partner countries are: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
“The bioeconomy is a relatively new sector and so one could hope it is not yet ‘contaminated’ with the prejudices. In a way, it is a perfect territory for women to conquer and showcase the plethora of their skills.” To say it – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Iris Aquilina Anderson, leader of the Bioladies Network. Iris has 35 years of policy, business and research experience specialising in the bioeconomy, agriculture, energy and sustainability issues. She is an evaluator for BBI JU and H2020 and is currently the First Ambassador of 
The Pasadena Fire Department, a California city northeast of Los Angeles, switched much of its fleet of apparatus from operating on petroleum diesel to using Neste MY Renewable Diesel, produced by the Finnish company Neste. The department plans to transition all its fleet apparatus to renewable diesel by 2019.
Bio-Botanica Inc., a family-owned and operated company, specializing in botanicals for over 45 years and headquartered in Hauppage (New York), has partnered with U.S. biotech company Genomatica to create a new line of botanical extracts using a naturally sourced, sustainably produced butylene glycol. These products, manufactured by Bio- Botanica Inc., feature Genomatica’s proprietary ingredient, Brontide.
