Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISIEvaluation of the Bioeconomy Research Portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) within the Framework of the National Bioeconomy Strategy (NBÖS)
The National Bioeconomy Strategy (NBÖS) of the Federal Government, which came into force in 2020, aims to contribute to a sustainable bio-based economy oriented towards natural material cycles. The NBÖS focuses on promoting research, development, and innovation that contribute to developing solutions for addressing the major societal challenges at the beginning of the 21st century, in particular sustainable supply of raw materials, resources, and energy, environmental protection, the preservation of biological diversity, and adaptation to the consequences of climate change.
The BMFTR funds research projects in the field of bioeconomy that support the implementation of the NBÖS. The evaluation assesses BMFTR funding in the bioeconomy thematic area between 2015 and 2025. During this period, nearly 2,500 research projects were funded through approximately 40 funding measures.
The aim of the evaluation is to assess what contributions the BMFTR has been able to make so far towards implementing the NBÖS through its funding measures. In particular, it examines whether the funded portfolio has achieved or is likely to achieve the NBÖS’s objectives. Special attention is given to assessing the impacts, particularly with regard to knowledge and technology transfer. For this purpose, the interplay of instruments and funding approaches is examined. In addition to the ex-post evaluation, the evaluation includes a shorter ex-ante section that will provide recommendations for the further development of the BMFTR's research funding within the NBÖS.