Featured Programme
BioBoosters by CRIBE: Stelumar Hackathon
BioBoosters is a tried-and-true innovation challenge in Europe helping bio-based businesses transition to a circular economy model. CRIBE is working with its Swedish partners in the programme to adapt the process in North America.
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Nordic Colab
Cultivating regional benefits through global collaboration.
Since 2019, CRIBE has been working closely with partners in Sweden and Finland to share common challenges and opportunities. Having similar forests and shared sustainability and climate change goals, Canada, Sweden and Finland have significant opportunity to collaborate to advance innovation in the forest-based bio-economy.
2019-2021
CRIBE began discussions with Swedish and Finnish innovators and accelerators.
In 2019 RISE, Paper Province and other Swedish and Varmland innovation partners visited Thunder Bay, ON to kick-off an ongoing bioeconomy-focused collaboration between Ontario and Sweden.
In light of COVID-19, conversations continued virtually throughout 2021.
2022
In May 2022, CRIBE organized a delegation of 19 individuals, representing 12 Canadian organizations, to visit Sweden. The delegation visited 7 labs, 1 test bed and 1 pilot plant, and met with 29 Swedish organizations.
In September 2022, Swedish partners visited Toronto, ON to attend the Sweden-Canada Innovation Days. CRIBE, in partnership with Paper Province and Sting Bioeconomy, held a forum and matchmaking event.
Read the summaryIn October 2022, CRIBE and a delegation of 5 individuals visited Finland to attend the Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference, toured the VTT Bioyuukki Pilot Centre and the Sweetwoods demonstration plant in Estonia.
2023
CRIBE attended the World Conference on Timber Engineering in Oslo while the CRIBE and Business Sweden teams welcomed a Swedish delegation to Canada for a matchmaking event.
We also launched Ontario Bioeconomy Opportunity Roadmap with Business Sweden, welcoming Paper Province, Sting Bioeconomy, Sustainable Steel Region and seven Swedish SME’s to Canada; and,
Attended Regional Collaboration Meetings in with Paper Province in Karlstad.
Read the summary2024
CRIBE attended the Smart Specialization Learning Sessions with Region Varmland and Thunder Bay stakeholders.
2025
CRIBE launched BioBoosters Hackathon with support from Circular Bioeconomy Arena funded by Interreg Sweden-Norway. The Hackathon is seeking a solution for Wood-Based Insulation for Volumetric Construction, a challenge presented by Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Inc. (SAMI).
Learn moreAdditionally, in partnership with the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), CRIBE organized Boreal to Boreal, our 2025 Nordic Tour featuring over 40 organizations from Sweden, Finland and Norway with the objective of supporting investment attraction in the Thunder Bay Region and Northwestern Ontario.