Improving Egyptian industrial innovation system

The objective of the project is to facilitate the improvement of the industrial innovation system in Egypt, leading to increased competitiveness and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the industrial sector, and promoting their presence in local and global markets while creating sustainable employment opportunities. Anteja ECG, under the leadership of the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry and collaboration with the stakeholders from government, public and private sectors, academia, and non-governmental organizations, will develop an Action Plan aimed at enhancing innovation within the manufacturing sector. Anteja will support the task force in prioritizing measures from the Action Plan for prompt implementation and provide recommendations to the government for the advancement of Egypt’s innovation ecosystem over the next two years. To achieve these objectives, the project will organize a series of workshops to facilitate productive discussions among stakeholders.

Partner: Ministry of Trade and Industry of Egypt

Client: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

Date: November 2022 – June 2023

New Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is a turning point for global sustainability

As consumers and investors increasingly demand transparency from companies related to their environmental impacts, many firms have taken up sustainability reporting to showcase their accountability to their stakeholders (investors, business partners, employees, buyers, suppliers, customers and broader society). Those that haven’t, will soon be bound to the most recently adopted Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), […]

Press Release: Anteja Wins NLB’s #FrameOfHelp for its sustainable solution Value Chain Generator (VCG.AI)

24.11.2022 – Anteja was announced the winner of the #FrameOfHelp project presented by NLB Group,  the leading banking and financial group with headquarters and an exclusive strategic interest in their home region – Southeast Europe. #FrameOfHelp is their annual project that encourages reflection and discussion about the sustainable future of Southeastern Europe and honours companies […]

Enabling sustainable development in Kosovo as a potential for job creation and SME empowerment

The aim of the programme is to improve the employment opportunities of the Kosovar population and the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through sustainable development. 

As part of this programme, Anteja ECG conducted a series of Value Chain Mapping Analyses in the Kosovar key sectors. These Value Chain Mapping Reports were intended to provide deep insights into four key industrial sectors and recommendations for the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade (MIET) to design more tailor-made support schemes. Supported by the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, these support schemes aim to improve the overall competitiveness of the metal manufacturing, ICT, food and beverage as well as the chemical sector in Kosovo. More than 250 stakeholders were involved in these exercises by means of various interactive engagements. Anteja ECG was in charge of the design and implementation of the four value chain analyses.  

Partners: Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade (MIET), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (MAFRD) of Republic of Kosovo

Client: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

Date: July 2021 – October  2021

Clusters‘ role in transition to circular bioeconomy

The transition to circular bioeconomy represents a big step for companies. Although there are many potential benefits for SMEs adopting circular business models, high initial investment and possible trade offs can represent a substantial barrier. Companies need a clear overview and guidance to be able to move towards sustainable business models while practicing the circular bioeconomy.  […]

CEE2ACT Project Kickoff Press Release

CEE2ACT project was launched to support 10 CEE countries in developing circular bioeconomy strategies 14 September 2022 On the 13th and 14th of September 2022 we were invited to the CEE2ACT project launch press conference in Budapest, where representatives of 17 European organisations from 17 countries gathered for the kick-off meeting of the CEE2ACT project, […]

EU Horizon RIS4DANU

Sustainable Smart Specialisation for the re-opening of industrial sites in the Danube Region

Funder: European Commission

Call for proposal: HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01

Duration: 24 months (2022 – 2024)

Overall budget and funding source: EUR 1 million

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101058457.

The goal of the RIS4DANU project is to elaborate strategic business development plans for the reopening of 21 disused industrial sites in the Danube Macro-Region, an area that stretches from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. The project aims to apply an evidence-based Smart Specialisation (S3) approach to support the transition to a green economy in regions along the Danube River. 

The project directly connects to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), a macro-regional strategy to address common economic and societal challenges and create synergies and coordination between existing policies and initiatives. Danube neighboring states share a proud and centuries-old history of manufacturing and industrial production, yet political upheavals, globalization and technological advancements have confronted many Danube regions with the challenges of structural transformation and have triggered the closing down of numerous industrial plants and sites. In many regions, plant closures and the associated displacement of workers caused severe socio-economic effects on workers, local communities and regions. 

At the heart of the RIS4DANU project is the goal of applying an evidence-based Smart Specialisation (S3) approach to support place-based innovation for green/digital and inclusive transitions in regions along the Danube River. This project ties in with current debates and requests to combine smart specialisation with considerations of socio-ecological challenges such as climate change, environmental issues and growing social and territorial inequality: Smart Specialisation Strategies for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth (S4+). We argue that the re-opening of old industrial sites shows the potential to build transformative resilience in less-favoured Danube regions. These sites could serve as innovation anchors, unleashing opportunities for the entire region to strengthen their capacity to develop innovative solutions to place-specific ecological, social and economic challenges. Project activities include cross-regional peer exchange and a transfer of knowledge along the Danube River.

Project’s website

EU Horizon CEE2ACT

Empowering Central and Eastern European countries to develop bioeconomy strategies and action plans


Funder: European Commission
Call for proposal: HORIZON-CL6-2021-Governance-01-10, Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action project
Duration: 36 months (1 September 2022 – 30 September 2025)
Overall budget and funding source: EUR 3.9 million
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101060280.

The European Green Deal has set Europe on its path to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050. Achieving green transition must be just, fair and inclusive. One of the seven core pathways to deliver on climate neutrality is the bioeconomy. The 2018 updated EU bioeconomy strategy has highlighted the relevance of developing national bioeconomy strategies and action plans to deploy a sustainable and circular bioeconomy across Europe considering economic, social and environmental aspects. 

To date, there are still Member States, including many from Central and Eastern Europe that do not have a national bioeconomy strategy and action plan despite their high biomass resource base and new bioeconomy potential, although there are relevant regional initiatives to develop bioeconomy strategies. 

The objective of CEE2ACT is to empower countries in Central Eastern Europe (Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia) and beyond (Greece, Republic of Serbia) to develop circular bioeconomy strategies and action plans, through knowledge transfer and innovative governance models, to achieve better-informed decision-making processes, societal engagement, and innovation, building on the practice of experienced countries (Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden). Knowledge transfer and inspiration in creative formats that address the motivations, needs and knowledge gaps of each CEE2ACT target country will be realized through the CEE2ACT National Bioeconomy Hubs. 

A bottom-up approach will be applied throughout the project activities, tackling specific knowledge gaps and shortcomings of the top-down conventional approach, building closer interconnections between actors across public institutions, private sector, industry, energy, SMEs, feedstock providers (e.g., waste, side streams, farmers, foresters, fishermen), academia and research, NGOs, CSOs in the target countries. 

To achieve this, a baseline assessment will be carried out, and stakeholder engagement activities will be implemented ensuring the active participation of all relevant stakeholders. Digital solutions for sustainable governance will be created, supporting the exchange of best practices on technology transfer, and building the capacities of the stakeholders to develop bottom-up bioeconomy strategies. 

Findings will be used and disseminated through practical tools, guidelines, and policy recommendations to support beneficiary countries to develop flexible and inclusive bioeconomy strategies and action plans, boosting societal engagement in the countries’ transition toward a circular bioeconomy. 

Coordinator: María Beatriz Rosell, Senior Project Manager, Geonardo Environmental Technologies Ltd., Email: maria.beatriz.rosell@geonardo.com
Media & Communications: Nathalie Bargues, Project Manager, Greenovate!Europe, Email: n.bargues@greenovate-europe.eu
Upcoming website: www.cee2act.eu
Social media channels: LinkedIn and Twitter