From Policy to Practice Actionable Recommendations for a Commercial Bioeconomy 2025

Mapping category 1 recommendations to core activities connecting technology to marketFIGURE 3 Category 1 Technology-informed and accessible regulation to drive commercialization 2 Streamlined regulatory pathways designed for purpose 3 Embed and empower technical experts in regulation-making1 Greater access to testbeds for commercial bio-innovation 4 Greater exposure to and engagement with regulation-makingPiloting and scale-upPre- commercializationCommercializationRoutes to market Research and developmentDiscovery and ideationEarly-stage funding and business care Scale productionCustomers and consumers Demand Recommendation 1 Greater access to testbeds for commercial bio-innovation As enabling technologies evolve, so do the opportunities for the bioeconomy’s transformative impact. Yet, to realize their full potential, innovations must first be validated for safety, performance and efficacy in controlled, risk-protected environments such as testbeds (Box 2). Some regions have established strong testbed ecosystems, but many still lack the infrastructure needed to meet the rising demand for early-stage bio-innovation testing.What if regulatory sandboxes became universally accessible, allowing businesses to experiment with disruptive bio-innovations under real-world conditions while ensuring safety and compliance? Enabling safe and effective innovation: the role of testbeds BOX 2 Access to testbeds provides innovators with a structured environment to simulate real-world conditions, enabling products to succeed or fail faster. Controlled testing not only accelerates technology development through early failures but also reduces risk by supporting rigorous validation and evidence-based research. Additionally, testbeds stimulate market growth by allowing companies to experiment with new business models, while also informing policy and regulatory decisions.Testbeds consist of controlled environments where new products or technologies can be tested for safety, performance and reliability before commercial deployment. Testbeds offer invaluable information to “test drive” new products without impacting external parties. Many of the phenomena observed in such testbeds cannot be identified a priori; empirical testing of these products in a controlled environment gives rise to additional safety features and product offerings that are essential for safeguarding society and delivering effective products. Regulatory sandboxes constitute one form of testbed that allows businesses to test and experiment with new and innovative products, services or processes under regulatory supervision for a limited period of time. From Policy to Practice: Actionable Recommendations for a Commercial Bioeconomy 10