1.4 Serbia’s participation in international bioeconomy networks In 2023, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Serbia joined the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) to adopt international standards for genetic and health data, and became part of the Genome of Europe consortium alongside IMGGE. The consortium submitted a Digital Europe project, which sequenced 100,000 European genomes in an effort to establish a reference genome for Europe.56 Serbia also initiated a three-year process towards full membership in the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), supporting scientific collaboration and infrastructure sharing.57 Additionally, Serbia became the 33rd member of the AI Governance Alliance under the World Economic Forum, accelerating AI development with a focus on sustainability, resilience and security.58Serbia has been participating in EU research and innovation programmes since 2007, steadily advancing its national research and innovation policies, and strengthening its participation in EU initiatives. Since 2014, Serbia’s performance in these programmes has quadrupled, making it the most successful country from the Western Balkans in the EU’s research and innovation programmes.59 In December 2021, Serbia became a fully associated member of Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation. Demonstrating its research excellence, Serbia achieved an 11.53% success rate in Horizon 2020 projects, securing over €102.6 million in funding.60 1.5 Challenges and final thoughts Serbia is navigating a few bumps in the road as it works to advance its biotechnology and bioeconomy sectors. While some solid policies are in place, there’s a real need to align them more efficiently with international standards and regulatory bodies. Simplifying the approval processes could help attract foreign investment and spark innovation. For long-term growth in biotechnology, it’s critical to have both private and public financing. This means that finding new funding sources – like venture capital grants and strategic partnerships – is key to maintaining research and commercialization. Additionally, to really compete on the global stage, Serbia needs to develop top-notch research facilities, boost its biomanufacturing capabilities and ensure easy access to innovative technologies. Building a strong bioeconomy ecosystem will also rely on promoting collaboration among research centres, industries and policy-makers. This collaboration should focus on sharing knowledge, launching incubation projects and encouraging cooperation across various sectors to drive progress.The bioeconomy of Serbia is at a crucial point, supported by deeply interconnected institutions, a responding research ecosystem and positive feedback trends in biotechnology. The innovation- based strategy represented by the BIO4 Campus (and the country more generally) signals a clear desire to harness cutting-edge science as part of a forward-thinking economic strategy. Identifying solutions to systemic issues, encouraging innovation and improving Serbia’s competitiveness in the international landscape will all be crucial to addressing these problems and maintaining investments in the long term. The initiatives presented in this paper will support this small country in overcoming challenges. Measurable impact is already leading to remarkable growth. The bioeconomy sector holds great promise, and a careful balance that enhances regulatory clarity, boosts financial sustainability and facilitates knowledge transfer will be key to realizing that potential. Pathways to Bioeconomy and Bioconvergence 17

Pathways to Bioeconomy and Bioconvergence Perspectives from Serbia and Israel 2025