Pathways to Bioeconomy and Bioconvergence Perspectives from Serbia and Israel 2025

Bioconvergence public investments FIGURE 10 Supporting cross-disciplinary R&DProgressive, enabling regulationElevating research excellenceBuilding diverse human capital The National Bioconvergence Program Human capital In total,12 Israel Innovation Authority programmes (NIS 5.6 million) and additional national R&D initiatives (NIS 3.5 million)Facilitative regulation Consultation pilot programmes with Ministry of Health assisting clinical design and trials of (currently three) complex bioconvergence health technologiesCore facilities Alagene, YD Labs – fermentation process development, from proof of concept to scale up (NIS 26 million); Israel centre for biochips/devices design, prototyping and small-scale manufacturing (NIS 75 million)Multidisciplinary R&D Direct investment in BC companies by the Israel Innovation Authority ( NIS 308 million) and in academic research groups by the Ministry of Science and Technology ( NIS 40 million) R&D consortia Bio-chip ( NIS 40 million);organospheres (NIS 17 million); liquid BX ( NIS 52 million); bioplast bio-based/degradeable polymers (NIS 25 million ); Black Soldier Fly (NIS 25 million) – circular economyMultiomix Multiomix infrastructure (NIS 15 million) and high-cost research equipment (NIS 47 million), both funded by the Israel Council for Higher EducationEnhancing interdisciplinary R&D infrastructure Source: Israel Advanced Technology Industries. (2025). IATI Israel’s Life Science & Health-Tech Annual Industry Report 2024-25. Elevating research excellence Investing in cutting-edge research infrastructure is critical to advancing bioconvergence and breakthrough innovations. The programme has elevated research excellence through substantial investments, including in the establishment of the Multiomix infrastructure (NIS 15 million) and procurement of high-cost research equipment (NIS 47 million), funded by the Israel Council for Higher Education (VATAT). Additionally, targeted R&D consortia are cultivating specialized innovations. –Bio-chip (NIS 40 million): cutting-edge biological chips driving novel applications –“Organospheres” (NIS 17 million): methods for cultivating and characterizing organoids, driving new drug discovery and personalized medicine –LiquidBX (NIS 52 million): early disease detection through the integration of sensors and AI in liquid biopsy methods –Bioplast (NIS 25 million): development and implementation of biodegradable polymers and plastic materials –Black Soldier Fly (NIS 25 million): circular economy initiatives incorporating AI tools and genetic editing of black soldier flies Pathways to Bioeconomy and Bioconvergence 22