BIO-NET · A Network of National Contact Points providing cutting-edge NCP services to the Knowledge Based Bio-Economy research community

The BIO-NET coordination and support action will provide cutting-edge NCP services to the Knowledge Based Bio Economy research community. It’s aim is to reinforce the network of all European organisations that are active as NCPs in Theme 2. BIO-NET will improve the services of Bio NCPs through training and the use of common tools. Based on a thorough SWOT analisys, learning needs will be forfilled by training sessions and online training material. The Knowledge within the network shall be preserved in an innovatie Wikipedia-style environment. It will improve the cohesion of the NCP network by organising common activities, providing a platform for the exchange of skills and experience. Especially for SMEs and newcomers, BIO-NET will simplify access to FP7 by lowering the entry barriers. Efficient partner search tools will provide high quality matching opportunities, improving the overall quality of proposals in Them 2. As a result of the large number of organisations involved, BIO-NET is set up as an open network. Each work package of the network has a core group or Task Force of contractors and third parties, working together to achieve the goals. Great care is taken to ensure that all officially appointed NCPs will benefit from the network, its facilities and activities, while at the same time avoiding the creation of a hard to manage consortium with 54 partners. All NCPS have been involved in the creation of the network from the very early beginning. The structure of BIO-NET is set up in such a way that they will continue to be involved throughout the life span of the project, even though not all NCPs will become contractors. The activities to be performed by the BIO-NET are selected on the sound principle that only those things will be done together that will have little or no effect when performed on a national scale. In this way the European Added Value is guaranteed for all BIO-NET activities. BIO-NET will run for four years.