BIOKET 2026: Fribourg Shines on the International Bioeconomy Stage

The seventh edition of BIOKET took place from March 17 to 19, 2026, at Forum Fribourg and closed on a highly positive note. Over three days, 485 participants from around 30 countries turned Fribourg into an international hub for key enabling technologies in the bioeconomy. Organised by the Bioeconomy For Change (B4C) cluster, in partnership with the Fribourg Development Agency (FDA), BIOKET featured a dynamic programme of conferences, technical sessions, B2B meetings, workshops and site visits. Around fifty exhibitors and partners also showcased their solutions, providing hands-on insight into ongoing initiatives.

“This edition in Fribourg truly captures the spirit of BIOKET: building bridges between research, industry and regions. We found here a particularly supportive environment, well suited to accelerating collaborative projects,” said Johan De Coninck, Head of Connexions & International at B4C.

At the heart of the discussions was the bioeconomy – encompassing all activities that use biological resources to produce food, materials, molecules, biopolymers and energy. Sitting at the intersection of industry, research and innovation, it plays a central role in the transition towards a more circular economy.

Recent developments in the Middle East have once again highlighted how dependent our economies remain on fossil resources. In this context, the bioeconomy offers tangible alternatives to reduce this dependence and strengthen the resilience of value chains.

Beyond the conference programme, BIOKET 2026 offered participants a first-hand look at Fribourg’s ecosystem through visits to key sites: the Liebherr Group and its technologies, particularly in hydrogen engines; the AgriCo campus, dedicated to agri-food innovation and biomass valorisation; and the innovation ecosystem bringing together bluefactory, the ChemTech institute of the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg, and the Marly Innovation Center. These visits highlighted the canton’s ability to cover the entire value chain, from applied research to industrialisation.

“BIOKET 2026 shows that Fribourg is a place where ideas become concrete solutions. The bioeconomy is no longer just a promise or a potential – it is a fast-growing industrial reality in our canton, as illustrated by start-ups such as Bloom Biorenewables and Seprify. The latter has recently raised more than 12 million Swiss francs,” said Jerry Krattiger, Director of the FDA

A Clear, Long-Term Strategy

Hosting BIOKET 2026 is part of the canton’s enomic development strategy, which identifies the bioeconomy – alongside Industry 4.0 – as a key priority. Following the Bioeconomy Forum in 2024, this international edition marks a new step forward and confirms Fribourg’s strong positioning within European and global bioeconomy networks.