On November 19, 2026, the second CREATE Symposium will once again bring together companies, research institutions, and associations from the bio-based value chain and the plastics industry at the SKZ Plastics Center in Würzburg. The network, which has now grown to 85 members, will focus on a key challenge: How can bio-based plastics successfully enter the market?

On November 19, 2026, the CREATE Network will host its second symposium at the SKZ in Würzburg. (Photo: SKZ)

Highlight of the CREATE Network Year at the SKZ in Würzburg

At the first CREATE Symposium in November 2025, the CREATE Network came together for the first time on a large scale. More than 100 participants took advantage of the event to learn about current developments, network, and exchange ideas on key industry topics in the expert forums.

Since the kick-off, the expert forums have addressed issues from industrial practice in a variety of online and in-person formats. Topics covered in recent months have included applications of bioplastics in medical technology, innovative barrier coatings, polyethylene furanoate (PEF), and Design for Degradability.

In parallel with the expert forums, the project team is working on various online offerings, including the technology platform—which is already available—an impact assessment tool, educational programs, and the publication of findings from the expert forums.

Market Access and Applications as the Focus of the Second Symposium
With the second CREATE Symposium on November 19, 2026, the network is now taking the next step and placing an even greater emphasis on concrete applications and market access. Presentations by European Bioplastics, nova-institut, and Fraunhofer will shed light on the global and European context of bio-based plastics, including success factors and hurdles in the commercialization of biopolymers, as well as specific developments and the potential of PBS plastic.

“In recent months, we have addressed many practical topics raised by companies within the network. Time and again, it has become clear that a solution that is technically sound and has a convincing life cycle assessment is not enough on its own. For a successful market entry, regulatory considerations, economic viability, and resilience must also be taken into account at an early stage. These are precisely the perspectives we aim to bring together at the symposium,” says Philipp Wohlfahrt, scientist at SKZ and project manager of CREATE.

Companies and research institutions will demonstrate what concrete solutions can already look like today during the pitch session: In just five minutes each, the presentations will cover, among other things, what is already commercially possible with polybutylene succinate (PBS), how much leaf litter can be incorporated into a plastic compound, the current state of acceptance for sustainable plastic solutions in agriculture, how bioplastics are colored using bio-based methods, what is required to sort bio-based plastics during recycling, and why tree resin is relevant for starch-based compounds.

In the afternoon, three parallel workshops will delve deeper into the day’s key issues. The workshop session will focus on practical implementation. The emphasis will be on strategies for successful market access for bio-based plastics, regulatory frameworks, and the use of industrial residual and by-product streams. Together with experts from C.A.R.M.E.N. e.V., the Bavarian Chemistry Cluster, and the abonocare® Innovation Cluster, participants will discuss current challenges and new solutions based on concrete insights from industrial practice, including contributions from BASF, Rowasol, and Mercer Rosenthal. The focus will be on exchanging experiences and jointly developing concrete approaches for practical application.

A Meeting Place for Experienced Stakeholders and Newcomers
The symposium brings together experts from all sectors of the bio-based plastics industry, including leading associations, research institutions, and active companies. It offers both a platform for exchange among experienced bioeconomy stakeholders and the ideal introduction to the field for those interested. In addition to presentations, pitches, and workshops, an accompanying exhibition provides an opportunity to learn more about materials and applications. Whether for making new contacts, generating fresh ideas, or addressing specific concerns: Last year’s positive feedback clearly demonstrates the added value that professional exchange within the network provides.

The event will take place at the SKZ in Würzburg-Lengfeld. For guests arriving the day before, an evening get-together with a networking buffet will be held at the restaurant Mainkuh in Würzburg.

Further Information and Registration

CREATE is an innovation cluster for the plastics bioeconomy led by SKZ with support from C.A.R.M.E.N. e.V., the Bavarian Chemistry Cluster, and the Bavarian Environmental Cluster. It is funded under the “Industrial Bioeconomy” grant program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy from February 2025 through January 2028 (FKZ: 13BDC70020).