About the Project
The project envisages the establishment of a scientific and industrial hub, “Hemp Hub,” in Sumy Oblast, which will provide a full-cycle support system for the bast fibre crops sector — from applied research and laboratory quality control to business incubation and the commercialization of innovative products.
The hub will bring together academia, farmers, and SMEs within a unified cluster ecosystem, enabling an increase in the technological level of production, the creation of high value-added products, and the development of an export-oriented bioeconomy sector.
The expected outcome is the establishment and launch of the “Hemp Hub” scientific and industrial hub, equipped with a functioning R&D laboratory and an incubation and advisory centre, ensuring comprehensive support across the entire bast fibre crops value chain.
Within the first two years, at least 10 applied research projects will be conducted, 3 technological trials will be carried out, no fewer than 3 prototypes of innovative products will be developed, training programmes will be delivered to at least 30 participants, and 10 business ideas or startups will be incubated.
Objectives
- Establishment and launch of the “Hemp Hub” scientific and industrial hub
- Provision of full-cycle support for the bast fibre crops sector (R&D, testing, commercialization)
- Advancement of innovation through research, trials, and product prototyping
- Support for entrepreneurship through the incubation of startups and business ideas
- Enhancement of the technological level of production and development of high value-added products
Key Problems and Opportunities in Focus
Challenges:
- Lack of integrated infrastructure to support the full-cycle development of the sector
- Gap between scientific research and its implementation in production
- Low level of innovation within the sector
- Predominance of a raw-material-based model (without value-added creation)
Opportunities:
- Strong scientific potential in the region
- Historical specialization in bast fibre crops
- Growing demand for bio-based products
- Recovery and modernization of the sector at a new technological level
- Development of the bioeconomy
- Integration into European markets
Expected Impact
- Formation of an innovative ecosystem for the development of bast fibre crops in the region
- Enhancement of the technological readiness of farms and SMEs
- Creation of high value-added products
- Training of qualified specialists for the sector
- Development of startups and entrepreneurial activity
- Increased investment attractiveness of the sector
- Expansion of the bioeconomy’s export potential
- Integration of science, business, and communities into a cluster-based development model
Donor / Investor Engagement Format
- Grant funding
- Capacity building
- Co-implementation
- Blended finance
Readiness Status: investment-ready
Existing elemnts
- Partnerships
- Prior research
- Institutional framework
- Infrastructure resources
Innovation and R&D
2 years
Total budget: €212.36 thousand
Breakdown:
- Equipment needs: €137.26 thousand (74.5%)
- Services: €18.63 thousand (10.1%)
- Other direct costs: €28.24 thousand (15.3%)
- Acceleration programme and startup support: €8.23 thousand (4.5%)
- Administration, monitoring, and sustainability measures: €10.78 thousand (5.9%)
- Other costs: €9.22 thousand (5.0%)
Regional. Sumy region
- Farms and SMEs currently operating or planning to operate in the bast fibre crops sector
- Processing enterprises and producers of high value-added products (biomaterials, textiles, food, and cosmetic products)
- Startups and entrepreneurial teams in the bioeconomy sector
- Researchers, scientists, and students in agricultural and technological fields
- Territorial communities and regional development institutions interested in revitalizing the sector
«Innovational Cluster of Flax and Hemp»
- Institute of Bast Crops of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (NAAS) (Hlukhiv) — key scientific partner
- Institute of Agriculture of the North-East of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine (NAAS) (Sumy) — scientific partner
- Sumy Oblast Regional Development Agency (RDA) — regional institutional partner
- Higher education institutions, research organizations, business associations, and advisory services — expert partners
- Farms and SMEs of Sumy Oblast — business partners and primary beneficiaries
- Sumy Oblast Military Administration, Sumy City Council, and territorial communities — institutional partners
- International partners (EU programmes, donors, companies) — potential strategic partners
To discuss partnership opportunities:
Contact person: Oleh Prymakov
Tel.: +38(066)35-04-964
Email: primakov_oa@ukr.net