Fraunhofer Center for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes CBPEmpowering the European Bioeconomy
Pilots4U, a Gateway for Innovating Industries to Europe-Wide Bioeconomy Pilot and Demo Infrastructures
The Pilots4U community and database launches today its new platform. The Platform consists of a database of all state-of-the-art open access pilot and demonstration infrastructures across Europe, to help companies and research institutions operating in the bioeconomy gain easier access to testing facilities that can help to bring their ideas from development to market. Furthermore, the platform offers a program of free webinars & trainings (incl. recordings), access to pilot and demo facility study visits and networking events such as Pilot and Demo Infrastructure Fairs. The Pilots4U database already contains equipment profiles and contact details of 100 European pilot and demo facilities from 21 countries and is still growing week by week. The platform can be searched, free of charge, at www.biopilots4U.eu and is powered by COPILOT, a Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking CSA project.
Europe needs a strong innovation ecosystem to compete globally, and open access pilot and demo infrastructures are its backbone. They allow industrial users, including SMEs, startups and scaleups to rapidly develop, test, validate and scale up their new products, and to accelerate their market uptake. However, navigating these infrastructures can be difficult for small businesses, who are key drivers of innovation.
Pilot and demo infrastructures face challenges in terms of visibility and accessibility. Many Start-ups & SMEs are unaware of available scale-up infrastructures or their services whereas the landscape is fragmented. These facilities are often locally or nationally siloed, with no centralized directory encouraging cross-border access. They are also concentrated in a few regions, limiting access for companies in less developed areas, as well as transnational access options.
To answer these challenges, the new Pilots4U platform creates an integrated and sustainable access to state-of-the-art shared pilot and demo infrastructures for the bioeconomy, setting up cross-border access schemes for bio innovators. The goal is to foster stronger, quicker, more transparent, and straightforward connections between these facilities and industry – building synergies that are essential for Europe's future.
The European bioeconomy is now taking off with the successful implementation of the new Pilots4U platform that is driven by the COPILOT project. Since its creation in June 2025, three quarters of the 120+ shared pilot and demo facilities for the bioeconomy in Europe have been published on the platform, with another 20 in the pipeline today.
Searching the Pilots4U Platform
The platform maps all available facilities across Europe, offering detailed and up-to-date information on their equipment across 12 technology areas and 50 bioeconomy-relevant technologies. A powerful search tool allows users to filter by technology, country, or keyword, and enables direct contact with technology specialists at each facility.
In addition, the platform regularly hosts scale-up and training webinars in collaboration with experts from pilot and demo infrastructures that address key challenges in scale-up, with recordings available on the platform for ongoing training.
Infrastructures work together to provide cross-border, multidisciplinary access to services
Beyond its online platform, Pilots4U also narrows the physical gap between infrastructures and innovators. A continuous programme of study visits is organized across Europe, giving pilot and demo facilities the opportunity to open their doors to interested stakeholders.
Pilots4U also regularly hosts Pilot and Demonstration Infrastructure Fairs, where dozens of facilities present their capabilities and services in a single venue to an audience of interested companies.