1. European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence (EPNOE) -------------------------- March 2014

2. EPNOE Natural polymers such as starch, cellulose, chitin, carrageenan. Produced by plants and animals. P olysaccharides Cellulose Chitin cotton coconut hemp wheat bacteries tree alga Starch crab corn

3. EPNOE Full Members: 16 academic universities and research organisations in 9 EU countries. About 20 companies embedded inside the Business and Industry Club. A growing number of Affiliated Members. epnoe-at-large : an informal web-based network with more than 200 members. a common Research, Education and Communication network. A network tailored for promoting R&D projects and boosting innovation. EPNOE

4. 1.Armines- Mines ParisTech, France 2.Universität für Bodenkultur Wien, Austria 3.Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany 4.Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Polymerforschung, Golm, Germany 5.VTT, Finland 6.Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Hamburg, Germany 7.Åbo Akademi University, Finland 8."Petru Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Iasi, Romania 9.University of Maribor, Slovenia 10.University of Wageningen, the Netherlands 11.Thüringisches Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung, Rudolstadt, Germany 12.Institute of Biopolymers and Chemical Fibres Lodz, Poland 13.University of Nottingham, UK 14.Universiteit Utrecht, the Netherlands 15.Universität Innsbruck, Austria 16.Universität Graz, Austria Full members

5. EPNOE Missions of EPNOE Research Performing the best world-class, multidisciplinary research on polysaccharides. Innovation Development of R&D projects. Applied research in all sectors (new sources, materials, food, health, biofuels, etc.). Education Education of young scientists. Dissemination of polysaccharide knowledge at all levels of society. To provide its Members with an area of trustiness and collaboration

6. EPNOE Members’ Knowledge and Skills

7. EPNOE EPNOE Association : four boards The EPNOE network established in 2005 a registered non- profit organisation called “EPNOE Association”. Members are only legal bodies. It is managed by four boards: General Assembly ( votes the annual statement of accounts of previous year and the activity plan of the year ). Governing Board ( decides all the details of activity plan voted by the General Assembly ). Executive Board (five persons): management body. Finance Supervisory Board (three persons): controls finances.

8. EPNOE Activities

9. EPNOE A ctivities Research Innovation and applied research Sharing knowledge and information Dissemination of polysaccharide knowledge Education and training for students, young scientists and industrial researchers Business & Industry Club for companies members of EPNOE

10. EPNOE World class research level: EPNOE scientists among the best in their disciplines. Output of 100+ publications per annum. Participation in Europe-wide research. EPNOE partner of American Chemical Society. EPNOE scientists editors or board members of all major journals in the field. EPNOE or EPNOE scientists organizing each year tens of conferences and symposia. Many formal collaborations: Comparison between 2000-2004 and 2011 Research

11. EPNOE Collaborations between full members (10) 09 07 18 13 08 12 05 04 03 02 01 17 16 15 11 10 German Federal initiative Four years from 2000 to 2004

12. EPNOE 05 Collaborations between full members (60) 07 06 12 04 03 02 15 10 13 11 16 09 01 17 08 One year 2011

13. EPNOE R&D project generations: New initiatives like dormant ideas. Collective brain-storming. Face to face meetings between members to generate projects. An effective methodology to ensure total confidentiality. A very intensive participation of members to R&D projects more than 300 R&D projects running in the EPNOE community with a total research budget in excess of 30Meuro per annum. Huge experience in project building (EC, national, industry) EPNOE is associate member of Biobased Industries Consortium Innovation and applied research

14. EPNOE Member web-site: Description of activities and expertise of EPNOE scientists. Tool box: equipment list of EPNOE members. Title and summary of on-going PhD topics in EPNOE members. Company database: detailed list of more than 1500 companies working in the polysaccharide sector. Database of academic researchers (10000+ entries). Other information tools: Regular flow of news, due to the strong position of EPNOE scientists in many influent committees. Flow of information within epnoe-at-large network. Sharing knowledge and information

15. EPNOE Dissemination epnoe-at-large informal network. EPNOE conferences EPNOE 2013 in Nice, France. 450 participants. EPNOE 2015 in Warsaw, Poland. EPNOE Newsletter 3-4 issues per year. 500 followers.

16. EPNOE Education and training Opportunities for students and young scientists to gain experience in another member laboratory. Development of video-lectures posted in the web. Organisation of academic and industry-targeted training schools. Eight sessions are planned all over Europe in 2014-2015. Strong relation with COST projects.

17. EPNOE Facts Members 16 academic institutions from 9 European countries (see web site). 20+ industrial Members including SME’s from 4 continents. Approx. 100 researchers directly embedded in the network as full members. Network at large 250 scientists across the World constitute the EPNOE network at large. Research High quality research with an output of 100+ publications per annum. Participation in Europe-wide research. Knowledge Transfer more than 300 R&D projects running in the EPNOE community with a total research budget in excess of 30Meuro per annum. Education More than 70 PhD students researching in EPNOE related topics. Academia-industry exchanges of students and post-docs Your company is working in the field of polysaccharides or polysaccharide-related products? EPNOE is the perfect community to: Network with experts in this scientific field. Keep abreast of the latest research developments in your field of interest. Have access to scientists and engineers with the expertise to help develop your technologies, or provide scientific/technical assistance. Collaborate with industry and academic/research organisations to develop industry-focussed R&D projects and consortia. Have an easier access for participation to EC- Projects. Publicise your achievements. Industrial membership of EPNOE EPNOE

18. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY CLUB BENEFITS Participation at closed annual scientific conferences where EPNOE academic and research Members describe their latest results. Access to initiative results like the Dormant Ideas, list of 150+ ideas coming from academic EPNOE members. Access to the description of Master, PhD and post- doctoral topics running in the 16 academic/research EPNOE institutions. Access to the full text of dissertations. Access to EPNOE Tool Box. Access to several databases like list of companies, list of scientists (10 000 entries), list of scientific and industrial societies. Being involved into the new EPNOE-at-large network with 300 scientists all over the World. Being aware of European initiatives and trends (horizon 2020, “Bio-based Industries Consortium” initiatives. Access to major organisations involved in promoting the use of biomass-based polymers. Receiving on a regular basis news and information. Ensure that the R&D and education needs of industry are understood by the academic partners of EPNOE. Share expertise and knowledge, technology development and optimisation. Provide an efficient forum to outline collaborative projects on a fully confidential basis. Provide a forum where parties can discuss non-confidential issues with other member colleagues. Business & Industry Club EPNOE

19. Academic area: American Chemical Society (largest scientific society in the world). Organisation since 2013 of the EPNOE-ACS meeting on polysaccharides (450 participants) Organisation of topical meetings: next in March 2015 in Denver on Research on Renewable Materials: US and EU Perspectives The development and implementation of bioeconomy strategies and research and innovation programs is currently seen as a promising opportunity to enhance the economy of nations and to provide new employment and business possibilities. This symposium will focus on identifying similarities, differences and synergies between US and EU initiatives and actions related to research on renewable materials in different countries. Cooperation with external bodies

20. EPNOE Industry / Innovation area : Polintegra (Poland) Interregional Scientific-Industrial Centre (BIO)- Polymers - Materials – Technologies for Industry POLINTEGRA CENTRE promotes and develops research-based innovation in scientific and technological areas where polysaccharides and polysaccharide-based products are developed. Polintegra 10 Academic institutions in Poland 30 Companies in Poland One of the three academic leaders is one of the vice-president of EPNOE member: Institute of Biopolymers and Chemical Fibres, Łódź Cooperation with external bodies

21. EPNOE ARTICLE IV - SCOPE OF THE COOPERATION The cooperation activities and exchanges between the members of Parties may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: Exchange of information; Organization of meetings; Brain-storming sessions; Establishment of projects between members of EPNOE Association and members of POLINTEGRA CENTRE; Building of R&D proposals between members of EPNOE Association and members of POLINTEGRA CENTRE; Common participation to stakeholder’s events. Polintegra – EPNOE agreement

22. EPNOE www.epnoe.eu