CentrefortheFourthIndustrialRevolutionIncollaborationwithCapgemini Acceleratingthetech-drivenbioeconomy INSIGHTREPORT JUNE2024 Images:1-PactEdition,GettyImages Contents Foreword3 Executivesummary4 1Introduction5 2Thebioeconomyisalreadyhere8 2.1Thetechnology-drivenbioeconomy8 2.2Convergingtechnologies10 2.3Spotlightontheopportunity14 3Catalysingthetechnology-drivenbioeconomy17 3.1Drivingdemand17 Positioningbio-solutionsascentraltoglobalchallenges17 Addressingpublicperceptionsaroundbio-solutions18 Articulatingevidence-basedvaluepropositionsiscritical18 Investmentpriorities:Demandvs.funding19 3.2Servicingdemand21 Bioeconomyvaluechainandecosystem21 Valuechaintransformation23 Streamliningtechnologytransferremainsabarrier23 Predictabilityinlab-to-scaletranslation24 3.3Unblockingthesystemthroughregulationandpolicy25 Bioeconomythrougharegionallens25 Streamliningregulationandpolicy26 Equityandaccess29 Conclusion31 Appendix32 Contributors34 Endnotes36 Disclaimer Thisdocumentispublishedbythe WorldEconomicForumasacontributiontoaproject,insightareaorinteraction.Thefindings,interpretationsandconclusionsexpressedhereinarearesultofacollaborativeprocessfacilitatedandendorsedbytheWorldEconomicForumbutwhoseresultsdonotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsoftheWorldEconomicForum,northeentiretyofitsMembers,Partnersorotherstakeholders. ©2024WorldEconomicForum.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orbyanyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem. Foreword EsterBaiget President;ChiefExecutiveOfficer,Novonesis RoshanGya ChiefExecutiveOfficer,CapgeminiInvent JeremyJurgensManagingDirector,ManagingBoard-WorldEconomicForum Significantsegmentsoftheeconomyarebeingtransformedbytheconvergenceofphysical,digitalandbiologicalworlds,acceleratedbyanavalancheofnewtechnologies.Drivenbygenerativebiology,theimpactsoftheseinnovationsextendwellbeyondasingleindustryorapplicationarea:healthcare,cleanwater,energy,chemicals,agricultureandconsumergoodsrepresentsomeoftheareaswherebiologywillincreasinglydelivercommercialimpact.Asmuchas60%ofthephysicalinputstotheglobaleconomycould,inprinciple,beproducedbiologically.1Thetechnology-drivenbioeconomypromisestoenhancehumanhealthandprosperity,andrestoreecologicalbalance. Duetotheprogrammablenatureofourgeneticcode,bio-solutionsprovideauniqueopportunityforcustomizationacrosstheseareas(thinkcancertreatmentsthathavebeengeneticallyoptimizedfortheindividualpatient),aswellasthegenerationofproductswithpropertiesandperformanceneverseenbefore.Anarrayofbio-solutionsarealreadyonthemarkettoday,providinglife-savingcuresanddrivingdecarbonizationintransport,agricultureandfood,manufacturingandothersectors.Giventhesignificantpotentialtodeliverbetteroutcomesforpeopleandtheplanet,nowisthetimeto unleashthetruepowerofbio-solutions.Asenablingtechnologicaladvancescontinuetoevolveandextendthereachofgenerativebiology,thestageissettoacceleratethetech-drivenbioeconomyandmaximizeitscommercialimpact. Thebioeconomyishere.Avarietyofscaledbio-solutionshavebeencommerciallydeployedfordecades.ThebroaderUSbioeconomy,morespecifically,isestimatedtohavebeenaround$1trillioninsizein2022.Bytheendofthedecade, syntheticbiologyisprojectedtocontributeextensivelyacrossnearly$30trillionofglobalmanufacturingindustryvalue,accountingforathirdofglobaloutput.2Theimpactwillbepervasive,withrecentprojectionssuggestingthateverybio-basedjobsupports1.4additionaljobsinothersectorsoftheeconomy.3 Despitetheprogressandthepotential,successfullyscaledsolutionsremaintheexception,withbio- basedproductsandserviceshavingsignificantheadroomtoexpandacrossabroaderrangeofcommercialmarkets.Putanotherway,much groundremainstobecoveredbeforebio-basedsolutionsdeliverontheirfullpotential. Whilechallengesimpedingbio-basedprogresshavebeenthefocusofmanyeffortsandcoalitionsinthepast,atnotimehasthebioeconomybeenpositionedquiteasitisnow:asacriticalandincreasinglycapableenablerofafuturethatputspeopleandtheplanetfirst.Giventhehumanitarianandplanetarychallengesoftoday,theneedtotakeactionandcapitalizeonthisopportunityisurgent. However,suchmonumentalchangewillnotbedeliveredinstantaneously.Thebioeconomy mustincreasinglypresentacommerciallyviableandsustainablealternativetocurrentfossildependenciesacrossallfacetsoftheeconomy.Addingtothechallenge,bigbanksprovidedover$0.7trillioninfossilfuelfinancingin2023.4Meaningfulchangewillrequirepoliticalreforms combinedwithinvestmentininfrastructuretoignitesuchashift. TheBioeconomyInitiativeoftheWorldEconomicForumandCapgeminiispioneeringaglobalcoalitionthatunitesthegovernment,academia,industryleadersandcivilsocietyorganizationstowardsasingleaim:toadvanceascaledbioeconomythatimproveshealth,prosperityandecologicalbalance.Theinitiativeisbuiltaroundthreecoreobjectives:increasedadoptionthroughincreasingdemand,enhancedawarenesstopromptchange,andaresponsibletransitiontobio-basedsolutions. Asbusinesses,governmentandsocietymobilizeinthisrapidlyevolvingarea,theinsightsgeneratedbytheBioeconomyInitiativeoffe