On 23 April, the Estonian Cleantech Association hosted a workshop titled “The industry of 2040” as part of the Roheline Laine 2025 conference in Tallinn. The session brought together cleantech innovators and industry experts to explore sustainable collaboration models that turn industrial by-products into valuable resources. This form of industrial symbiosis enables residual flows to be repurposed as inputs for other companies, helping to reduce import dependency and vulnerability to supply chain disruptions.
The workshop focused on the future of Estonia’s industry. Specifically, how companies can work together to reduce waste and what steps are needed to make such collaboration possible.
We don’t have to look far to find successful examples of industrial symbiosis. Estonian cleantech companies Fibenol and ÄIO have launched a pilot project to produce high-value microbial oils from wood-derived sugars. During the workshop, Kristi Lember, Business Developer at ÄIO, and Liisa Rohila, Head of Marketing at Fibenol,shared their experience in building this partnership.
Fibenol, which specialises in converting woody residues into lignin and sugars, supplies the feedstock for ÄIO’s biotechnology process. ÄIO then transforms these sugars into microbial oils and fatty acids. These bio-based oils are designed to serve as sustainable alternatives to conventional fats and vegetable oils, with potential applications in food, feed, and cosmetics. The collaboration between Fibenol and ÄIO is a strong example of how cross-sector innovation and open cooperation can lead to new, sustainable business models while reducing industrial waste.
“This pilot project has been a great learning experience and the perfect opportunity to test our biotechnology process,” said Kristi Lember. “It enabled us to gather concrete feedback on both the technical and practical aspects of the process – what works, what needs refinement, and how it integrates into an industrial setting. These insights are important as we move from pilot to industrial scale.”
Liisa Rohila agreed, highlighting how the partnership has supported both product and process development. “For us, this pilot served as a focused case study within a real industrial context. It helped us better understand how our wood-based sugars perform as a feedstock in a biotechnological application,” she explained.
During the workshop, participants worked in groups to identify barriers to industrial symbiosis and propose practical solutions. Several key challenges emerged.
Lack of data and transparency: There is insufficient information about the types and volumes of by-products generated across industries, making it difficult to identify potential synergies. A centralised database or platform to map and share these material streams is urgently needed.
Limited awareness: Many traditional industries are unaware of the opportunities offered by industrial symbiosis. Including these sectors in the conversation and building stronger networks is critical to bringing them on board.
Weak regulatory support: Current policies do not incentivise the use of secondary raw materials, and a national framework to support these practices is lacking. Regulatory measures, such as setting minimum requirements for secondary materials in sectors like construction, are essential to create market demand.
Fear of failure: A reluctance to experiment continues to hinder progress. Yet, as demonstrated by ÄIO and Fibenol, pilot projects offer valuable lessons that can drive innovation and inform future solutions.
Industrial symbiosis offers immense potential to strengthen Estonia’s economy by turning waste into value. By enabling companies to repurpose industrial by-products as inputs for other production processes, industrial symbiosis reduces resource dependency, enhances supply chain resilience, and supports the transition to a circular economy. Unlocking this potential will require stronger data infrastructure, targeted policy support, and greater cross-sector collaboration – but the economic, environmental, and strategic benefits make it a critical pathway for long-term national competitiveness.
The workshop was led by Kädi Ristkok and Carolin Aas from the Estonian Cleantech Association, alongside Rainer Pesti from 22KRAADI as part of a broader effort. The insights and input gathered from participants will serve as a foundation for future work in advancing industrial symbiosis in Estonia.
