NSG Slovakia is on the verge of improving strategic processes and projects in the forest-based bio-economy. From September 2018, a national FTP hub, in collaboration with the LignoSilva Center of Excellence and the BIOEAST initiative, will boost the necessary synergies between the circular economy, the bioeconomy and the forest-based sector. 

The main goal of the hub will be to further develop and extend the Slovakian bioeconomy and to synchronize it with the FTP Vision Targets, as well as the recently updated national strategy for R&I for smart specialization. In the run-up to this strategy, in 2017, all major Slovakian forest-based sector businesses and associations were contacted and a preparatory survey among national stakeholders was carried out. This resulted in the identification of developments needed, specific product lines and a targeted focus for research, development and innovation by 2023. 

The FTP hub in Slovakia will be a starting point to connect the various strategies and visions and thus achieve the desired goal: the development of a sustainable bioeconomy based on forests, which makes use of yet-undiscovered goods, services and working methods.