by igor.vovko | Jun 30, 2025 | Event
Dear colleagues and innovation partners,
The Chamber of Construction and Building Materials Industry (ZGIGM) at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, as the coordinator of the Eco Construction Pilot in the GREET CE project (Green Transition in Central Europe), cordially invites you to a strategic online session dedicated to alternative finance for sustainable innovation in construction.
In times where the speed of transition determines success, the critical question is no longer whether sustainable and circular innovations are necessary – but rather: How can SMEs finance their way into the real market and scale?
This webinar is tailored for forward-looking companies, financial actors, and innovation professionals interested in exploring emerging financial instruments that support green growth – beyond traditional
What to Expect
- GoParity (Portugal/Spain) – A leading European crowdlending platform and GREET CE consortium partner will present its hands-on experience in financing sustainable impact projects across With over €50M deployed into renewables, circular economy ventures and social innovation, GoParity brings fresh insight into how community-driven finance can make projects bankable.
- Nekster™(Slovenia) – A fintech company specialised in alternative finance will share practical pathways for SMEs seeking liquidity and scale-up Topics will include:
- Unlocking internal cash reserves;
- Engaging private/institutional capital;
- Understanding debt and equity options;
- Investor readiness – pitching and credibility;
- Transparency as a competitive
The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A and open discussion. We encourage active participation and exchange.
This event is part of the GREET CE knowledge transfer track, supporting Central European SMEs with practical competencies for navigating finance and investment landscapes, in alignment with I3 and other EU instruments.
We look forward to welcoming you to this dynamic and informative session.
With kind regards,
ZGIGM – Chamber of Construction and Building Materials Industry, Slovenia
Registration & contact: zgigm@gzs.si
Language: English
Participation is free of charge, but places are limited
by igor.vovko | Jun 4, 2025 | Event
Ljubljana, June 3, 2025 – The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Chamber of Construction and Building Materials Industry (slov. GZS ZGIGM, engl. CCIS CCBMIS), in cooperation with partners of the European project GREET CE – Green Transition in Central Europe and Non Tox Uni Kum, organized an international expert event Materials Matter – Non Tox Day.
Bio-based materials – the future is already here
The event highlighted that bio-based materials such as straw, fungi, hemp, coconut fibers, cellulose, natural resins, and other renewable resources are already achieving mechanical, thermal, and structural properties comparable to those of conventional synthetic materials. In addition to being environmentally friendly, they also offer benefits for human health, air quality, and well-being in the built environment.
Building new value chains
The event was a strategic step in the creation of new bio-based value chains that bring together research, entrepreneurship, support institutions, and funding into a comprehensive system. Intermediary bodies—chambers, clusters, research institutes, and development agencies—play a key role in this by providing access to knowledge, markets, and funding. The event thus contributed to the formation of new business partnerships, the promotion of interregional projects, and increased market visibility for Slovenian companies developing innovations with global potential. It is designed as a content platform for connecting companies, researchers, policymakers, and investors with the aim of promoting the development of new bio-based materials. It is important to present bio-based materials to the wider public, as they already achieve comparable mechanical and functional properties to traditional and synthetic materials. The market potential is huge, and the key lies in creating strong value chains that connect industry, innovation, and investment.
The bioeconomy is thus no longer just an environmental orientation, but is becoming a new economic axis in construction. The European Commission has included it in key strategic documents, as it represents a sustainable alternative to fossil resources and opens the door to new business models, jobs, and export opportunities.
The event attracted nearly 100 experts from 20 countries and 3 continents and became a platform for presenting pioneering solutions in the field of bio-based construction materials, healthy construction, and circular business models.
The event was attended by leading European and Slovenian experts: Mag. Gregor Ficko (GZS ZGIGM, Slovenia), Petra Marinko (Non Tox Uni Kum, Slovenia), Valentina Kuzma (GZS ZGIGM, Slovenia), Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters (Haute Innovation, Germany), Leila Behjat (Healthy Materials Lab EU gGmbH, Germany), Sabina Dolenec, and Dr. Polona Zalar (UL BF & ZAG, Slovenia), Matjaž Božič (Mycopor, Slovenia), Rodics Gergely (ACNT, Romania), Dušan Knežovič (Hemp Cluster, Slovakia), Primož Zorec (Cogreen, Slovenia), Branko Kašman (KO SI, Slovenia), Marina Zajec (Arhitektura E.L.I., Croatia), Doc. Dr. Stanislav Lenart (ZAG, Slovenia), Dr. Andrej Kržan (Chemical Institute, Slovenia), Dr. Alenka Mauko Pranjić (ZAG, Slovenia), Albin Kälin (EPEA Switzerland), Katja Bučan (GZS, Slovenia) and Manuel Nina (GoParity, Portugal).
They presented concrete solutions in the fields of construction using fungi, straw, hemp, natural fibers, biomineralization, coastal sediment stabilization, and digital traceability of materials. The speakers emphasized that the development of bio-based materials is no longer in the experimental phase, but is already operating on the market and is included in EU calls for proposals such as Horizon Europe, I3, LIFE, CBE, and CCRI.
Materials Matter – Non Tox Day is a reminder that the future of construction lies not only in energy efficiency, but also in the overall impact of materials on health, space, and the economy. Bio-based materials, circular models, and new partnerships enable the transition to smart and sustainable construction. The event is part of the activities within the GREET CE project, co-funded by the European Union through the I3 instrument. The aim of the project is to develop new industrial value chains that will contribute to the green transition of Central Europe. With GZS ZGIGM and partners, we are building bridges between innovation, the market, and the environment—and we invite companies to join the future of construction.
📩 More about the I3a instrument project: greetce.eu/
📢 Applications for participation in pilots and chain development: zgigm@gzs.si
Event photos and videos are uploaded here:
https://www.gzs.si/zbornica_gradbenistva_in_industrije_gradbenega_materiala/Novice/ArticleID/90022/gradivo-fotogalerija-in-posnetek-materials-matter-non-tox-day-slovenija-kot-evropsko-sticisce-bio-inovacij-v-gradbenistvu
by igor.vovko | May 13, 2025 | Event
Date: Tuesday, 3 June 2025
Time: 11:00–15:00 CEST
Location: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (GZS), Dimičeva 13, Ljubljana & Online
Language: English only
Registration is mandatory
JOIN Pridružite se srečanju zdaj
ID srečanja: 336 235 828 953 4
Geslo: jH3zt3iT
Why Materials Matter – And Why Now
The construction sector is at a turning point. Every building begins with choices—of materials, methods, and values. Join us at this hybrid event that brings together leading experts, visionary companies, researchers and institutions to explore how biobased, healthy, and climate-resilient materials can transform the future of building.
Organised under the GREET CE Eco-Construction pilot, the event will feature:
- A keynote by Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters (Haute Innovation, Berlin)
- Expert talks on material health and regenerative design
- Good Practice Pitches from innovative SMEs using biomaterials
- Funding & scaling session with EU and national opportunities
- Networking and a curated material exhibition
This event is free but registration is mandatory.
Register soon to secure your seat – spaces are limited!
Every structure starts with a choice – not only of form, but also of substance, method and meaning. If we want to build differently, we have to start differently – with the questions we ask, the materials we choose and the values we build into the process. Biomaterials offer more than a small impact – they offer a change in the way we think about projects, our relationship to space, land and health. This hybrid meeting brings together biomaterials practitioners, funders, visionaries and practitioners to ask: How do we take biomaterials from innovation to actual implementation – and why is this so important?
Every building starts with a choice – not just of form, but also of materials, approach and values. This hybrid international event will bring together researchers, SMEs, intermediary bodies, supporters, funders and practitioners to explore together how biomaterials can contribute to more sustainable and climate-resilient construction. Co-create it and participate in the pitches! As part of the Eco Construction pilot project of the GREET CE programme and the NONTOXUNIKUM initiative, you will have the opportunity to participate in a unique event.
Registration required HERE>>>
There is no registration fee!
The whole programme will be held in English. The entire programme is expected to be in English without translation to other EU languages.
Online attendance: register by 2 June 2025 – 12.00 CEST
In-person attendance: register by 30 May 2025 – 24.00 CEST
AGENDA
10:30–11:00 | Arrival & Welcome Coffee
Registrations for participanst attending in person in CCIS premises
Meet & Greet – Coffee. People. Materials.
11:00 – 11: 10 | Why it Matters – Opening Words
Petra Marinko, Architect & Founder, Non Tox Uni Kum
Gregor Ficko, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Chamber of Construction and Building Materials Industry – GZS ZGIGM
11:10 – 11:15 | GREET CE Project
Presentation of the international I3 project GREET for establishing an eco-construction pilot, GZS ZGIGM.
Valentina Kuzma, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Chamber of Construction and Building Materials Industry – GZS ZGIGM
11:15 – 12:00 | Keynote lecture: From Innovation to Implementation
A guided journey through plastic-free biomaterial innovations — with insight into what is ready now, and what has the potential to reshape the way we build.
Dr. Sascha Peters, Founder, Haute Innovation, Berlin, Germany
12:00 – 12:10 | Material Health Matters (special intervention)
Why material health matters – and how it shapes the spaces we inhabit and the people in them.
Leila Behjat, Director of Material Ecology, Healthy Materials Lab EU gGmbH
12:10 – 13:05 | Best practice presentations
Perspectives. Materials. Steps toward a better building culture.
ZAG and UL BF, Mycological Biomineralisation for Self-Healing Concrete – Sabina Dolenec & Dr. Polona Zalar, Slovenia
Mycopor, Mycelium-Based Systems for Construction and Packaging – Matjaž Božič, Slovenia
ACNT, Circular Approaches to Heritage Architecture, Tradi-Innovation, Romania
Cogreen, Building with Hemp: From Field to Wall, Primož Zorec, Slovenia
Hempcluster, Dušan Knezović, Slovakia
KO SI, Natural Fibre Materials for Sustainable Construction – Branko Kosman, Slovenia
Arhitektura E.L.I, House of straw – Marina Zajec, Croatia
ZAG, Bio-stabilisation of dredged marine sediments for construction purposes on land, on the coast and in the sea, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stanislav Lenart, Slovenia
13:05 – 13:50 | Pitches and presentations: Good Practice in Action
Panel discussion: A moderated conversation with experts of their fields on what it really takes to scale biomaterials – from vision to regulation, production to policy.
Alenka Mauko – ZAG (Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute)
Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters- Haute Innovation
Dr Andrej Kržan – SRIP Materials
Marina Zajec – E.L.I Architecture
Primož Zorec – Coogreen
Mycopor – Matjaž Božič
13:50 – 13.55 | Audience Q&A
13:55 – 14.05| Break
14:05 – 14.15 | Cradle to Cradle Design Innovations (special intervention)
EPEA, Switzerland: Albin Kaelin
14:15 – 14.45 | Financing and scaling-up options
Overview of EU and national instruments, calls and tools for those working on healthier and bio-based building materials. Katja Bučan, Strategic Development at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Crowdlending: innovative financing for SMEs in Europe, Manuel Nina, Goparity, Portugal
14.45 – 15.00| Closing reflections.
To shift not only how we build—but how we think projects.
From materials to mindsets, from structure to story. Together.
15.00- 16.00 | Biomaterials Library & Lunch & Networking Explore. Touch. Connect.
Informal dialogue and networking between guests, producers and experts, accompanied by a display of curated material.
FOR IN PERSON ATTENDANTS ONLY!
About speakers and organizations
Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters
Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters is one of Europe’s leading experts on sustainable materials and new technologies. He is the founder of the Berlin-based Haute Innovation Agency and a long-time consultant, author, juror and trainer in the field of bio-based innovation, circular design and future production systems.
About Albin Kaelin
Albin Kaelin is a leading European voice in circular design and the founder of EPEA Switzerland. As an early pioneer of Cradle to Cradle® in industry, he has helped shape a regenerative approach to material innovation rooted in safe chemistry and closed-loop systems. His work bridges environmental vision with technical precision, supporting the development of products that retain material value across multiple life cycles.
Healthy Materials Lab EU
A European non-profit sister organization to the Parsons-based Healthy Materials Lab, dedicated to accelerating the transition toward healthier, non-toxic material practices in architecture, design, and education. Through research, education, and curation, the lab supports a new material paradigm grounded in transparency, health, and regenerative systems thinking.
NONTOXUNIKUM
Through research, education, and curation, the Lab supports a new material paradigm based on transparency, health, and regenerative systems thinking.
Why attend?
If you are a construction innovator, architect, contractor, policy maker or simply interested in how we can build healthier and more resilient to climate change – this event is for you.
Questions? Contact us at: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia – CCIS, Division: Chamber of Construction and Building Materials Industry of Slovenia – CCBMIS zgigm@gzs.si
