Overall objectives: To participate in Upper Norrland’s transition to a bio-based economy, which is in line with the Europe 2020 strategy and the regional development strategy, as well as the climate and energy strategy, for Norrbotten and Västerbotten Län. To enable strong cooperation between the region’s stakeholders, linked to the regional value chain based on forest biomass. Project objectives: To create clustering for the bio-based industry in the region, which leads to more jobs and the establishment of new companies with good commercial conditions. The development also strengthens the existing value chain for biomass and all its companies and actors involved. The cluster aims to bring together the region’s industry, research institutes, academia and social actors to strengthen research, technological development and innovation, increase competitiveness, and create sustainable growth. The cluster as a whole will retain the value chain perspective and work to create the conditions for innovations, both existing and new players in the value chain, which provides long-term opportunities to create growth. This also leads to a diversification of the region’s industry based on forest biomass. The establishment of the cluster means creating a clear arena where the region’s actors can collaborate and also a clearness to other actors regionally, nationally and internationally that this cluster can be active in the transition to a bio-based economy and interact with other actors, such as companies, R & D practitioners, financiers and other clusters. The project’s milestones: 1. The focus of the project will be innovations that lead to technology and service development in industry, which makes it possible to commercialise entirely new or radically improved existing materials and products based on forest biomass. 2. The companies in the value chain will strengthen their competitiveness through increased total net revenues, primarily by utilising side streams from current production processes to produce value-enhancing materials and products. 3. A stronger value chain and more bio-based industries in the region (preferably integrated with existing companies), which makes the whole of the bio-based industry stronger, making individual units stronger in international competition within the Groups. 4. Through strong collaboration in the value chain, the project will attract financiers to the commercialisation that will take place in the region. This applies to both existing companies and external capital. 5. Create a good basis for continued regional development in the field of bio-based economy. This will lead to more regional projects aiming to take steps towards commercialisation, by continuously increasing the “Technology Rediness Level” level.