On April 30, 2026, 3R conducted a successful Living Lab Workshop focused on the strategic advancement of the ABC-COMPOCHAR innovation. The workshop was held in connection with the Waste4Soil initiative and the Hungarian Central Transdanubia Living Lab. The event brought together eight key stakeholders—including representatives from farmer organizations and producer groups—to map out the industrial future of sustainable soil management, meeting UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 17).
A Sustainable "All-in-One" Solution
At the heart of the discussion was the scale-up of the ABC (Animal Bone bioChar)-COMPOCHAR product. Upcycled from food processing residues, this animal by-product-based innovation serves as a high-efficiency, "all-in-one" solution. It is legally recognized for dual-use as both a multifunctional compound soil improver and a biofertilizer, directly supporting the transition to a circular bioeconomy.
Proven Field Success in 2025
To bolster user credibility and demonstrate market readiness, the workshop featured results from the successful 2025 field trials. These "ready to practice" demonstrations provided evidence-based best practices, showcasing the product’s effectiveness in real-world agricultural conditions.
Path to Industrial Replication (TRL9/BRL9)
A critical milestone of the workshop was the identification of public and private financing systems. These resources are essential for implementing the first full-scale industrial replication model (TRL9/BRL9). This industrial-scale facility will serve as the ultimate benchmark for:
- Demonstrating the new ABC-COMPOCHAR business model.
- Validating the circular bioeconomy in action.
- Boosting global market replication and investor interest.
Vision and Timeline
Planning is underway for the long-term COMPOCHAR LL demo to continue in the 2026/2027 season (closing 2027-05-30) with two economically interesting crops: tomato and sunflower.
Technical and financial investment preparations toward the post-project TRL9 FOAK (First-Of-A-Kind) will start after summer 2026. This includes opening the COMPOCHAR IPO (Initial Public Offering) AIM listing from June 1, 2027, offering farmers the opportunity to invest in shares and be business-connected to TRL9 FOAK commercial production as early as 2028.
Summary
The Hungarian Central Transdanubia Living Lab workshop showcased the advancements of the ABC-COMPOCHAR innovation through good practices. For producer organization members, the results demonstrated a path toward a novel business model at a full industrial production level, allowing farmers to invest in and connect with commercial production by 2028.
