The Belgian SME is active in the circular bio‑economy that produces mushroom‑based materials and mycelium packaging. Today, many fragile and premium products are still protected with expanded polystyrene (EPS) or other plastic foams, which are difficult to recycle, generate long‑lasting waste and have a high carbon footprint. Several companies are testing bio‑based foams or moulded fibres, but these alternatives often require energy‑intensive processing and do not always offer full biodegradability. The SME's technology grows fungal mycelium on lignocellulosic by‑products and then dries the composite into a rigid, low‑density shape that can be moulded around specific products. This yields a protective material with good shock‑absorbing and thermal‑insulating properties, suitable for luxury and premium goods, art and design objects and other fragile items. Life‑cycle studies on mycelium bio‑composites show lower embodied energy and greenhouse‑gas emissions than EPS, and the material is fully biodegradable and compostable at end of life. The current industrial set‑up is optimised for small to medium series, with growth and drying cycles of about 7–10 days, typical wall thicknesses around 10 mm and designs compatible with mould‑based manufacturing. The SME is therefore looking for international partners to co develop and deploy these solutions: -Commercial partners are sought to introduce mycelium packaging into their product ranges and place recurring orders. -R&D and technical partners are invited to work on process optimisation, the development of advanced composites and the production of increasingly fine and precise mycelium based parts, including testing and validation of material performance. -Design partners are sought to explore new shapes and user experiences. The objective of these collaborations is to scale up low carbon, compostable packaging across multiple markets and jointly develop new applications that would not be achievable by the SME or the partner alone. Advantages and innovations Compared to plastic foams, the technology uses mycelium grown on lignocellulosic side streams to obtain a low density protective material that is biodegradable and compostable at end of life; published life cycle studies report substantially lower energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions than expanded polystyrene for functionally equivalent packaging. The SME differentiates itself from other mycelium based suppliers through in house formulation and production of its own substrates, which can be adjusted to customer requirements in terms of surface finish, mechanical resistance, weight, aeration and assembly, together with internal design and manufacturing of custom moulds that enable product specific geometries and consistent material quality. Expected role of a partner The Belgian SME is seeking development partners to support the industrialisation of its processes (scale up of production lines, automation and process robustness), as well as technical partners to help stabilise product quality through raw material characterisation, qualification and the co development of production recipes. Research partners are sought for the development of advanced composite products, with a focus on finer geometries and improved performance, while design partners are invited to collaborate on new shapes, aesthetics and user experiences in order to broaden the product range.