IAR (Industries & Agro-Ressources) is a Competitiveness Cluster focused on bio-based products and biorefinery. IAR brings together more than 200 stakeholders from Research, Higher Education, Industry (SMEs and Large Companies) and Agriculture (mainly from the regions Picardie and Champagne-Ardenne), around a common goal: the optimal valorization of biomass. 

The commitment of all IAR’s actors in the “cooperation-competition” creates synergies between SME’s, Large Companies and Research Laboratories. It allows the development of a very strong R&I project dynamic around four fields within the biorefinery concept: bioenergy (including biofuels); biomaterials (biopolymers and biocomposites); biochemicals and bio-ingredients. Since 2005, around 100 projects have been launched with a total R&D budget of more than 850 m€.