Technological watch

Focus Games Ltd has developed the Bioeconomy Game, an educational board game that challenges players to create value from waste and develop their community. The game was developed in collaboration with MeLoop Foundation, India, and the THYME Project, a North of England project designed to improve productivity of the bioeconomy and companies across Yorkshire, the Humber and the Tees Valley.

The bioeconomy is a part of everyday life. It involves using renewable living things such as plants, animals and microbes to produce food, energy and other materials. As the world moves away from its dependence on products manufactured from fossil fuels, it is important that we all understand how the bioeconomy works and contributes to sustainability.

Penny Cunningham, THYME Operations Director explains; “The THYME project, funded by Research England, actively engages with schools and the general public to educate and inspire others on the bioeconomy. By working closely with BioVale, the UK’s only innovation cluster for the bioeconomy, we developed a fun way to get across the message about sustainability and the innovative opportunities that are available for waste.”
About the game

Melvin Bell, a Director at Focus Games added; “This game is a fantastic learning opportunity for all ages, it helps players understand how communities can make more from their waste, develop their understanding of how products are made from renewable resources and are used to support sustainable growth in their area.”
The objective is to minimise the amount of waste going to landfill, and to instead create value from waste by reusing and recycling it in innovative and sustainable ways.

Aimed at players aged 12+, the game is used to educate school children about sustainability as well as a training aid for workplaces wanting to learn more about this rapidly expanding bioeconomy sector. To complement the physical game there is also a digital version which can be played on a mobile device.

About Focus GamesFocus Games Ltd. has been making educational games for healthcare since 2004, with the NHS as our biggest client.

About the Thyme ProjectThe University of York is the lead on a £5 million project to develop the bioeconomy across Yorkshire, the Humber and the Tees Valley. The THYME project (Teesside, Hull and York – Mobilising Bioeconomy Knowledge Exchange) builds on the existing expertise and innovation in the region in a new collaboration between the Universities of York, Hull, Teesside as well as the innovation cluster BioVale and open access R&D facility, the Biorenewables Development Centre. The three-year project will boost the region’s economy, create jobs and deliver major environmental benefits.

About the MeLoop FoundationMeloop Foundation (NGO) acts as a catalyst in the vibrant Indian philanthropic sector by driving collaborative action to promote Circular economy awareness and programs in India. Based in Barshi, Solapur Maharashtra and founded by University of Strathclyde alumni Shantanu Patil.

ContactMelvin Bell
Phone: +44 (0) 141 554 5476
E-Mail: melvin@focusgames.com

Source: THYME project, press release, 2019-11-14.