Abstract
The transition towards a circular bioeconomy (CBE) poses complex challenges to firms as it represents a fundamental shift in the way they conceive and practice economic development. At its core, the concept of a CBE integrates principles from both the circular economy and bioeconomy paradigms, recognising the interdependence between ecological integrity, economic prosperity, and societal well-being. Meanwhile, open innovation has emerged as a key strategy for firms willing to foster innovation ecosystems and to promote a CBE transition. This conference paper discusses how open innovation can be deployed to support the transition to a circular bioeconomy, focusing on the Brazilian Amazon, at the heart of bioeconomy debates, and examines the cosmetics company Natura as a case example to investigate the strategic adoption of open innovation.