A customised DIgital Space to Foster Circular Economy EntrepReNeurship with SMEs

The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. ...

The aim of the project was to strengthen the quality of start-uppers, young entrepreneurs and VET providers and enhance their professional development through improving circular economy entrepreneurship competences as well as give them opportunity to validate these competences and adapt VET provision. In order to achieve these aim, we provided the following Intellectual Outputs: PR1. Guide for VET providers to Foster Circular Economy Entrepreneurship with SME`s; PR2. SME CE Skills & Readiness Verification Tool; PR3. Customized Digital CE Space for SME`s. The need is clear to do more and better with less resources. if it is a bit easier for bigger companies, for sure it is much harder for the small companies, star-uppers that cannot do it without a proper training and so the idea of this project came up. By creating the three results, the partners made a step forward in dealing with VET education to prepare the new workers for tomorrow. We tried to help the companies to think different and to have a new approach of the business model.

We started by preparing the kickoff meeting, at which we defined tasks and responsibilities to each member of each partner. General information about the project management and implementation were presented and the overall concept of the project. We defined the target group for the project - the definition, what means for the project. Then partners worked on preparation of the Development of a thematic scope and content grid, during this we organized focus groups with target groups. We had the LTTA event, in which all partners improved CE entrepreneurship competences. The 3 project results were developed through ten major tasks from PR1/A1 TO PR3/A5. All stages of the project are based on a good methodology and good data material that all the partners are aware of it.

Primary concrete outcomes: • PR1. Guide for VET providers - “Circular economy entrepreneurship it’s your best chance!”. The Guide is composed by 6 modules: 1. Industry Green transformation – circular design of products; 2. Resource intensive sectors transformation – Plastic; 3. Towards biodiversity and ecological transformation of companies; 4. Disruptive innovation management for monitoring and optimizing circular economy performance; 5. Rethinking companies business model for sustainable development & business plan; 6. Public and private start-up financing opportunities for sustainable growth. • PR2. SME CE Skills & Readiness Verification Tool. The Verification Tool is operating in a sequential manner, where its activities are divided into three distinguishable levels. The first level (A) focuses on performing analysis of current knowledge/skills patterns discovery. Operates as the input layer, acting as a data collector towards what startups know and are able to do. The information collected is then passed on to the next level (B) that is responsible for matching sets of collected data to respective sets of possible discovered learning paths. Finally, the information generated at this stage it is passed on to the last level (C) which is responsible for building a customized learning path in line with the gaps identified and presenting it to the startups. The Verification Tool created a customized learning path presentation. This customized learning path presented to start-ups was a collection of action fiches. Each action fiche is following the template that contains the title, description, implementation steps and other information. • PR3 Customized Digital Circular Economy Space for SMEs The CE Coach is a digital training resource in the form of an m- Learning platform. It provides learners with a set of recommended training resources matching their customized learning path recommended by result R2. The CE coach consists of a set of training resources from which trainers can select to deliver knowledge required by specific SME learners. Other results: - We raised basic skills and knowledge related to 'circular design of products' among start-uppers in Romania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Slovenia - We raised basic skills and knowledge related to 'Resource-intensive sectors transformation' among start-uppers in Romania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Slovenia; - We raised basic skills and knowledge related to 'biodiversity and ecological transformation of companies” among start-uppers in Romania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Slovenia; - We raised basic skills and knowledge related to 'Disruptive innovation management for monitoring and optimizing circular economy performance” among start-uppers Romania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Slovenia