An e-workshop on RESOURCE’s support and services exploitation and sustainability was held on 7 November 2023. It gathered 11 RESOURCE members and also 8 external partners: a cluster initiative (the EDIH PVF1) who presented useful tips to design services provided by 13 partners under one voice and through a coherent and complementary pathway, 3 consulting companies, one incubator (EBN member), 2 accelerators (including one from Tanzania). 

The aim of this first meeting was to get experts’ feedback on RESOURCE’s deployed methodology and value proposition to refine and improve them to better accelerate investment readiness of our selected pilots. 

The discussions were very valuable, and we can share some of the main insights tackled:  

  • impact investors chasing social and environmental impact, are best matches for CE pilots 
  • local networks are crucial to create future potential partnerships and relationships between CE actors, both as input and output providers within the global value chain  
  • circular economy is also about suppliers contributing to all “Rs” (Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Rot, Recycle…); for instance startups can find more circular suppliers and can they distribute their bio products to diversified industries 
  • a clear and common definition of CE is key for a deepened understanding of all its potentials  
  • the acceptance and readiness of consumers and willingness of consumers to pay for circular goods and services 

An interesting cluster initiative, the EDIH Future Vehicle Cluster, presented some useful tips to design services provided under one voice by 13 partners and through a coherent and complementary pathway. They highlighted the concept of single point of contact to monitor a project throughout the support process. The project’s journey is designed and customized according to its needs, and is also agile according to its evolution. This was a useful and inspiring experience for the RESOURCE team. 

 The participants then reacted and gave recommendations on the overall RESOURCE approach  

  • it is important to spend time in the beginning of the support to understand projects needs and how they understand what they need, to customize the solution to that specific need and secure their involvement in the process. 
  • the new potential markets circular economy can open shall be highlighted to projects, not only in terms of new products but also product as a service, opportunities outside the traditional, to expand and to differentiate. 

The next co-creation workshop on exploitation will be organised early 2025 (to be determined).