Eco-innovation and business potential of circular economy in South Ostrobothnia

The main objective of the project is to promote the capacity of region's SMEs to adopt sustainable development and circular economy way of thinking. The objective is twofold:
1) to increase knowledge and know-how of SMEs of eco-innovation opportunities and on the one hand, contribute to the emergence of new ecological innovations and on the other hand, enhance the competitiveness of SMEs in the region. In addition, the aim is to produce concrete tools for SMEs to implement ecoinnovation, and
2) to enhance firms' capacity to introduce the circular economy business in the region.

Following activities will be taken to achieve the first main objective:
• Benchmarking eco-innovations nationally and internationally
• Producing tools for eco-innovation for SMEs
• Testing the eco-innovation tool with eight firms.
• Implementing and testing eco-innovation tools with a wider range of firms in workshops.

Following activities will be taken to achieve the second main objective:
• Development and testing of the market approval tool for the circular economy business.
• Evaluation of the effects of the circular economy business on firm's growth and development.
• Utilizing an existing KYVYKÄS-tool to identify the current situation in engineering industry in South-Ostrobothnia.
• Plan futher activities to promote the circular economy together with firms
• Assess the technological capabilities of the circular economy business and identify technological needs for change,
• Assess the need for change by digitalization
• Identification of regional and national circular economy ecosystems and promotion of cooperation among actors and between ecosystems.
As a result of the project, the awareness and knowhow of eco-innovations potential and ecosystems and the utilization of circular economy business will enhance in the region. In addition, the identification of regional and national circular economy ecosystems and the promotion of cooperation among actors will integrate firms in the region into the wider networks. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.