Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RESOURCE (REgional project development aSsistance fOr the Uptake of an aRagonese Circular Economy)
Período documentado: 2022-07-01 hasta 2023-12-31
Circularity is an essential aspect of the industry transformation towards resource-efficiency, climate neutrality and long-term competitiveness. The EU-funded RESOURCE project will study and accelerate the private funding of circularity-related pilot projects in Aragon by bringing together partners from across the entire value chain. It will develop a project development assistance solution to reinforce these pilot projects by building an integrated expertise pool to support technically, economically and legally the regional circular economy pilot SMEs. It will also develop innovative financing schemes and business models, and launch concrete investments. Results will be disseminated to maximize the project’s impact in Aragon and beyond.
Specific objectives (SO):
SO#1: Develop new PDA services to fund regional CE investment projects based upon an improved governance and innovative organisation of the Aragon business service support ecosystem to select circular economy investment projects with a demonstrated financial viability and sustainability as tangible showcases to trigger further market replication.
1- Selection of 13 pilots projects, scouted through the Aragon region open calls for CE projects called Aragon Circular Stamp/Seal initiative and also within CEEIAragon’s network of incubated/hosted companies. After few months, at the end of the RP1 10 projects remain.
2- A selection process based on RESOURCE specific criteria internally designed, and a methodology for providing RESOURCE specific support to the selected pilot projects in the process of being designed and tested, while supporting the first pilot projects, including drawing innovative financing schemes at local/national level.
3- Coping with pilots' different funding needs, a methodology that involves private and public funding, bank loans and that might soon also involve innovative financing schemes such as crowdfunding or tokenization
4- a one-stop-shop business support is being designed with single contact point coordinating all partners’ specific support, assessment and advice. PDA services based in the four pillars considered within RESOURCE seem to fit the 360º assessment needed by most Pilots.
5- The investors committee together with the Advisory Board meeting helped designing a financing solutions/schemes to secure and accelerate projects’ investment readiness
SO#2: Build an integrated expertise pool to support technically, economically and legally the regional circular economy investment projects (WP2).
Partners conducted a rigorous multi-criteria evaluation of the selected circular economy projects focusing on four key dimensions: circularity potential, financial viability, sustainability, and replicability.
Partners developed a framework that includes technical, legal, environmental, and economic considerations to meticulously scrutinize each project's ability to promote closed-loop resource management, achieve financial stability, contribute to environmental well-being, and scale beyond its initial implementation. As a result of the interaction between consortium partners and pilot projects, a methodology is being developed, which will complete output 2.2 and create the one-stop advisory stop. Partners are currently preparing pilots for pitching at the Transfiere event (20-22 March 2024) in front of investors which will complete output 2.2 and create the one-stop advisory stop.
SO#3: Develop innovative financing schemes to boost private investment for circular economy project and launch concrete investments (WP3).
1 Investment Expert Committee meeting held in PR1: has confirmed that investors’ main criterion are Business Cases and the existence of a promising Market behind (more specifically for Circular Economy projects, their value proposition within the value chain: downstream or upstream). The Team is also a key asset, and the founders’ ability to communicate on those profitable and impacting opportunities.
From Pilot’s perspective, instead of formal CE Final Beneficiary Expert Committee, individual meetings provided fruitful outcomes. The heterogeneous profile of the Pilots translates in the variability of criteria they prioritize while looking for investors. But common points are shared such as the specialization of Investors (sector and/or technology, for a good understanding of the business and technologies), and a well-balanced interest of the investors between profitability and environmental and social impact.
Mots of the CE Pilots have a Double Face Business Model. One face being the market where they find the waste or the by-product which is an input in its value chain, and the other face is the recycled, refurbished or re-manufactured product market which is the output of such value chain.
SO#4: Ensure a high degree of replicability of the PDA and related services to disseminate across Europe.
Partners explored the best way to introduce CE projects in current and new markets, as well as the most appropriate target channels, by analysing existing experiences and identifying best practices to be inspired. 25 Best practices have been identified and 3 Best Practice Sessions have been organised in RP1.
SO#5: Maximise and measure the project’s impacts for optimum dissemination of project’s results in Aragon and beyond.
To this end, RESOURCE partners have been developing:
- Communication, dissemination and outreach strategy plan, that includes the development of social media channels (LinkedIn, X, YouTube) and a website that are all regularly updated and fed with partners inputs, 3 newsletters sent out since the start of the project. For instance, more than 4400 impressions on 39 posts since February 2023, 222 reactions, 277 clicks
- An exploitation workshop that covered a complete primary definition of the RESOURCE set of services
- 4 Pilot video interviews shared on YouTube (+1 about RESOURCE team meeting) gathering 426 views
- A set of activities to refine and make the RESOURCE methodology exploitable and disseminate the project results in a targeted way to reach relevant audiences.
- A number of knowledge-sharing activities with EBN members and across the network to identify best practices, provide awareness to such practices and encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing
SO#1: Develop new PDA services to fund regional CE investment projects based upon an improved governance and innovative organisation of the Aragon business service support ecosystem to select circular economy investment projects with a demonstrated financial viability and sustainability as tangible showcases to trigger further market replication.
1- Selection of 13 pilots projects, scouted through the Aragon region open calls for CE projects called Aragon Circular Stamp/Seal initiative and also within CEEIAragon’s network of incubated/hosted companies. After few months, at the end of the RP1 10 projects remain.
2- A selection process based on RESOURCE specific criteria internally designed, and a methodology for providing RESOURCE specific support to the selected pilot projects in the process of being designed and tested, while supporting the first pilot projects, including drawing innovative financing schemes at local/national level.
3- Coping with pilots' different funding needs, a methodology that involves private and public funding, bank loans and that might soon also involve innovative financing schemes such as crowdfunding or tokenization
4- a one-stop-shop business support is being designed with single contact point coordinating all partners’ specific support, assessment and advice. PDA services based in the four pillars considered within RESOURCE seem to fit the 360º assessment needed by most Pilots.
5- The investors committee together with the Advisory Board meeting helped designing a financing solutions/schemes to secure and accelerate projects’ investment readiness
SO#2: Build an integrated expertise pool to support technically, economically and legally the regional circular economy investment projects (WP2).
Partners conducted a rigorous multi-criteria evaluation of the selected circular economy projects focusing on four key dimensions: circularity potential, financial viability, sustainability, and replicability.
Partners developed a framework that includes technical, legal, environmental, and economic considerations to meticulously scrutinize each project's ability to promote closed-loop resource management, achieve financial stability, contribute to environmental well-being, and scale beyond its initial implementation. As a result of the interaction between consortium partners and pilot projects, a methodology is being developed, which will complete output 2.2 and create the one-stop advisory stop. Partners are currently preparing pilots for pitching at the Transfiere event (20-22 March 2024) in front of investors which will complete output 2.2 and create the one-stop advisory stop.
SO#3: Develop innovative financing schemes to boost private investment for circular economy project and launch concrete investments (WP3).
1 Investment Expert Committee meeting held in PR1: has confirmed that investors’ main criterion are Business Cases and the existence of a promising Market behind (more specifically for Circular Economy projects, their value proposition within the value chain: downstream or upstream). The Team is also a key asset, and the founders’ ability to communicate on those profitable and impacting opportunities.
From Pilot’s perspective, instead of formal CE Final Beneficiary Expert Committee, individual meetings provided fruitful outcomes. The heterogeneous profile of the Pilots translates in the variability of criteria they prioritize while looking for investors. But common points are shared such as the specialization of Investors (sector and/or technology, for a good understanding of the business and technologies), and a well-balanced interest of the investors between profitability and environmental and social impact.
Mots of the CE Pilots have a Double Face Business Model. One face being the market where they find the waste or the by-product which is an input in its value chain, and the other face is the recycled, refurbished or re-manufactured product market which is the output of such value chain.
SO#4: Ensure a high degree of replicability of the PDA and related services to disseminate across Europe.
Partners explored the best way to introduce CE projects in current and new markets, as well as the most appropriate target channels, by analysing existing experiences and identifying best practices to be inspired. 25 Best practices have been identified and 3 Best Practice Sessions have been organised in RP1.
SO#5: Maximise and measure the project’s impacts for optimum dissemination of project’s results in Aragon and beyond.
To this end, RESOURCE partners have been developing:
- Communication, dissemination and outreach strategy plan, that includes the development of social media channels (LinkedIn, X, YouTube) and a website that are all regularly updated and fed with partners inputs, 3 newsletters sent out since the start of the project. For instance, more than 4400 impressions on 39 posts since February 2023, 222 reactions, 277 clicks
- An exploitation workshop that covered a complete primary definition of the RESOURCE set of services
- 4 Pilot video interviews shared on YouTube (+1 about RESOURCE team meeting) gathering 426 views
- A set of activities to refine and make the RESOURCE methodology exploitable and disseminate the project results in a targeted way to reach relevant audiences.
- A number of knowledge-sharing activities with EBN members and across the network to identify best practices, provide awareness to such practices and encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing
Here are the tangible results obtained by RESOURCE consortium in deploying our activities:
- 13 pilots selected out of 34 identified candidates (10 remaining at the end of RP1)
- 6 LCA realised and 26 CE KPIs defined
- 4 Advisory Board members involved in advising RESOURCE team
- 4 pilot video interviews released on YouTube
- 177 LinkedIn and 81 X followers
- 3 newsletters issued
- 1 Investors meeting and 1 exploitation worshop organised
We have also submitted 9 deliverables allowing us advancing on the PDA design, community engagement and pilot projects support:
D1.1 Stakeholder mapping
D5.1 Communication, dissemination and outreach strategy
D6.1 Project Handbook and Quality Assurance Plan
D1.2 Stakeholder engagement strategy
D6.2 Data Management Plan-Initial Plan
D2.1 Opportunity mapping for the Circular Economy projects
D4.1 Map of CE projects implemented across EU countries
D5.4 Exploitation and sustainability draft plan
D2.3 Guidelines for Legal and regulatory sustainability Circular Economy Projects.
- 13 pilots selected out of 34 identified candidates (10 remaining at the end of RP1)
- 6 LCA realised and 26 CE KPIs defined
- 4 Advisory Board members involved in advising RESOURCE team
- 4 pilot video interviews released on YouTube
- 177 LinkedIn and 81 X followers
- 3 newsletters issued
- 1 Investors meeting and 1 exploitation worshop organised
We have also submitted 9 deliverables allowing us advancing on the PDA design, community engagement and pilot projects support:
D1.1 Stakeholder mapping
D5.1 Communication, dissemination and outreach strategy
D6.1 Project Handbook and Quality Assurance Plan
D1.2 Stakeholder engagement strategy
D6.2 Data Management Plan-Initial Plan
D2.1 Opportunity mapping for the Circular Economy projects
D4.1 Map of CE projects implemented across EU countries
D5.4 Exploitation and sustainability draft plan
D2.3 Guidelines for Legal and regulatory sustainability Circular Economy Projects.