Project description
A business model to help the planet
Moving beyond basic recycling towards deeper forms of circularity such as reuse, sufficiency and regeneration is the key to reducing environmental impact. For companies, this is a difficult goal to achieve. Funded by the European Research Council (ERC), the CXA project aims to change that by introducing practical tools and real-world business models. Building on the ERC-funded Circular X project, which created open-access databases of over 300 examples and developed tools like the Circular Experimentation Workbench, CXA is now testing how to bring these approaches to scale. Its goal is to accelerate the uptake of regenerative and sufficiency-oriented models, offering businesses new pathways to thrive while reducing pressure on the planet.
Objective
Advanced circularity strategies including sufficiency (reuse, refuse) and regeneration have not yet scaled up in business practice. More support is needed to accelerate this transition. The goal of the Circular X Accelerator (CXA) is to develop and scale advanced circular business models. Such business models have the potential to achieve significant environmental impact improvements compared to simply selling products. ERC Circular X pioneered research on experimentation with advanced circular business models. The project developed 3 open access databases covering over 300 business examples, focused on (1) circular business model experimentation, (2) sufficiency and (3) regeneration in business, plus several circular business tools tested and used by business, such as the “Circular Experimentation Workbench”, “Road Ahead Tool” and “Circular Rebound Tool”. These tools and databases are brought together into a “circular business experimentation lab approach”.
Advancing the lab idea, the aim of this Proof of Concept (PoC) project is to develop the CXA as an ongoing entity, to be tested in the PoC. The CXA aims to accelerate the uptake of advanced circular business models in business practice, which includes regenerative and sufficiency-oriented business approaches and scaled up approaches. The PoC project will therefore investigate, test and validate the CXA approach in different settings with 5 Work Packages:
1. Investigate the appetite for advanced circular business tools with different user groups in different context
2. Investigate the best knowledge transfer strategy for advanced circular business innovation approaches.
3. Identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the CXA
4. Clarify the competitive positioning of the CXA
5. Determine the best form and potential partnerships for the CXA.
Advanced circular business innovations are not sufficiently scaled. The CXA will be scrutinised as a vehicle to accelerate these topics in practice.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- social sciences economics and business business and management business models
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
6200 MD Maastricht
Netherlands
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.