There are still many economic and technical challenges to promote the circular economy and the need for new innovations is high. Growth requires efficient information flow in the circular economy, systematic RDI development and acceleration, as well as information on the volumes of different material flows and the business potentials they contain. The aim of the project is to contribute to the growth of the business that is developing around the circular economy and the number of jobs it covers. The objectives are achieved by utilising the regional strengths of six cities and their market area, by providing tools for companies’ RDI activities and by developing the production and transparency of information related to material flows. The project responds to the 6Aika strategy’s circular economy and resource wisdom theme, the specific objective 3.2.The main target group of the project is enterprises and cities. The project’s activities focus on circular economy centres, which play an important role in creating both a new circular economy business and new circular economy operating models. The Circular Economy Centres host a number of different circular economy actors centrally in different cities and act as regional venues for circular economy and industrial symbiosis. Circular economy centres are also significantly involved in the implementation of urban infrastructure activities (e.g. waste management, energy solutions, water supply, land mass) and therefore their strong role in sustainable urban development is undeniable. This project will support companies in finding new business opportunities through a variety of targeted events and by providing information on regional material efficiency and available material flows at the disposal of target groups. For example, a living lab-style platform concept, a service concept for re-use and recycling, and models that promote circular and sharing economy suitable for urban development will be created in cooperation with companies. The project will also design a visitor centre suitable for the centres and functioning of the shop window for circular economy solutions. The circular economy centres of the future will provide companies with a place to pilot their own business solutions and to find synergies, for example, from the infrastructure of the region or from the know-how of other companies operating in the region. Companies are also agile to market new products and materials through circular economy centres in other six cities, and practices and operational and service models developed locally in circular economy centres can be easily replicated from one urban area to another. As a result of the project, businesses’ business opportunities will be improved and cities will be more vibrant. The project’s measures contribute to the achievement of the objectives of sustainable urban development and industrial policy. The environmental benefits will be achieved by improving regional material efficiency through the consideration of the principles of the project during the project design process by carrying out an initial analysis of the circular economy field from a gender perspective. On the principles of sustainable development, the project aims in particular to promote the sustainable use of natural resources, the recovery of materials and waste, waste reduction, and circular economy and environmental know-how.
