Up2Circ Pilot Call

Description

In its pilot call, Up2Circ Accelerator will support 7 projects to validate the adoption and/or adopt circular business models, circular product design and circular processes. SMEs can apply for two different funding schemes based on the maturity of their transition projects: Small scale projects: Feasibility studies Funding: small scale projects of up to €15.000 Project scope: In-depth validation of technical, economic and social aspects of adoption of circular business models, considering desirability, feasibility, viability and environmental aspects. Projects should focus on one or several circular business models such as circular supply chain, sharing platforms, product as a service, product life extension, recovery and recycling. Expected outcome: feasibility study including a business plan Project duration: max. 6 months  Large scale projects: Piloting and demonstration Funding: large scale projects of up to €50.000 Project scope: Pilot and demonstration activities to implement concrete transition measures towards circularity through the implementation of certain technologies, introduction of new products, processes and services. Projects should focus on prototyping, pilot testing, implementation of new business processes, solutions and systems. Expected outcome: validated prototype Project duration: max. 12 months Up2Circ is a project funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe programme with the overall objective to accelerate and scale the transition of European SMEs towards a circular economy. Up2Circ covers the entire value chain from awareness raising, education and training, tailored advisory service to funding of concrete transition projects towards a circular economy. The Up2Circ-Accelerator aims to mobilise and enable SMEs for the uptake of circular business models, circular product design and circular processes. It accompanies SMEs with a client-centric, customised advisory approach from exploration of opportunities to concrete implementation projects along the circular strategies to narrow (use less), slow (use longer), close (use again), regenerate (make clean) and inform (use data) material and energy flows. Up2Circ focuses on innovation and transformation measures that individual SMEs can realistically achieve. Up2Circ especially targets SMEs that are not aware yet how they could best innovate to transform. That is why in the Up2Circ-Accelerator capacity building comes prior to funding and active participation in the ‘Up2Circ Academy’ is an eligibility criterion for submission of proposals to this call.  For the pilot call only SMEs based in one of the Up2Circ partner regions are considered eligible. 

Beneficiary & submission

Submission process The application process is one-stage with an online application form accessible through the project website, asking for a description of innovation measures planned, a detailed action plan, impacts expected and a thorough estimation of costs.  Evaluation process The evaluation process is composed of two phases: 1) Admissibility and eligibility check by Up2Circ consortium partners The eligibility check comprises checking: SME status based on the EU SME self-assessment questionnaire result Type of activity Participation in the Up2Circ Academy English language Submission through an online form on the Up2Circ website before the deadline Absence of conflict of interest 2) Independent evaluation Eligible applications will be evaluated by 3 experts independent from the organisations involved in the consortium and from any applicant. The selected experts sign a declaration of confidentiality concerning the contents of the proposals they read, and they also confirm the absence of any conflict of interest. Each proposal will be evaluated against the following three evaluation criteria with scores ranging from 0 to 5: Concept: Does the project demonstrate a clear benefit to the Up2Circ objectives? Relevance: Does the project demonstrate a clear transition towards a circular economy and meet the objectives of Up2Circ project? Are the objectives of the project clear and achievable? Novelty: To what extend does the proposed project bring new value for the company? To what extend the project demonstrates uptake of advanced technologies and/or social innovation as enablers of circularity to implement concrete, achievable innovation measures? Only for large scale projects: Ambition: To what extend does the proposed project demonstrate change in the transition towards a circular economy? To what extent is the proposed work ambitious?  Feasibility: Does the business have all the resources and ability to execute on the project proposition? Soundness of the workplan: How relevant are the tasks described and the timing of the activities in relation to the current stage? Team: Does the proposal demonstrate relevant competences and capacity to implement the project, either in-house or in cooperation with external partners including sub-contractors? Are the missing expertise and resources identified? Only for large scale projects: Risk analysis: Does the project adequately address potential risks and propose appropriate mitigation strategies? Impact: Can the funding make a difference to help make the business more sustainable? Sustainable growth: To what extend does the project quantify achieving circular business transformation of the company? Is the proposed transformation justified by sound KPIs? Added value: To what extend does the project have an impact on the relevant industrial sector or region? Only for large scale projects: Cost-effectiveness: What is the quality and effectiveness of the resources assigned to the project to get the proposed objectives and deliverables The maximum overall score is 15. The standard threshold for individual criteria is 3, and the standard overall threshold, applying to the sum of the three individual scores, is 10. The average of the 3 scores given by evaluators per section and total will be calculated for each proposal. Priority will be given to applications that have higher scores in the criterion Impact. Proposals failing to achieve the threshold score per individual criteria and the overall threshold will be rejected. Proposals will be ranked according to the overall scores in descending order. The evaluation results will be available by January 17th. All applicants will be informed about the evaluation results by email.  For further information see the Guide for Applicants.

Further information

Project website: https://up2circ.eu/