Circular Economy Catalysts: From Innovation to Business Ecosystems (CICAT2025)

Public description of the results at the end of the project

CICAT2025 has accelerated Finland's strategic national goal to become a leading circular economy country by 2025. A multidisciplinary consortium has supported this growth effort by fostering the development of circular economy innovation ecosystems into business ecosystems by combining expertise through six work packages at five different universities in Finland (UTU, TUAS, TAU, UEF, JUY). CICAT2025 has identified circular economy as a systemic change driven by various actors and their collaboration. It emphasizes the importance of individuals and organizations as key factors in strengthening this cultural-technological-social change. To accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Finland, the project identified 25 keys, practical catalysts based on research results, which citizens, businesses, and public organizations can use to promote circular economy. The project has been carried out during the period 2018–2023.

Public description of the goals at the beginning of the project

The CICAT2025 accelerates Finland’s strategic aim to become the global leader in circular economy (CE) by 2025. CICAT2025 aims to assist CE actors to transform their innovations into profitable business. By examining technological, business, regulative and cultural catalysts of CE the project brings new knowledge to help boost the development of CE business ecosystems. The multidisciplinary CICAT2025 consortium combines contributions from technology, business, politics, art, linguistics, law and stakeholder interaction. The project will generate scientific contributions and concrete tools for advancing CE. Wider societal impacts are ensured by educating CE experts and supporting CE change-makers. CICAT2025 spans 2018-2023, with a budget of 5,95M€. The consortium consists of Tampere University, University of Turku, University of Jyväskylä, University of Eastern Finland, Tampere University of Applied Sciences and Turku University of Applied Sciences.