In our second open call, Up2Circ Accelerator will support up to 40 projects to validate the adoption of circular business models and implement concrete actions towards circular products, processes and services. The budget allocation for the call is €1.020.000.

Call opening: March 1st, 2025

Call closure: April 30th, 2025, 23:59 CET

Who can apply?

Projects must be submitted by a single SME from the EU Member States (EU 27) that meets the following two criteria before the submission deadline:

• Enhanced knowledge and expertise in circular economy: Applicants must have actively participated in the Up2Circ Academy online learning programme. Active participation is defined as completing at least 50% of the Up2Circ Academy e-learning modules. Please note, that participation in the Up2Circ Academy will be verified through online systems based on the company name. Therefore, it is essential to provide accurate and complete information in the Up2Circ Academy participant profile.
• Customised advisory: Applicants are required to upload the Up2Circ Assessment Report, completed with the support of an Up2Circ advisor. The Up2Circ advisor will assist the applicant in conducting a circularity assessment followed by completing the Up2Circ Assessment Report, which will outline the SME’s strengths, weaknesses, and suggested improvements. To ensure geographical coverage beyond the Up2Circ partner regions, Up2Circ cooperates with multipliers, mainly with the sustainability advisors of Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), for this task. Please get in touch with the contact person related to your country in the table below. In case you should not get a feedback, please use the Up2Circ participant registration form: https://up2circ.eu/participant-registration-form/.

Types of projects and funding

SMEs can apply for two different funding schemes based on the maturity of their transition projects:

Project scope

Small scale projects:

A feasibility study is a detailed analysis that evaluates all aspects of a proposed project to ensure its successful implementation. The feasibility study must aim to innovate or transform the applicant company’s current practices to become more circular. The study must explore the potential adoption of at least one circular business model within the company.

Large scale projects:

The pilot and demonstration activities must aim at implementing at least one of the concrete transition measures towards circularity through technology adoption, circular product design, or the introduction of new products, processes or services. Projects must focus on prototyping, pilot testing, and the implementation of new business processes, solutions and systems.

Eligible Activities

Small scale projects:

The feasibility study can focus on five types of eligible circular business models:

• Circular supply chain
• Sharing economy
• Product as a service
• Product life extension
• Recovery and recycling

Large scale projects:

Pilot and demonstration activities can focus on three types of eligible activities:

• Implementation of technologies to increase circularity
• Adoption of circular product design
• Introduction of new products, processes or services that enhance the circularity of the applicant’s core business

Expected outcome

Small scale projects:

A comprehensive feasibility study, including a detailed business plan.

Large scale projects:

New technology successfully integrated into the applicant’s processes or a validated prototype of a product enhanced with circular design principles, developed by the applicant or new products, processes, or services integrated into the applicant’s operations.

Funding

Small scale projects:

Fixed amount of €15,000

Large scale projects:

Fixed amount of €50,000

Gudie for applicants: Up2Circ-Second-Open-Call-Guide-for-Applicants-FINAL.pdf