On the 23rd and 24th of February, the Start Circular Project celebrated a study visit and Partner Meeting at the University of Beira Interior in Portugal.
The Partnership meeting, in this occasion composed by participants from Portugal, Spain, France and Slovenia, was meant to discuss all tasks realised so far and to set up a work plan for the remaining time to come. The main focus of the first day turned around the validation of Start Circular Entrepreneurship Management Model for Circular Economy. Its production and implementation plans were discussed.
In the context of the preparation of the University and SME staff training on the implementation of the Start Circular model and resource portal, the discussion aimed to determine the expectations, on what kind of trainings the project would like to develop. It was also pointed out the importance of the role of the Universities in this process.
The last phase of the project will focus on the Sustainability Labs and on the sustainability Lab Platform: “Supporting innovative business ideas for circular economy“. The general idea of the project is to support universities developing their own sustainability Lab or improving an existing one. The labs will also be connected to each other so that entrepreneurs from the 5 countries involved can interact and network.
During the second day, the partners visited laboratories and companies whose business model is based on circular economy and sustainable development. Covilha, the town where the University is based is an excellent example of the transfer of knowledge and cooperation with the local industry.
