EmpoweriNg FOod Circular Economy in Startups Erasmus Project

Project Title

EmpoweriNg FOod Circular Economy in Startups

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

The EU is more and more promoting a transition toward a “circular” flow in the economic system. The transition is needed because it tackles two main problems that affects the union: unemployment and environmental challenges. Unemployment is still major issue for EU nowadays and likely will be in the following years as the rate of economic growth still lags behind and while most of the environmental target in Europe 2020 are close to be achieved, a well documented need for knowledge , abilities, values and attitudes are still needed to create a proper equilibrium between society, the economic system and the necessity of reducing the impact of human activity on the environment.

The ENFOrCES project aims at covering the gap in those fields primarily by empowering the trainers of future entrepreneurs but also enhancing the knowledge of policy makers by supplying counseling material for policy-makers inspiring them to enable better conditions to change production, transport and market paradigms.

The project will reach different category of persons, in particular professionals coming from, green enterprises
startup incubators and accelerators, universities and research centers, VET and Higher education suppliers, Development agencies for an estimated total of 400 participants reached by the project.

Main project activities are related to the production of four thematic intellectual outputs.
1) The design and development of a Smart trend Map of circular economy startups creation in Europe with a focus on food related business

2) The design and development of a conceptual Mindmap of best practices and open access material on Circular Economy entrepreneurship, focusing on startups cases

3)The elaboration and development of a toolkit of training materials to help Startup trainers/ Entrepreneurial Coaches supporting new entrepreneurs in the field of CE with a focus on food business opportunities

4) Data collection and development of a Policy Library to gather policy advices from partners and stakeholders to the benefit of policy makers and stakeholders

The project will see the collaboration of different kind of partners in a collaborative methodology that will emphasize each partners’ specificity. The Scientific and Vocational Training institutions will collaborate closely to ensure that the scientific content is of high quality and the teaching material is accessible yet challenging at the same time. Representative institutions will exploit their network to gather all the needed data to fulfill the creation of IOs and to properly disseminate the project. Incubators and entrepreneurial institutions will both support the creation of outputs exploiting their internal competences and gather the attention of practitioners and professionals in the startup world.

The projects wants to have long term impact by giving trainers the ability to increase their knowledge and affecting positively on many different generations of entrepreneurs. All the teaching materials will be online available for every professional to use, igniting a virtuous loop of knowledge in the Circular Economy environment, supported by the contemporary improvement of policy maker knowledge expected through the use of the policy library tool. Both of these project results are designed to have an impact measured over time (future entrepreneurs, future decision makers about CE regulations) through the empowerment of knowledge base and training personnel.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 196989 Eur

Project Coordinator

Maltese Italian Chamber of Commerce & Country: MT

Project Partners

• FVB S.R.L
• Körforgásos Gazdaságért Alapítvány
• AARHUS UNIVERSITET
• CONFORM-CONSULENZA FORMAZIONE E MANAGEMENT SOCIETA CONSORTILE A RESPONSABILITA LIMITATA
• COOPERATION BANCAIRE POUR L’EUROPE