On 15 May, 2025, a co-creation session brought together representatives from Savonia, Mondragon Unibertsitatea (MUE–MIK), MGEP, ESTIA and Zabala to jointly explore the Horizon Europe call CIRCBIO-01, focused on developing innovative circular business models supporting the transition to a sustainable and circular economy in the textile sector. Participants from Savonia, MUE and MGEP attended in person, while ESTIA and Zabala joined the session online, forming two complementary working groups to facilitate collaboration.
The session began with an introductory warm-up in which each research team presented its expertise, methodological approaches and tools related to circular business and sustainability. This initial exchange aimed to build a shared understanding of the partners’ profiles and identify potential complementarities as a basis for the subsequent collaborative work.
Following a brief overview of the call objectives and expected impacts, participants engaged in a structured co-creation exercise designed to explore potential collective contributions. The Horizon Europe call targets the demonstration of scalable circular business models capable of supporting the green transition, including approaches such as reuse, repair, refurbishment and product-as-a-service models, as well as the assessment of environmental, economic and social impacts. The call also emphasises behavioural change, scalability and replicability, governance and policy enablers, and the development of new skills and employment opportunities.
During the group work sessions, participants combined their expertise in circular economy, business model innovation, sustainability assessment and socio-economic research to identify possible project directions and complementary roles. The exercise helped clarify potential areas of collaboration and highlighted synergies between the participating institutions.
Although the session did not lead to the immediate development of a concrete project proposal, it generated a constructive atmosphere and reinforced a shared motivation to continue working together. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships, align perspectives and lay the groundwork for future joint initiatives in the field of circular business models.
