Grant agreement ID: 777773(opens in new window)Project website
DOI
Project closed
EC signature date29 March 2018
Start date1 April 2018
End date30 June 2021
This summary provides a structured overview of C-VoUCHER (Circularize ValUe CHains across European Regional Innovation Strategies), an EU-funded project (2018–2021) that used design-driven innovation to help SMEs transition from linear to circular business models.
🎯 Project Context & Objectives
C-VoUCHER addressed the global competitiveness of European SMEs by redesigning traditional “Take-Make-Waste” value chains. The project aimed to “tamperproof” companies for a future where resource scarcity and environmental burdens make linear models unsustainable.
- The Design-Tech Link: Unique in its approach, the project combined Design Thinking with Enabling Technologies (like IoT, AI, or advanced materials) to create disruptive circular solutions.
- Target Domains: Focused on five high-impact industrial sectors: Agri-Food, Manufacturing, Textile, Maritime (Blue Growth), and Health.
- Core Goal: To accelerate the circular economy by providing both direct financial support (vouchers) and high-level mentoring from “Designers-in-Residence.”
📈 Key Results & Achievements
After 39 months, C-VoUCHER successfully embedded circular principles into 54 SMEs and mobilized significant private and public investment.
| KPI Category | Achievement |
| Direct SME Support | 54 SMEs accelerated (12 in Circularity, 42 in Replication programs) |
| Proposals Evaluated | 475 submissions from 32 different countries |
| Technology Disruptors | 22 technology providers hired via €649,896 in vouchers |
| Follow-on Funding | €8.32M raised by SMEs (€2.66M public, €5.66M private) |
| Regional Legacy | 10 Memorandums of Understanding signed with regional bodies |
🛠️ Main Deliverables & Acceleration Programs
C-VoUCHER offered a tiered support system to help companies at different stages of their circular journey.
1. Circularity Programme (The “Champions”)
Twelve selected SMEs underwent a deep 9-month transformation.
- Financial Aid: Vouchers of up to €58,000.
- Support Trio: Each SME was matched with a Designer-in-Residence (DiR) for creative conceptualization, a Regional Innovation Hub (RIH) for ecosystem integration, and a Technology Disruptor to implement technical enablers.
2. Circular Value Replication Programme (The “Adopters”)
Forty-two SMEs participated in a 3-month program to build feasibility plans.
- Financial Aid: A lump sum of €15,000.
- Objective: Inspired by the 12 “Champions,” these companies created business cases and implementation roadmaps to replicate successful circular models in their own sectors.
3. Circular Design Toolkit for Regions
A primary legacy output was a methodology kit designed for policy-makers and regional clusters to help them replicate the C-VoUCHER approach in their local territories.
🌍 Socio-Economic & Societal Impact
C-VoUCHER proved that the circular economy is not just an environmental necessity but a powerful tool for regional economic development.
- Resilient Value Chains: By introducing “reuse/reshape” methodologies, SMEs became less vulnerable to resource price volatility.
- Cultural Shift: The project reported a “tremendous shift” in the mindset of entrepreneurs, moving them toward collaborative, symbiotic business models.
- Policy Influence: The signing of 10 MoUs ensures that the project’s design-led methodology will be integrated into future regional innovation strategies across Europe.
- Economic Leverage: Every €1 of direct EU funding provided by C-Voucher helped SMEs mobilize additional funding, demonstrating the high market trust in the circular business cases developed.