Circular business development in practice

The project is part of the regional initiative for strengthening circular business models in West Sweden and aims to support coaching actors in the innovation system to work with circular business development in practice. Through the project, innovation actors receive coaching from experts from RISE so that they in turn can support SMEs in Västra Götaland to work proactively to strengthen their innovation work and competitiveness when it comes to circular design and new business models. Region Västra Götaland has seen a great need to strengthen the ability and expertise in the innovation system to contribute to the sustainable transition in the region. The coaching actors have a key role in supporting companies in their transition and need increased knowledge of circular business development as well as new coaching strategies and tools.

The project is part of a larger initiative to train a network of coaching actors in West Sweden on circular business development. RISE held a pilot training in 2021 together with Circular Hub at Science Park Borås, and Circular Hub also held an extended programme in 2023. Region Västra Götaland thereafter initiated the challenge "Circular design & new business" to encourage the coaching actors to apply their new knowledge of circular economy and circular innovation in their work as business coaches. Through this project, RISE supports the coaching actors who have accepted the challenge and helps them to raise circular issues in their coaching conversations with companies. In the later part of the challenge, RISE also provides more case-specific expert support for the actors who have identified company cases that have great potential and require more in-depth coaching.

In addition to strengthening the coaching actors' ability to work with circular business development in practice, this project will also result in a number of good examples of how companies have worked successfully with circular design and business development. These examples will be collected and documented so that they can be disseminated and inspire even more coaches to work with circular issues.