Application for pilot projects on the circular economy: small-scale pilots on how we live, eat and move about

Finland aims to become one of the world leaders in the circular economy. Do you have an idea that could promote the circular economy in the ways we live, eat or move about? Could your idea be tested with EUR 500–5 000? File the application and join the first round of pilots at Place to Experiment.

During the summer the Experimental Finland team of the Prime Minister’s Office looks for small scale pilots to promote the circular economy. The aim is to encourage people to act in new ways. - Testing new things even in a small scale gives us more information on the opportunities and challenges involved, says Annukka Berg, Senior Specialist at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The experiments contribute to the work on a national circular economy roadmap. - Through this the small-scale pilots by individual citizens become part of a greater societal change, says Laura Järvinen, Specialist in Circular Economy at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. 

In the mid-term policy review the Finnish Government designated expertise in the circular economy, its growth and employment effect as one of its key areas. The circular economy means an economic model where new goods are not constantly produced and bought. Instead of ownership, the consumption is based on services: sharing, hiring and recycling. The materials are not disposed of at the end but they are used to make new products, again and again.

Järvinen has a few ideas: - The small-scale pilots may be concerned with extending the use life of products, joint use of goods and other resources, and reuse of goods and materials.

Everyone is welcome to join in. - Companies, organisations and people in the public sector, associations and individual citizens may submit their proposals at the Place for Experiment, says Johanna Kotipelto, Senior Specialist at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The applicants will get more information and encouragement in June-August. The idea is to make those interested in similar themes work together and find fruitful ways to test their ideas in practice so that the successful ones have real potential for future use.

From the perspective of the Experimental Finland key project the application for pilots on the circular economy is also a pilot. - We are using a new kind of procurement procedure that enables piloting new things with less administrative work, Project Manager Ira Alanko points out.

Because the whole process and the Place for Experiment platform are new, the schedule of this first application is flexible: applications may be filed all through the summer and the decisions will be made in September. The rest of the year is reserved for the piloting. - We try to live as we teach and test new practices to be used in the public sector, Alanko says.

Opening the application concerning pilots in the circular economy is part of the European Sustainable Development Week (30 May–5 June 2017).

Apply here (in Finnish)

Inquiries: Purpose of the application and the process: Ira Alanko, ira.alanko(at)vnk.fi, p. +358 50 306 2270, kokeilunpaikka.fi: Johanna Kotipelto, johanna.kotipelto(at)vnk.fi, p. +358 50 313 9662, the circular economy roadmap: Laura Järvinen, laura.jarvinen(at)sitra.fi, tel. +358 294 618 407