Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Danube

Date of latest update: 2025-12-17

Description

Description (EN):

Even though efforts are put in supporting women entrepreneurs (WE) still only 25.6% of the founders in the Danube region (DR) are female. Gender divide exists in all sectors including those related to circular transition and sectors that underpin it. COVID-19 accelerated the digital transition but has accentuated the digital skills gap that already existed and new inequalities are emerging as many people do not have the required level of digital skills. Besides skills for business development and circular transition WE from the DR need to improve their digital skills in order to become more competitive. WE.Circular comes as a response of these specific needs of WE in the DR through project transnational activities focused on: identification of needs and challenges WE face in their digital and CE transition; exchange of knowledge; CE policy measures in the DR, policy improvement and S3s harmonization to be aligned to their needs through developed Transnational Strategy for WE Circular Transition; innovative training programme for development and improvement of digital and CE culture and skills delivered by Learning Network; innovative circular business models for recycling, reuse, and reduce developed and tested by WE.Circular Labs which will also facilitate increase of skills of stakeholders to harmonize S3s; capacity building of the public authorities regarding assessment of innovative circular business model and, design of a supportive WE policy framework via Transnational Policy Learning Centre. The consortium of 15 PPs, 11 ASPs from 12 DR countries brings together national & regional, public and private organizations and universities, whose specific thematic background guarantees a solid knowledge and necessary expertise by coming forward with appropriate innovative solutions. It will upgrade existing cooperation mechanisms between the target groups based on quadruple helix model. WE.Circular results will have strong economic & green impact.

Actual Achievements (EN):

After first 6 months in WE.Circular project partnership managed to register some basic but essential progress starting from establishment of a knowledge base for the study which will provide the necessary outputs to evaluate the magnitude of the digital and circular skills gender gap. A methodological guideline for elaboration of Transnational Skills Needs and Gaps Analysis was prepared by RAPIV and UNSA. Desk research and study among women entrepreneurs for identification of needs and challenges they face when it comes to use of advanced technologies and solutions for digital transition and smart specialization, and applying the principles of circularity in their businesses were performed. Interviews with stakeholders for gaps in the support provided to women entrepreneurs for s3 and i4.0 transition applying the circular economy principles, with special focus on skills development were organized by RAPIV, IRS, TECHPARK, IREAS, BWCON, CCIS, PBN, IHB, SBA, ODA, UNSA, ABW. Results from conducted surveys on barriers and needs of WEs and opportunities provided to support them have been processed and will be used for elaboration of the transnational and national analysis. At the same time activities of improvement of digital and business skills among WEs from the Danube region for smart and circular transition have started with setting up the methodology for identification, collection and evaluation of best practices that will be further used for developing training programme and policy recommendation and methodology for organization, holding and evaluation of Transnational Learning Events (TLE). Through participation on 1st TLE (Varna, Bulgaria) and 2nd TLE (Chisinau, Moldova) PPs gained additional knowledge on Bulgarian, Romanian, Moldavian and Czech good practices in women entrepreneurship support both on policy and educational level. As the policy improvement and increasing of knowledge of policy makers are one of the main goals of the project, PPs also started establishment of the stakeholders’ database and supported FTCBH in elaboration of stakeholder involvement concept. The stakeholders were reached by different channels from very beginning of the project. Some of them were involved in the Kick-off Dissemination Event (March.2024) by RAPIV. Serbian stakeholders were involved in the Business club meeting (May.2024) by ABW. Based on the methodology provided by ABW, the 12 national stakeholders group was set and first meetings of 11 of them were organized by responsible PPs. The Advisory Group was set and met for the first time during the 1st Transnational Stakeholders Group Meeting in Chisinau, Moldova where they discussed with project partners and associated strategic partners the preliminary results from the national analysis for skills gaps and needs and provided recommendations for elaboration of the WE.Circular training programme, activities for WE.Circular Labs and the policy support measures. Initial steps in elaboration of the Policy Analysis were taken by IREAS. After the first year WE.Circular project the consortium managed to register essential progress starting from establishment of a knowledge base for the study which will provide the necessary outputs to evaluate the magnitude of the digital and circular skills gender gap. PP 3, PP 4, PP5, PP6, PP7, PP10, and PP12 finalized the relevant National Skills Needs and Gaps Analysis. Results from conducted surveys on barriers and needs of WEs and opportunities provided to support them were summarized and were provided to LP, PP5, PP11, and PP15 for elaboration of the transnational analysis. The transnational analysis was finalized. It is one of the main project documents which will be used as a base for activities under SO1, SO2 and SO3. At the same time activities of improvement of digital and business skills among WEs from the Danube region for smart and circular transition continued during period 2. Twelve good practices that will be further used as an inspiration for developing training programme and policy recommendation and methodology for organization, holding and evaluation of Transnational Learning Events (TLE) were identified and presented by PP3, PP6, PP11 and PP15. Through participation on 3rd TLE (Belgrade, Serbia) and 4thTLE (Stuttgart, Germany) PPs gained additional knowledge on Serbian, Slovakian, Austrian and German selection of good practices in women entrepreneurship support both on policy and educational level. First steps in development of the training programme were made by PPs by elaboration of the Methodology for development of the training programme. The master mind for this task – Thematic Task Group was set and had its 1st meeting where the draft list of modules, topics, responsibilities and timeline were defined. Establishment of WE.Circular labs initiated first steps in development of the methodology. During period 2 the Innovation contest was launched at the same time in all 12 partners Danube countries. As the policy improvement and increasing of knowledge of policy makers are of the main goals of the project, PPs kept close collaboration with the national stakeholders. The 2nd round of national stakeholders groups meetings were organized in the PPs countries. The stakeholders were reached by different channels. Some of them were involved as panelists during the joint Conference, organized by PAC 8 of EUSDR with the support of the LP and PP4 (Nov.2024). Austrian and German stakeholders were involved in the 4th TLE (Nov.2024) by PP2 and PP6. In searching of synergies with other projects, a joint online event was organized with RE-FEM project as part of Erasmus+ days. It provided opportunity of the partnership to disseminate the project results and to ensure effective networking beyond the WE.Circular partnerships. The Advisory Group met for the second time during the 2nd Transnational Stakeholders Group Meeting in Belgrade, Serbia where they discussed with project partners and associated strategic partners the preliminary results from the transnational analysis for skills gaps and needs and provided recommendations for elaboration of the WE.Circular training programme, activities for WE.Circular Labs and the policy support measures. PP5 supported by the rest of the PPs developed the Analysis of the Policy Framework which will provide a comprehensive overview and a synthesis of information aiming to become basis for development of the Transnational Strategy for Transition. All management and dissemination duties are carried in due time and quality. Since its launch, the WE.Circular project has achieved tangible progress in building knowledge, enhancing skills, supporting women entrepreneurs (WEs), and preparing policy tools to accelerate the circular transition across the Danube Region. A solid knowledge base was established through the Transnational Skills Needs and Gaps Analysis, informed by national studies, surveys, and stakeholder interviews in all partner countries. This analysis identified barriers faced by WEs in adopting advanced technologies and circular solutions and is now a cornerstone for activities under training, Labs, and policy work. In parallel, a methodology for identifying and evaluating good practices (GPs) was developed. By the end of the third reporting period, a diverse portfolio of 36 GPs from across the region had been collected, presented, and assessed during Transnational Learning Events (TLEs) held in Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. Evaluations submitted by partners led to the selection of 15 GPs to be featured in the Good Practices Manual, enriched with case stories to ensure diversity and representation. Building on this knowledge, the consortium advanced the training programme Smart and Sustainable Business for Women Entrepreneurs, structured into 11 modules covering circular economy, digital skills, and soft skills. Coordinated by the Thematic Task Group, the programme integrates real examples from identified GPs and will be complemented by a self-assessment tool and a Memorandum of Understanding to secure sustainability of the future WE.Circular Learning Network. Another major achievement was the establishment of WE.Circular Labs in all 12 countries. Designed as collaborative spaces, their first task was to support the Innovation Contest, which attracted 54 applications from across the region. After evaluation, 39 finalists were selected, including 12 winners, with 2 German companies receiving special recognition. These entrepreneurs became active members of co-creation groups formed in each Lab. Using a jointly developed methodology, the Labs organized national workshops with WEs, stakeholders, and experts to refine business model scenarios. Reports from these sessions now form the basis for pilot testing. Policy work under SO3 also advanced. Preparation of Regional Action Plans (RAPs) began with the introduction of innovative tools. The WE.Build: Action Plan Game, created by the LP, provides a guided process for defining challenges, priorities, and actions. PP5 supported the process with a baseline mapping template for regional analysis. Both tools were tested during the Co-design Workshop in Prague (June 2025), where partners, ASPs, and stakeholders co-created the draft RAP methodology. At the same time, the 3 rounds of National Stakeholder Group meetings were held across partner countries, ensuring local input. At transnational level, the 3 Transnational Stakeholder Meetings enabled reflection on GPs and policy priorities, with agreement to include 15 practices in the Manual. Work also started on the Transnational Policy Learning Centre, with PP9 developing the draft concept of the Virtual Toolbox, a digital platform to share good practices and policy tools. Revisions were suggested to ensure better integration of results from SO1. Although the Policy Making Camp and Transnational Strategy are not yet launched, the groundwork established—including RAP methodology, baseline data, stakeholder input, and Toolbox concept—provides a strong basis for their development. Throughout all phases, strong communication and capitalization supported visibility and outreach. Dissemination campaigns promoted the Innovation Contest and training activities at national and transnational levels. Newsletters, social media, and institutional websites were widely used, while dissemination events in Sarajevo and Prague engaged stakeholders and the entrepreneurial community. Synergies with other initiatives, such as RE-FEM and Food4CE, expanded the project’s impact beyond the consortium.

Project outputs: Innovative training programme(EN)
Pilot testing of WE.Circular training programme(EN)
Transnational WE.Circular learning network(EN)
Innovative Business Models for circular transition of WE(EN)
Pilot testing of innovative circular business models(EN)
Strategy for Sustainability of the WE.Circular Labs(EN)
Regional Action Plans(EN)
Transnational Strategy for WEs Circular Transition (EN)

Thematic information

Governance, partnership Social inclusion and equal opportunities

Priority: (VI-B_D_1) Priority 1 - A more competitive and smarter Danube Region

Priority specific objective: RSO1.4. Developing skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO1 A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity

Type of intervention: 013 Digitising SMEs (including e-Commerce, e-Business and networked business processes, digital innovation hubs, living labs, web entrepreneurs and ICT start-ups, B2B)

Partners (15)

Lead Partner: Регионална агенция за предприемачество и иновации - Варна

Partner’s ID if not PIC: BG103792060

Address: Professor Asen Zlatarov, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.rapiv.org

Total budget: EUR 189 071.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 151 256.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 37 814.20

Udruženje poslovnih žena Srbije

Name: Udruženje poslovnih žena Srbije

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 100045186

Address: Volgina, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://poslovnezene.org.rs/

Total budget: EUR 158 142.20

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 126 513.76

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 31 628.44

Contractors:

Name: Maestro travel doo Niš
VAT registration or tax identification number: 108815300
Name: Di Consulting
VAT registration or tax identification number: 112695681
Name: Poslovna znanja Beograd
VAT registration or tax identification number: 114331307

Univerzitet u Sarajevu

Name: Univerzitet u Sarajevu

Department: School of Economics and Business (SEBS)

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 200494560007

Address: Obala Kulina bana , 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department address: Trg oslobođenja – Alija Izetbegović, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://unsa.ba/en

Total budget: EUR 162 160.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 129 728.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 32 432.00

Vanjskotrgovinska/Spoljnotrgovinska komora Bosne i Hercegovine

Name: Vanjskotrgovinska/Spoljnotrgovinska komora Bosne i Hercegovine

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 200364430004

Address: Branislava Djurdjeva , 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.komorabih.ba

Total budget: EUR 128 309.50

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 102 647.60

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 25 661.90

Organizarea pentru Dezvoltarea Antreprenoriatului

Name: Organizarea pentru Dezvoltarea Antreprenoriatului

Department: Project Development and International Cooperation

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 1007600042792

Address: Blv. Stefan cel Mare, 2012 Chisinau, Moldova

Department address: Blv. Stefan cel Mare, 2012 Chisinau, Moldova

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.oda.md

Total budget: EUR 151 800.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 121 440.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 30 360.00

Contractors:

Name: Flagman-D SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 0507564

Slovak Business Agency

Name: Slovak Business Agency

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 2020869279

Address: Karadžičova, 811019 Bratislava, Slovakia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.sbagency.sk

Total budget: EUR 167 236.01

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 133 788.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 33 447.21

Ropot Boutique SRL

Name: Ropot Boutique SRL

Partner’s ID if not PIC: RO32189146

Address: Tudor Arghezii Street, Unimed Building, 020945 Bucharest, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: https://www.impacthub.ro/

Total budget: EUR 166 350.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 133 080.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 33 270.00

IFKA Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft.

Name: IFKA Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 23833904-2-42

Address: Rákóczi út, 1074 Budapest, Hungary

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Total budget: EUR 175 301.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 140 240.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 35 060.20

Pannon Gazdasági Hálózat Egyesület

Name: Pannon Gazdasági Hálózat Egyesület

Department: PBN Szombathely

Partner’s ID if not PIC: HU18984303

Address: Gesztenyefa, 9027 Gyor, Hungary

Department address: Zanati, 9700 Szombathely, Hungary

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.pbn.hu

Total budget: EUR 154 586.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 123 668.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 30 917.20

Štajerska gospodarska zbornica

Name: Štajerska gospodarska zbornica

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SI29710065

Address: Ulica talcev, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.stajerskagz.si

Total budget: EUR 155 261.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 124 208.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 31 052.20

Bwcon GmbH

Name: Bwcon GmbH

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 99021/24053

Address: Seyfferstraße , 70197 Stuttgart, Germany

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.bwcon.de

Total budget: EUR 176 235.55

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 140 988.44

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 35 247.11

IREAS, Institut pro strukturální politiku, o. p. s.

Name: IREAS, Institut pro strukturální politiku, o. p. s.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 26465035

Address: Mařákova, 16000 Prague, Czech Republic

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://www.ireas.cz/en/

Total budget: EUR 164 598.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 131 678.40

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 32 919.60

Tehnološki park Varaždin d.o.o.

Name: Tehnološki park Varaždin d.o.o.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 18115028597

Address: Zagrebačka, 42000 Varaždin, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.techpark.hr

Total budget: EUR 152 655.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 122 124.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 30 531.00

Innovation Region Styria GmbH

Name: Innovation Region Styria GmbH

Partner’s ID if not PIC: ATU63443802

Address: Liebenauer Hauptstraße, 8041 Graz, Austria

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.irstyria.com

Total budget: EUR 175 971.25

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 140 777.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 35 194.25

Варненски свободен университет „Черноризец Храбър“

Name: Варненски свободен университет „Черноризец Храбър“

Department: Faculty of International Economics and Administration

Partner’s ID if not PIC: BG103010965

Address: Yanko Slavchev, 9007 Varna, Bulgaria

Department address: Yanko Slavchev, 9007 Varna, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.vfu.bg/en/

Total budget: EUR 121 586.46

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 97 269.16

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 24 317.30

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Association of Business Women in Serbia

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

University of Sarajevo

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Organization for Entrepreneurship Development

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Slovak Business Agency

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Ropot Boutique SRL

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

IFKA Public Benefit Nonprofit Ltd.

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Pannon Gazdasági Hálózat Egyesület

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Štajerska

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Bwcon GmbH

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

IREAS, Institute for Structural Policy, o. p. s.

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Technology park Varaždin Ltd.

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Innovation Region Styria LTD

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Partners and Projects info

Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations - Varna

Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

Project acronym: WE.Circular

Project ID: DRP0200020

Project start date: 2024-01-01

Project end date: 2026-06-30

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

WOMEN IN BUSINESS (EN) | WOMEN IN BUSINESS is a past DTP project aiming to stimulate young women with innovative ideas to start and develop their own business in order to achieve market success through different approaches for increasing their competences for business innovations, through establishment of Women Entrepreneurship Centres and development of innovative training models.
WE.Circular will make use of methodologies for identification and evaluation of GPs, as well as organization of Learning events, which will be updated and used under SO1. The training activities of Women Entrepreneurship Centres established in 4 DR countries will be complemented with new content for fostering women entrepreneurship elaborated under WE.Circular with special focus on skills for s3, i4.0 implementing CE principles. The stakeholders’ database elaborated under WOMEN IN BUSINESS project will be updated/ revised focusing on the specifics of WE.Circular project and will be used under SO3. This will give opportunity for WE.Circulat to get use of stakeholders who are already familiar with some of the organizations from the partnership and their activity for to support WE and will add value to their knowledge from the CE perspective and increasing skills for s3 and i4.0 transition (EN), CIRCULAR4.0 (EN) | Methodologies developed under the past project CIRCULAR4.0 (Alpine Space) about development of training course for facilitating the circular transformation by deployment of digital technologies will be used and updated when developing the training content under SO1. WE.Circular will add value through better integration of the WE aspect when developing the learning environment. (EN), CITYCIRCLE (EN) | The Circular economy maturity index for cities enabling self-assessment and the identification of improvement potential, elaborated under past CITIYCIRCLE project (Interreg Central Europe) will be used when developing the Virtual Tool box within Transnational Policy Learning Centre under SO3. The maturity index will add value to the tool box and possibility for policy makers (end-users of the tool) to choose the right policy GPs for support based on assessed CE environment. (EN), GoDanubeBio (EN) | The past Interreg DTP project GoDanubeBio provides valuable outputs which were used even for development of the intervention logic of WE.Circular, especially for planning of the activities under SO3. During the project implementation synergies will be sought with the Joint Strategy for the Danube Circular Bioeconmy Brain Trust, Danube Region White Paper, and provided Transnational recommendations which will add value to better integration of WE aspects in circularity and industrial transition of the DR (EN), PAC8 of EUSDR (EN) | Through involvement of members of WG Female Entrepreneurship under PA 8 of EUSDR, WE.Circular will make synergy with the activities of PAC 8 and the Danube Alliance Network project in order to complement them on the preparation and implementation of the transnational policies for supporting WE. (EN), RE-FEM (EN) | RE-FEM - Upskilling pathways for REsiliency in the post-Covid era for FEMale Entrepreneurs is an ongoing project funded by Erasmus+. The main aim of RE-FEM is to empower women entrepreneurs through need-based training for maintaining resilient businesses in the post-covid era by serving the needs of the trainers and mentors in business support and entrepreneurship working in the field of adult education by providing easily accessible, high quality and transformative training tools. One of the main results from RE-FEM is development of Training Manual for trainers/adult educators/mentors, which will be used for development of the Methodology for Pilot Testing of the training models under WE.Circular. The Manual will add value to the pilot testing methodology with regard to providing best practices and step-by-step guidance about how the trainers/speakers have to interact with WE during the pilot testing phase under SO1. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 399 262.97

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 919 410.36

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

National/ Regional Analysis
Transnational Skill Gaps and Needs Analysis
Manual for selected best practices and case studies
Evaluation Reports of Transnational Learning Events and Good Practices
Methodology for development of the training programme
Thematic Task Group Meetings
Methodology for Transnational WE.Circular leaning network
Memorandum of Understandings
Report on partners’ feedback on testing the e-learning platform
Dissemination events
Digital campaign
Project Capitalization Plan
Joint capitalization meetings and events
WE.Circular Labs
Methodology for pilot testing
Terms of reference for the Innovation Contest
Evaluation reports
Reports of market potential of the business models
Pop-up Store
Report from Co-creation events
Peer review report
Testing report
CE Business Model Toolkit
Video
Dissemination events
Transnational Stakeholder Database
Report from the Policy Analysis
Co-design workshop
Report from peer-review of the Regional Action Plans
National Stakeholders Meetings
Transnational Stakeholders Meetings
Concept for Transnational Policy Learning Centre
Virtual Toolbox
Concept for the Policy Making Camp
Policy Making Camp
International Policy Event
eNewsletters
Dissemination events
Report from EU Week of the Regions workshop

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyDanubeRegion As for the EUSDR, fostering WE digital skills and competences for i4.0 transition focusing on CE aspects in the region as it is reached in the project will stimulate innovation processes in the business environment, higher employment and modernize education.
The WE.Circular project addresses directly Action 4 and Action 3 of PA8 of EUSDR Action Plan and its results will have a strong economic and green impact.
It fits in a Pillar 3 "Building prosperity in the DR", Support the competitiveness of enterprises, including cluster development. The project will bring to decrease of gender inequalities between upper and lower parts in the DR and is linked with the following actions set in the EUSDR Action Plan:
-A4: “To improve business support to strengthen the innovative and digital capacities of female-led-SMEs”- through exchange of GPs of different education and training systems via transnational cooperation, joint development of programmes and materials, establishment of CE WE learning network, development of CE business models, deployment of WE.Circular Labs and capacity building for facilitating the policy learning process and policy action;
-A3: "Improvement of framework conditions, support programs and capacity building of stakeholders, to enhance the collaboration between cluster initiatives and regional innovation strategies, with an accent on rural areas”-through the introduction of innovative training and business models, establishment of Transnational Policy Learning Centre for capacity building of stakeholders for s3 and i4.0 transition on policy level;
Regional cooperation on development of transnational training model which represents the social innovation and adoption of new strategy for WE in CE is the only way to overcome the disparities in education and employment in the Danube region and, for this, the improvement of skills and competencies of women is a key factor to success.
EuropeanGreenDeal Within the scope of EU Green Deal the WE.Circular will contribute in several directions:
- Industrial Strategy for Europe that will lead the twin green and digital transitions and linked to it Circular Economy Action Plan. The increased digital and s3 knowledge of WE will help industry to reduce their carbon footprint by providing affordable, clean technology solutions and by developing new business models. With the updated Strategy based on the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic the EU aims to ensure that European industry can lead the accelerated green and digital transitions. The increased capacity of public authorities and stakeholders within WE.Circular will contribute directly to its fundamental for EU industrial transition “3.4 Building a more circular economy”
- EU Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age – WE.Circular is linked with the third pillar of the Plan which is focused on skills - green and digital, at all levels and for all people, with inclusiveness of women at the heart of the Plan.
-New European Bauhaus (NEB) – The main principles on which NEB is based are sustainability, which includes sub-goals like circularity and zero pollution; inclusion, stressing diversity, accessibility, and affordability; and aesthetics, emphasizing the quality of the experience. WE.Circular will address these three values simultaneously, developing innovative and creative solutions that best meet people’s needs through applying multi-level approach to transformation. The second is participation and inclusion, taking into account diversity and vulnerability at all levels, including gender aspect. Finally, the third tenet is trans-disciplinarity, in terms of skills and knowledge acquisition.
TerritorialAgenda2030 WE.Circular will contribute to the Green Europe objective under Territorial Agenda 2030 dedicated to protection of common livelihoods and shapes societal transition and mainly to the priority Circular Economy which supports strong and sustainable local economies in a globalized world. Through exchange of CE GPs and capacity building for facilitating the policy learning process and policy action if the field of s3 and i4.0 transition will be influenced Europe’s transition to a circular economy and the development of place-based industrial symbiosis processes, development of local and regional circular economy strategies linking local and global economies, strengthening of innovation capacities in all regions.
Other European Skills Agenda
Fostering WE digital skills and competences for i4.0 transition focusing on CE aspects by development of innovative learning environment contributes directly to Action 1 Pact for Skills and Action 6 Skills to support the green and digital transitions aiming of EU Skills Agenda. It will support the European industrial ecosystems helping them to equip the WE with the skills necessary for the transition towards a carbon-neutral and digital economy. It will promote coordinated action by companies, public authorities, civil society, and education and training providers.
Digital Agenda 2020-2030
With regard to Digital Agenda, developed new CE business models and innovative training models, deployed WE.Circular Labs and learning environment will contribute for achievement of targets for increase of digital skills of people, with inclusiveness of women, and to increase the number of SMEs with digital intensity.
Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027
The learning component of WE.Circular project will contribute also to Priority 2: Enhancing digital skills and competences for the digital transformation, Action 13 Women’s participation in STEM, under which EC seeks increasing of the inclusion of women in digital and STEM study fields and careers, including as entrepreneurs. Through involvement of PPs - academia, business support organizations and EIT hubs (BG and RO), as well as the stakeholders, WE.Circular project learning outcomes will contribute in the Plan’s objective for engagement of female students in training on the circular economy and digital skills.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Programme Result Indicator:

ISI - Organisations with increased institutional capacity due to their participation in cooperation activities across the borders, Measurement unit: No. of organisations

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Danube

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-12-17

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

138 / 138 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

1 413 / 1 413 (100%)

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Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube Region

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Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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