Empowering Innovation in Asia & Europe -
SMEs at the Heart of Circular Transition
21-22 November 2023, Brussels, Belgium
Knowledge, Best Practice Exchange & Dialogue on the Transition of SMEs into the Circular Economy
Summary
The Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) Conference “Empowering Innovation in Asia & Europe - SMEs at the Heart of Circular Transition”
took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 21-22 November 2023
The conference facilitated the knowledge, best practice exchange and dialogue on the transition of SMEs into a circular economy model
through the combined forces of innovation and green finance, ensuring sustainable growth, enhanced resilience, and reduced environmental impact.
It offered various opportunities to engage, exchange, and discuss diverse approaches and solutions for stakeholders
driving SMEs' circular transition through innovation and beyond.
It's a wrap!
Thank you to all our partners, supporting organisations, speakers and participants for making a conference a success!
The conference summary is available for download here. To browse through the presentations of our speakers, please refer to the programme pages.
Conference Moments
Objectives
To understand the challenges, barriers, and needed policy support to accelerate the green transition at the SME level
To show practical examples of how SMEs can facilitate the circular transition across various sectors
To facilitate the dialogue on enabling factors, strategies, and milestones in establishing circular business models
Programme
Circular Business Models Workshop - How can SMEs and Start-ups act as frontrunners in the Circular Transition
Perspectives and Strategies for Impactful Circularity Transitions
This workshop by the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), Vietnam Office, invited participants to share their views and experiences on the roles of SMEs and young enterprises as elements or even enablers of circularity transitions of their industrial ecosystems. Experts from the Center for Creativity and Sustainability, Vietnam, introduced the topic with case studies before handing over to participants to lead the exchange in small group sessions. With reference to the 'Global Roadmap for an Inclusive Circular Economy, participants then discussed how the findings of the Group Discussions could be integrated into currently implemented activities on a policy and practitioner level.
Network Intelligence Workshops - Dive deep into the synergy of academia, business, and innovation!
Framework Strategy for Network Creation Workshop Series
This transformative workshop series was tailored to catalyze connections between the academic world, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), and the thriving business landscape. The objective: to fuel the development of an entrepreneurial spirit that prioritizes sustainability and drives forward both social and economic growth.
Focus Area
Enhance Network Intelligence: Grasp the art of building and leveraging strong networks for enhanced business and innovation.
Empowerment: Gain tools and insights to effectively procure resources vital for growth.
Growth Opportunities: Learn strategies to not only identify but also amplify growth prospects within your networks.
Participants
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
Higher Education Institutions
Visionary Researchers
Dynamic Entrepreneurs
Cutting-edge Innovators
About the ENVforum
The Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) aims to contribute to this global agenda by providing a platform to strengthen knowledge exchange among government officials, experts, and businesses from Asia and Europe under the framework of the 2030 Agenda. Established in 2003, the ENVforum is a partnership of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), ASEM SMEs Eco-Innovation Center (ASEIC), and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES).
