Insight Foresight Institute

Transforming Innovation Ecosystems

You are here: Home / Archives for Outreach

Towards smart circular economy; the role of digitalisation

The Digital Development and Society Forum of the Spain Digital Foundation supported by the Insight Foresight Institute (IFI) has prepared a dossier in Spanish entitled “Towards the Intelligent Circular Economy; the role of digitization” tries to contribute ideas proposing to take advantage of the potential of digitization to change the model of the current linear economy towards the new system of Circular Economy.

Hacia-una-economia-circular


As indicated in the document, its objective is to explain the connection between digitization and the Circular Economy as well as to suggest actions that can accelerate the implementation of this new economic model. The series of specific objectives can be summarized:

  • Define the role of digitization on the road to the Circular Economy
  • Identify digital application areas to promote the Circular Economy
  • Suggest actions to digitize the economy towards circular models.

The dossier specifies some of the challenges to be faced in the search for this particular type of economy and identifies a series of barriers that must be taken into account, classified into three main groups:

  • Organizational and cultural (eg lack of talent or rejection of open innovation)
  • Legal and tax (eg confidentiality protection, tariff logic)
  • Technological (eg interoperability difficulties)

As an example of the capabilities of digitization to accelerate the transition to a Circular Economy, the main axes included in the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy are detailed; Spain Circular 2030 presenting three hypothetical cases applicable to some of them, specifically in the productive sectors of transport (urban eMobility), agri-food and tourism.

After the conclusions highlighting the fundamental role of digitization, the dossier ends by proposing lines of action to promote its role in the Circular Economy.

The Spain Digital Foundation publishes this dossier in support and collaboration towards the full implementation of the new Circular Economy system. This proposal acquires special importance at present as evidenced by the approval by the Council of Ministers of Spain, on June 2, 2020, of the aforementioned Spanish Circular Economy Strategy EEEC; Spain Circular 2030.

For more information

HACIA LA ECONOMÍA CIRCULAR INTELIGENTE; EL PAPEL DE LA DIGITALIZACIÓN

 

Towards the smart and circular economy

CEO of Insight Foresight Institute, Totti Könnölä, writes in the Telos Magazine on the role of digitalization in circular economy. Digitalization can significantly reduce emission levels and the polluting impact of human activity on the environment.

Screenshot 2020-04-21 at 17.21.06

The economic model that society has lived up to now is the linear one that follows the sequence: extract – manufacture – use – throw away  and that requires large amounts of cheap and easily accessible energy and other resources, with evident negative environmental consequences. The consumption of these resources is reaching the limit of its physical capacity. Luckily companies are increasingly looking for win-win solutions providing simultaneously greater business competitiveness and a better environmental results.

An alternative that has more and more advocates is the so-called Circular Economy, based on the following three principles:

  • design to reduce waste and pollution;
  • keep equipment and materials in use longer ; and
  • regenerate natural systems.

Applying these three principles involves changing value chains and of business models, which makes it possible to transform the entire economy toward a new paradigm, a more sustainable system.

This concept is capturing interest from both companies and policy makers. In line with the ‘The New European Green Deal’, the European Commission adopts an EU industrial strategy to tackle the double challenge of green and digital transformation. The goal is to harness the potential of digital transformation, which is a key enabler to achieve the goals of the Green Deal. Also in Spain, the Government has elaborated the strategy to promote the transition to the Circular Economy. Including this article results from the debate organized by the Foundation Spain Digital indicating among other initiatives real and growing interest in circular economy.

More information

Download the article in Spanish (free)

Access to the full issue of the Telos including this article.

National strategies and roadmaps for international R&I Cooperation

IFI supports the Member States to develop their Strategies and Roadmaps for International Cooperation in Research and Innovation. Totti Könnölä, CEO of IFI, participates in the expert panel of the Policy Support Facility for the European Commission. 

Screenshot 2020-03-13 at 17.31.41

 

Research and innovation are increasingly interlinked internationally, aided by rapidly developing information and communication technologies. Global challenges require global effort and dialogue with international partners. In this context, the aim of the MLE is to foster a policy exchange on the various national approaches towards international cooperation in research and innovation. The exercise allows for comparisons in terms of policy-making and helps identify inspiring novel practices while covering topics such as design and development of national strategies for international cooperation in research and innovation, implementing toolbox, framework conditions and challenge-driven international R&I cooperation.

For more information

Final report

Project website and deliverables

 

Towards Entrepreneurial Innovation Ecosystem in Montenegro

The European Commission expert panel applied the entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem model developed by IFI in expert advice in Montenegro. In this assignment, Totti Könnölä, CEO if IFI, was the rapporteur of the panel that was set up to provide external advice and operational recommendations on how the country could develop its entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. 

rp_ecosystem-1024x671-500x327.jpeg

 

The expert panel provided advice on the necessary legislative changes, the design of a functional entrepreneurial innovation and startup support ecosystem model and the necessary funding schemes for startups and other actors of the ecosystem.

For more information

The Commission project website
The final report available here for free

IFI in the IND+I 2020 event

IFI collaborates with the IND+I 2020 event that is organized in Viladecans on April 2, 2020. In addition, the president of our board, José Manuel Leceta gives the presentation with the title: ‘towards a new agreement in Industry and Innovation’.

indi2

 


This year’s IND+I agenda is around new horizons for a sustainable lifestyle. The IND+I 2020 conference wants to reflect on the contribution of the industry to the achievement of the SDGs and how they frame concrete market solutions to the challenges of the planet and specifically of our cities. But we want to go further and think about opportunities and challenges that life outside the Earth can generate for companies, governments and citizens. In this edition of IND+I Day we will propose and analyze new horizons on Earth, with the responses to climate change and compliance with the SDGs, but also new horizons in life outside the Earth, as generators of innovative solutions.

In this year’s edition, we will delve into concrete market solutions to guide entrepreneurship, technology and innovation towards large missions and tractor projects related to the SDGs, as well as new challenges related to life outside the Earth.

As an event collaborator, IFI has tickets available for its board and council members. We have 10 free tickets, first come first served, write us to info@if-institute.org.

For more information

the IND+I 2020 event