Four industry experts of LOOP on creating a community for circular economy
The Nordic ecosystem LOOP is committed to building the innovation of tomorrow through cooperation: — The future is right around the corner and we don’t have time to only think, analyse and write reports. We need to act and to design solutions, says Maria Klint from Antrop.
What kind of world do we want for the future? With the Coronavirus as a ‘show-stopper’ to a lot of the plans most of us had for 2020, we now have a unique opportunity to plan for a different world. But as with all big projects we had in school or at work, it’s easier to get things done when we have a topic-based question — to fully answer where we want to go. What kind of communities are we building — and what kind of societies do we want to work for — once the virus restrictions are lifted? It is clear that the world’s structure has failed to benefit us all, in many different ways. One way which clearly isn’t beneficial, is the consumerism culture.
One of the organizations that are working to implement a circular economy in our world, is LOOP. With a community and a mindset tuned in to making lasting change, LOOP hopes to help startups and corporations create sustainable solutions for the future. The organization is based in four countries: Antrop (Sweden), Avanto (Finland), Agens (Norway), ArtRebels (Denmark), and Startup Norway (Norway). Startup Norway has joined this project together with Agens to work on a Nordic level to support more companies going circular.
Through LOOP, companies can get help with piloting and scaling their circular business model idea: They can test with customers and get feedback on the business model — things that are so important to be able to scale a new idea, and make business out of it. Interestingly, the circular economy sector see many female entrepreneurs and female leaders operating within the various industries for sustainability. In addition, there is a growing number of people coming to LOOP’s digital platform — and soon also to the LOOP Labs and other activities.
Startup Norway in LOOP
Since its foundation in 2010, Startup Norway has been working towards building the Norwegian startup ecosystem. We feel more than ever the responsibility of supporting the development of more sustainable businesses and accelerating the transition in Norway to a greener economy — and that is why we decided to join this project. We believe this shift can also bring many new business opportunities and can foster a new wave of business creation, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Norway. Virginia Vegas, Investment Program Director at Startup Norway says we have chosen to enter the LOOP community as great change is best achieved through cooperation with others.
We are very happy to work on this project with other Nordic counterparts. No matter how much Norway can do to support a greener and more sustainable planet, we will not achieve transformative change by acting alone. That is why we think it is very important to cooperate on a Nordic level on this matter and lead the way to a circular economy at the European level and the global level, says Vegas.
She says she believes that the vast network of Startup Norway will be the company’s main contribution to building a community at LOOP.
As community experts, we believe Startup Norway’s main contribution to this project is to help build a Nordic Circular Economy Ecosystem and create a movement of more companies and startups working towards a circular future. In Norway, we are working together with Agens. While we will focus more on the community part, they will focus on working closely with the corporates and startups to help them implement circular economy solutions in their businesses, says Vegas.
Creating sustainable values for the future
Marthe Haugland, Senior Innovation Adviser at Nordic Innovation says there are great advantages coming from changing non-circular business models. Nordic Innovation is the ‘innovation arm’ of the Nordic cooperation, and Haugland says they identified the circular economy as an important focus area where the Nordics could gain a competitive advantage by transitioning early on, the Nordic countries already have strongholds like a digital population, large bio and raw material resources and a willingness to change.
There are several industries that have a large potential to change and use circular business models in their operations. A circular business model will bring you closer to the customer (you solve the customer need) and you will use less (raw) materials, saving money, as well as finding new revenue streams. This can really be a competitive advantage for the early movers. Sectors with a large environmental footprint like the construction, food and textiles are important industries, where showcasing solutions that actually work both in an economical and environmental way is important and can help others to change as well, says Haugland.
LOOP is one of the projects that Nordic Innovation support, to contribute to the transition to circular economy. Haugland adds that Nordic Innovation also finance a competence programme on circular economy business models for the Nordic manufacturing industry, and have a focus on cities and regions as ‘change platforms’ for circular economy.
She adds that Nordic Innovation’s ambition with LOOP is to help companies take the circular economy from strategy to action.
Nordic Innovation’s aim is that LOOP will match startup solutions with corporate challenges to create new solutions and circular ventures that are both scalable and will contribute to the transition to a circular economy in the Nordics. LOOP helps companies create new value, which is one of Nordic Innovations goals; sustainable value creation, says Haugland.
— Learning-by-doing transformations
Humanity is now in a time when there is a certain overlap between mindsets — even in our own heads. On one side, we know that buying less and reusing more are important choices both we and others can make, and yet many of us find the idea hard to implement in a world so largely built on consumerism. But perhaps the most important choice we all can make is the choice to try. It is all about acting instead of just talking — and this is also part of the values that shape LOOP: You are not getting anywhere if you don’t try — and so, trying will pave the way for new innovation.
Maria Klint, Service Designer and Facilitator at Antrop says LOOP is the answer to a need in our societies: LOOP is not looking for the perfect solution that will solve all our problems right away, but rather stepping stones for a new stairway. Perhaps some of the solutions will inspire others to come forward with their ideas?
Many brilliant minds are focusing on strategy, analysis, and planning for a circular economy. LOOP gathers expertise in how to quickly get ideas on the table, identify collaborations and prototype and test hypothesis. We believe that learning-by-doing will speed up the transformation to more circular solutions on the market. The future is right around the corner and we don’t have time to only think, analyse and write reports. We need to act and to design solutions. We’re not saying this is easy, but it is necessary. And that’s why LOOP exists, says Klint.
In the community that LOOP is, LOOP Labs serve as an arena for the development of new innovation — they enable unexpected meetings and provide an effective way to try many different solutions, ideas, and possible partnerships in the Nordics. And as with all great projects where people are working toward a common goal, the commitment is ever-present.
In LOOP Labs, Antrop leads a process in which we brainstorm opportunities. We develop concepts and prototypes for the circular ideas we find most compelling, so that we can test them with the users. The lab is an efficient way to try out numerous solutions and find possible partners, says Klint.
— Startups play a crucial role
For many of us living busy lives, there is still a ‘convenience of consumption’ in our daily routines. We know we should spend more time thrift-shopping and scouring the vintage shops for unique finds, but it is both entirely convenient and logic that we instead buy our clothes new, made from materials we haven’t taken the time to do research on. It is after all very convenient to just sit back and get something mass-produced from a big brand.
All the same, innovation is here to lead the way on thought-change: Not many years ago, there was no focus on sustainability in the fashion industry — nor within other big industries such as transportation. But the big brands follow as soon as they see the smaller brands lead the way into unexplored territories. Moona Pohjola, Head of Ecosystems at Avanto Ventures says they keep the importance of startups at the front of their minds — by for example providing a platform for promoting new innovation and services.
We strongly believe that startups play a crucial role in accelerating transition to circular economy. By working together, corporations and startups are able to get the circular solutions rapidly on the market. In practise, we will take up great circular startups and give them an opportunity to share their solutions in our events, like webinars, LOOP Labs and newsletters. We will be sharing one circular startup every week in our digital ecosystem. This is a way to present the new solutions to the corporations and hopefully get pilots together with them, says Pohjola.
And as consumers and customers, our choices matter: We ‘vote’ for certain products, services, and brands by making the choice of giving them our money in exchange for the goods we want. And so it is important to view all progress as a step in the right direction: Maybe your ‘big decision’ is to quit shopping for non-essentials, rent instead of buy, or limit your food waste (leftover dinners are convenient, free, and tasty). In any case, progress creates room for more progress — and startups can both help lead the way, and make your sustainable days more easily accessible.
Maria Klint says LOOP is there to help the startups and companies willing to indulge in such opportunities for change.
Maybe you’ve just begun your conversion to a circular economy and want inspiration, or a boost from the starting line. Maybe you’ve already made some progress, but need help to concretize or realize your ideas. Wherever you may be in the process, we can customize support that leads to your next step, says Klint.
