The SMART CIRCUIT project, of which TECOS Slovenian Tool and Die Development Centre is a partner, extends the scope of existing digital innovation hubs to promote circular economy practices. At the Conference on Circular Industry Futures in Genoa on 10-11 April, both project partners and conference participants focused on the future of circular industry in the electronics and electrical recycling sectors.
Presentations on strategic initiatives and innovations promoting clean processing were complemented by lectures on financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), circular economy strategies in the region and digital marketplaces enabling circularity. In this context, the role of digitisation and advanced technologies in promoting the circular economy, such as 5G, artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies, was highlighted.
The conference was complemented by the Strategic Dissemination Lab. The focus was on the transformation towards a circular economy, with presentations of success stories from the SMART CIRCUIT project and discussions on readiness for circular innovation, the implementation of green smart solutions in companies and the preparation of regional strategies for a circular economy. We also touched upon the interaction with political decision-makers and industrial partners, with the aim of identifying future activities to support the needs of circular transformation.
