Why should I take the CircularStart course?
With CircularStart you will be able to evaluate and improve the environmental, social and economic impacts of your business ideas right from the beginning and respond to increasing demands from the market and policy makers for more sustainable & circular products and services. CircularStart offers new innovative training materials tested with incubators and start-ups in four European countries.
What will I find in the CircularStart course?
The CircularStart study program is designed to help start-ups in the process of implementing principles of the Circular Economy and sustainability into their business model. The contents are split into 4 distinct courses, accompanying the business model innovation process. These 4 modules are Ideation, Integration, Validation and Implementation.
How long does it take to complete the course?
The total duration of the course is around 55 hours, distributed as follows:
- Ideation ~20 hours
- Integration ~18 hours
- Validation ~7 hours
- Implementation ~10 hours
Do I get a diploma at the end of the course?
No, not at the moment.
How much does the course cost?
The course was developed with the financial support from the European Commission (Erasmus+ Programm) and is available for free!
Is this course accredited?
Like most of the training materials addressed to incubators and start-ups, it is not homologated or accredited. The fact that the configuration of these courses is designed so that all students can study at their own pace, without predetermined deadlines and that access to the content is open, unlimited and free of charge, makes it difficult to be accredited. However, it is endorsed and tested by the partnership of the European project.
Are there downloadable resources?
Within the project, the following downloadable resources have been produced:
- CircularStart Guidance Tool
- CircularStart Manual for Instructors
- CircularStart Business Model Canvas
- CircularStart Assessment Tool
- The training units of the four courses Ideation, Integration, Validation & Implementation can be downloaded as pdf-presentations.
We have also collected a number of relevant external resources to be downloaded or consulted. You will find videos and reading material in the four course modules.
Are there evaluation tests?
Yes, each module has a final quiz (multiple choice) to test the knowledge about the module. You can repeat the quizz as many times as you want. For all the options (right or wrong) there is always an explanation to foster the learning process.
How can I get support?
CircularStart is designed for self-learnin for start-ups as well as a support for incubators to integrate the contents into their existing training routine. It is intended for a self-paced, individual learning and training.
If you have specific questions, any suggestions for improvement or if you need support to implement this material in your organization, please contact the partners involved in each country to study your specific case. You can find the contact information on the landing page.
Which course is the most suitable for me?
It depends on the level of previous knowledge in circular economy and the degree of development of your business model. If you are a newcomer to the subject, you’d better take all the course; if your business model has already some circularity and sustainability concerns, you may focus on the stage where you are (ideation – integration – validation – implementation) and take the corresponding course. Use the CircularStart Guidance Tool to help you understand your knowledge needs.
Who is behind it?
The consortium is composed by nine partners from four European countries (Spain, Austria, Portugal and Slovenia) and is led by PROSPEKTIKER, Spain. The consortium has a long tradition of working together on circularity and sustainability training projects for businesses. You see the contact information of each country here.