Day 1: Peer Review – 17 September

During the first day, partners presented six business models created through joint work with 38 finalists of the WE.Circular Innovation Contest and 12 co-created reports. The models address the specific needs of women entrepreneurs identified in various sectors and contexts of the circular economy.

Presented business models:

• BM1: Circular Design Accelerators – addressing the lack of strategies for sustainable product design

• BM2: Resource Champions – focusing on challenges in securing sustainable materials

• BM3: Production Optimizers – targeting enterprises with inefficient production processes

• BM4: Smart Digital Enablers – for businesses lacking appropriate digital tools and traceability

• BM5: Market Educators – overcoming market misunderstanding of the value of circular products

• BM6: Collaborative Ecosystems – building partnership networks and ecosystems to support circular businesses

The presentations were followed by a structured analysis, including small-group discussions, written feedback forms, and an evaluation of strengths, challenges, and integration opportunities between the models. The session concluded with joint recommendations for improvement and ideas for future collaboration among the different model types.

Day 2: Dissemination event – 18 September

The second day began with inspiring addresses from:

• Prof. Dr. Mihaela Păun, General Director of the National Institute of Biological Sciences – Bucharest

• Mihail Tănase, Viitor Plus – “The Recycling Map”

RAPIV presented a summary of the peer review session results, after which the stage was given to the Romanian finalists of the WE.Circular Innovation Contest, who showcased their circular business models:

• ALTRNTV Lifestyle – Alina Ohanisian

• OilRight – Roxana Damașchin-Țecu

• Style Me App – Oana Bunduc

Their stories added a practical dimension to the discussions and highlighted the real potential of women’s entrepreneurship in driving the transition to a circular economy.

What’s Next?

The results of this process will serve to further develop the models toward broader applicability and transfer to other regions. All models will be included in the Toolkit for Circular Business Models, to be published in April 2026.