Erasmus+ Project: EqualScale Circular
— Building Circular Business Scaling Skills for Women and Non-Binary Founders
Summary of the project in the EU Erasmus+ database.
Project partners: The Good Tribe AB (lead partner, Sweden) and Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Austria).
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Helping circular businesses grow—and strengthening the support around them
EqualScale Circular brings together women and non-binary founders, business support organisations, educators, investors and other partners across Europe to build the skills, connections and conditions that help circular businesses grow.
Circular businesses keep products and materials in use through approaches such as repair, reuse, sharing and remanufacturing. Growing these businesses requires suitable funding, strong partnerships and access to markets. Women and non-binary founders often face additional barriers to accessing these opportunities.
For women and non-binary founders
The programme supports 20 founders of early-stage and growing circular businesses across the EU. Through practical online workshops, individual expert guidance, peer learning and a two-day international learning intensive in Vienna, participants work on their own business challenges.
Each founder develops a circular scaling roadmap, funding and financial strategy and an ecosystem engagement plan: concrete steps for growing their business, identifying suitable funding and building strategic relationships.
For the wider entrepreneurship ecosystem
The project offers opportunities for accelerators, business support organisations, educators, investors, procurement professionals, networks and policymakers to exchange knowledge with founders and learn what helps—or prevents—circular businesses from growing.
A free workbook will provide practical exercises, templates and diagnostic tools that educators and support organisations can use in their own programmes. A European brief will highlight recurring barriers and recommendations, helping investors, procurement professionals and policymakers better understand where support needs to change.
Through ecosystem discussions and a European webinar, participants can share experience, discover different approaches and connect across borders. Together, these activities help turn founders’ experiences into practical knowledge for a more inclusive circular economy.
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