Interreg Bavaria–Austria funds project to provide low-threshold access to the circular economy for SMEs

How can science, industry, and networks translate circular‑economy principles into concrete action?
The “Circular Academy” project invested three years of intensive work to address this question, culminating in a final presentation of results at Bildungshaus Schloss Puchberg in Wels. Companies, experts, and research institutions from Austria and Bavaria set the course for providing businesses and regional decision-makers with topic‑specific tools and podcasts in the future. The goal: to create low‑threshold access to the circular economy, especially for SMEs.

The research partners presented the key results of the Circular Academy (2022–2025), funded under the Interreg Bavaria–Austria 2021–2027 program and coordinated by the Global Sales and Marketing degree program at FH Upper Austria, Campus Steyr, as lead partner—together with the University of Passau (CENTOURIS), Business Upper Austria, and the Bavarian Environmental Technology Cluster. Together, they demonstrated how research, industry, and networks can translate circular principles into concrete measures.

360° Sentiment Barometer reveals perceptions of circular business models
One outcome is the 360° Sentiment Barometer, which gathered insights from 52 companies and more than 1,500 consumers in Austria and Bavaria.
Margarethe Überwimmer, Head of the Global Sales and Marketing program at FH Upper Austria, explained: “The 360° Sentiment Barometer provides valuable insights into how companies and consumers perceive circular business models. We see that price sensitivity remains a major factor—many consumers are only willing to pay a small premium for sustainable packaging. This shows that affordable solutions and transparent communication are crucial to making circular products more attractive.”

Stefan Mang — University of Passau and Managing Director of CENTOURIS — added: “Our expert interviews show that circular business models face highly practical challenges—from higher costs for recycled materials to quality issues in sensitive sectors like food or cosmetics. Nevertheless, many companies are already demonstrating effective solutions, such as zero‑waste production and energy self‑sufficiency.”

“Sustainability and profit are not opposites”
Another key result was the Circular Economy‑based Value Pricing Model. Harald Hammer from the Global Sales and Marketing program at FH Upper Austria emphasized: “With the Circular Economy‑based Value Pricing Model, we wanted to show that sustainability and profitability are not opposites. By introducing hybrid and pay‑per‑use pricing strategies, companies can strengthen customer loyalty and create stable revenue streams while simultaneously promoting repair, reuse, and refurbishment.”
The partners also presented digital tools designed to support companies after the project’s completion. The AI‑powered circular‑economy chatbot ‘Circularis’ and the knowledge platform www.circularacademy.at bundle tools, best practices, and podcasts to make circular‑economy know‑how easily accessible for companies and regional decision‑makers.

Leveraging networks of like‑minded peers
Werner Pamminger, CEO of Business Upper Austria, emphasized: “Sharing real examples through podcasts helps SMEs realize that circular transformation is achievable. Hearing from like‑minded peers makes the topic tangible and inspires companies to take their first steps.”

Dr. Eva Schichl from the Bavarian Environmental Technology Cluster sharpened the systems perspective: “For regions, circularity means thinking in systems—aligning infrastructure, innovation, and policy frameworks. Regional networks, which must extend beyond national borders, are crucial drivers of the transformation.”

Progress on resource and land use remains too slow
Mag. Elisabeth Moser‑Marzi, lecturer and attorney specializing in sustainability, environmental, and waste‑management law, noted in her keynote on “Resource Consumption and Taxonomy” that Austria’s progress on resource and land use as well as greenhouse‑gas reduction is too slow to meet EU targets: “We are still building infrastructure projects that contradict the very goals we are trying to achieve.”

She called for stronger and faster implementation of political objectives and sustainable measures.

A visit to Resch & Frisch in Gunskirchen provided practical insights into sustainable business principles. The family‑run bakery group demonstrated how resource management, energy efficiency, and waste reduction can be seamlessly integrated into daily operations—proving that circularity creates both ecological and economic value.

The event concluded with a live podcast session featuring Herwig Kirchberger (DELSCI GmbH), Dominik Bock (BB Plastpack e.K.), and Nicole Seyring (circulatemore), who shared hands‑on experiences implementing circular principles in their companies. The recording will soon be available as a podcast episode on the Circular Academy platform.

The tools, networks, and knowledge developed throughout the project will enable SMEs and regions to drive circular transformation forward—step by step, from learning to impact.

Project Partners

• FH Upper Austria, Campus Steyr – Global Sales and Marketing, Global Business Management
  E: circular-businessmodels@fh-steyr.at | T: +43 (0)664 80484 33612
  www.fh-steyr.at
• University of Passau – CENTOURIS
  E: stefan.mang@uni-passau.de | T: +49 851 509 2430
  www.uni-passau.de
• Business Upper Austria – OÖ Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH
  E: melanie.eggel@biz-up.at | T: +43 664 818 6553
  www.biz-up.at
• Bavarian Environmental Technology Cluster e.V.
  E: eva.schichl@umweltcluster.net | T: +49 151 17515547
  www.umweltcluster.net

Lead Partner Contact:
FH‑Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Margarethe Überwimmer
E: margarethe.ueberwimmer@fh-steyr.at | T: +43 (0)664 80484 33612
www.fh-steyr.at | www.circularacademy.at

The project is funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg Bavaria–Austria 2021–2027 program.

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