Exploring and Adapting the Circular Economy for Lithuanian Innovation Landscape

These principles promote sustainable practices by minimizing waste, extending product life cycles, and encouraging resource reuse. But what are the tangible benefits and potential hurdles for those adopting these methods? Tech-Park Kaunas and the international “Circular Spaces” team offer free consultations to help Lithuanian businesses, creative workshop coordinators, artists, local government representatives, and other innovators navigate the shift toward a more sustainable and circular economy.

Beginnings are challenging

In Europe, where sustainability is a priority, integrating circular practices into makerspaces promotes resource efficiency and contributes to a greener future. “Circular methods are especially useful for startup entrepreneurs and developer communities in general because they not only help to reduce the amount of waste but also encourage innovation and the development of new technologies, which can provide a competitive advantage and create new jobs,” says Živilė Paužaitė, coordinator of Tech-Park Kaunas sustainability activities and the Head of Quality. She is also one of the representatives of the Interreg BSR program “Circular Spaces” project team in Lithuania.

The experts of Tech-Park Kaunas, which unites a community of more than 100 innovation creators, note that when implementing circularity, knowledge and experience are needed to catalyze positive changes. “Technology parks become centers of training and practice, promoting cooperation and exchange of knowledge. Here, the circular principles correspond to the values of both startups and creative workshops, instilling in creators the habit of generating ideas that have a sustainability dimension,” emphasizes Tech-Park Kaunas director Paulius Nezbitauskas.

“Startups often operate with limited resources, so circular practices are very important. By reusing materials, sharing resources, and creating a design that ensures longevity, startups are created conditions for creating promising innovations”, says one of the representatives of the project team of the Interreg BSR program “Circular Spaces” in Lithuania Vaiva Kelmelytė, Director of Operations at Tech-Park Kaunas.

The focus on circularity

Although circularity is no longer a novelty, businesses often interpret this principle in different ways and look for inspiration on how to apply it to their operations. One such place, the engineering creative workshop open to the public, has great potential for integrating circular practices, thereby promoting the efficient use of resources.

“Creative workshops have existed in Lithuania, as well as all over the world, for decades. These are spaces where people can make various things with their own hands, engage in engineering creativity and experiment with new ideas. In the last decade, the application of the principles of the circular economy has become especially active in these workshops, and five years ago this direction was further strengthened by political declarations, legal and regulatory documents”, notes the Circular Economy expert assoc. prof. dr. Visvaldas Varžinskas.

Change is driven by users

The expert emphasizes that more and more consumers are choosing to abandon fast fashion and start using things longer, thus reducing the amount of waste and the impact on the environment. This change coincides with the philosophy of the workshop, where it is important to save resources, create new products from reused materials and satisfy curiosity by fixing and renewing old things.

“As consumers become more environmentally conscious, businesses must also respond to these needs. This changes the linear model “produce, consume and throw away”, waste becomes raw material for creating new products, offering various services that help to reduce the amount of waste”, says assoc. prof. dr. Visvaldas Varžinskas.

The change is from product to feature

According to the expert, the principles of the circular economy promote dematerialization and the emergence of new business models. The very philosophy of consumers and producers is changing, it is not the product itself that is important, but the function that the consumer wants.

“For example, rental coffee machines and copiers are becoming popular in offices, which are used longer and more efficiently. The user no longer needs to purchase and operate expensive devices when he only needs a function – a cup of coffee or a copy of a document. This not only reduces the amount of waste, saves financial resources, but also promotes innovation. Creative workshops become centres for prototyping new circular business ideas. For those who wish to present product innovations to industry and investors, here developers test 3D printing innovations, technological possibilities of material processing, and the properties of newly created pilot products”, emphasizes the Circular Economy expert assoc. prof. dr. Visvaldas Varžinskas.

Open call for consultations

As the European Green Deal changes both economic and political agendas, the integration of circular economy principles becomes not only an advantage but also a necessity. Business representatives notice emerging challenges; and emphasize the need to continuously invest in education and infrastructure to manage resources and waste effectively. However, growing interest in sustainability and new technologies offers hope that these challenges will be overcome.

“We have invited representatives of business support organizations and creative workshops, creators and artists, businesses and local government representatives to register for free individual consultations. They found it very valuable. The training program developed by the international team of the “Circular Spaces” project of the “Interreg BSR” program together with Tech-Park Kaunas opens the opportunity to deepen knowledge about the circular economy and its application”, says Živilė Paužaitė, coordinator of Tech-Park Kaunas sustainability activities and the Head of Quality.

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