CIRC-2-ZERO Project II Co-Creation Seminar in Luleå, Sweden

CIRC-2-ZERO Project Partners Developed Piloting Plan for 42 SMEs Digital Twin Demo Platform Pilots

Luleå set the stage for the CIRC-2-ZERO project’s II Co-Creation Seminar on 10-11 June 2026. Hosted by Luleå University of Technology (LTU), with content contributions from HAMK and TalTech, the event brought together project partners for two days of focused collaboration.

The seminar focused on planning the Digital Twin Demo Platform (DTDP) pilot phase and developing a common methodology for pilot implementation across all participating countries, sectors, and partners. Collaborative work was structured around three key building blocks:

1. The Pilot Card
2. Platform Feedback Scorecards
3. Resource Tables covering people, tools, and SME readiness.

A key outcome of the seminar was the development of a Piloting Plan for the DTDP pilot phase. The plan will guide pilot implementation with 42 SMEs from the Electronics and Engineered Wood Products (EWP) sectors and support Business Support Organizations (BSOs) throughout the process.

Discussions centered on two key questions:

• How will the DTDP be tested?
• How will the pilot be run in practice?

By addressing these questions together, project partners established a shared foundation for the pilot activities scheduled to begin in September 2026.

First Day 10.6.2026 – Defining the Five-Step Pilot Process

The seminar opened with a presentation by the host organization, Luleå University of Technology (LTU), which provided insights into the current state of circular business models in Swedish industry and explored how companies are progressing towards more circular practices.

Following the presentation, participants began working together to achieve the seminar’s objectives. The first collaborative task focused on the Pilot Card, the first of the three building blocks developed during the event. Participants discussed and defined the content for each step of the pilot process:

1. Onboarding
   Defining how SMEs will be introduced to the pilot, including explaining the expected benefits and identifying 2-3 specific needs to be addressed during testing.
2. Baseline
   Assessing the SME’s current situation and establishing baseline KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) against which pilot results can be measured.
3. Simulation
   Defining the scenarios to be tested within the DTDP and the expected outcomes of the simulations.
4. Follow-up
   Reviewing simulation results with the SME and making any necessary adjustments based on the findings.
5. Evaluation
   Assessing the overall outcomes of the pilot, including its benefits, impacts, and potential for wider adoption.

By jointly developing these pilot steps, partners created a structured approach that will help ensure consistency and comparability across all 42 SME pilot implementations.

Second Day 11.6.2026 – Exploring the First DTDP Prototype

The second day of the seminar began with the unveiling of the first version of the Digital Twin Demo Platform (DTDP). It was an important milestone for the project, bringing together months of work on content development, data collection, technical solutions, and documentation into a functional prototype. Even at this early stage, the platform demonstrated its potential and generated enthusiasm among the project partners.

The session introduced the prototype’s key features, including e.g. the data it uses, the outputs it generates, and the regulations it addresses. Participants also conducted several hands-on tests to explore the platform’s functionality and user experience.

At the same time, partners worked on the second block, the Platform Feedback Scorecard. The aim was to gather structured feedback on the prototype from a user perspective. Discussions focused on the platform’s ease of use, the clarity of data inputs and outputs, the usefulness of the results provided, and the overall functionality and content of the DTDP. The feedback provided valuable insights for the technical development team and helped identify areas requiring further refinement before pilot implementation.

The final Seminar session focused on the third block, Resources for Pilot Implementation. The objective was to identify the practical resources required to run DTDP pilots within SMEs. Participants examined three key areas:

1. People – defining the roles and competencies needed during the pilot process.
2. Tools and Templates – identifying documents, templates, and supporting materials required for implementation.
3. SME Readiness – determining the information and data that should be available before an SME begins piloting the DTDP.

Through these discussions, project partners further strengthened the foundation for the pilot phase, ensuring that SMEs and Business Support Organizations (BSOs) will have the necessary guidance, resources, and support for successful implementation.

Piloting with the 42 SMEs will begin in September 2026, marking an important milestone for the CIRC-2-ZERO project. The pilots will provide SMEs with a powerful tool for developing more sustainable processes in value chains and product design. Project partners are looking forward to seeing the pilots in action and to measuring their impact on participating companies and their circular transition efforts.

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