Coalition for Innovation, Circularity, and Entrepreneurship Set-up

Global awareness of the urgency for tackling pollution, climate change and the destruction of nature is growing exponentially. Equally, the role of the private sector and large corporations is broadly recognised.  With environmental pollution and over-exploitation of resources challenging their own existence, a large number of SMEs have developed innovative business ideas, recognising that environmental sustainability and inclusiveness itself is a viable business opportunity. Yet, the potential of SMEs as drivers of green innovation, creators of green jobs, nature conservationists, and local resilience builders is largely untapped.

The Coalition for Innovation, Circularity, and Entrepreneurship (CICE) will bridge this gap by supporting SME programme implementers, in particular UN Agencies and Private Sector Networks, to accelerate SME innovation programmes that will enable SMEs to drive sustainable management of resources as well as green and climate action at scale. The Coalition will act as a launchpad for new SME support programmes and support the scale of existing SME support programmes enhancing the capacities and finance-access for scale-ready SMEs. The Coalition will support SME programme implementers designing and accelerating proven SME innovation programmes that will drive the transition to a green, circular and low carbon economy. Its launchpad mechanism will act as an action catalyst to scale net-positive SME programmes targeting construction and housing, agri-food systems, textile-apparel systems, waste and plastic, and green energy systems. The Coalition co-creates with its partners SME innovation programmes in order to accelerate SME-driven responsible management of resources as well as green and climate action. After 20 years of eco-inclusive SME support by SEED, the Coalition is the next step to catalyse scale-ready SMEs at large and to systematise a proven methodology through a platform and launchpad mechanism that accelerates collective action, in close collaboration with other organisations and programmes providing support to SMEs. 

The proposed project supports the foundational work to set-up the Coalition. The project supports the Project Document Development, the engagement of partners as well as the design of the Coalition Governance and working modalities.