Programme: Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Greece – Republic of North Macedonia
Project Duration: 18 months (2022–2023)
Geographic Area: Pelagonia Region (North Macedonia) & Western Macedonia Region (Greece)
Project Website: becircularproject.eu
BECircular is a cross-border cooperation project co-funded through the Interreg IPA CBC Greece – Republic of North Macedonia programme. It addresses two pressing challenges shared by the cross-border area: high unemployment among young educated people and the underutilisation of materials that could be recycled, repaired, or reused within a circular economy (CE) framework.
The project’s overarching goal is to create sustainable employment opportunities for young graduates and professionals by establishing three operational centres dedicated to the circular economy and bioeconomy, and by building the entrepreneurial and technical capacities needed to sustain them.
BECircular is implemented by a consortium of four partners from Greece and North Macedonia:
| Partner | Country | Role |
| DIADYMA SA (Lead Beneficiary) | Greece | Official waste management body for Western Macedonia; coordination of the entire project and operation of the Repair & Reuse (R&R) Centre in Florina |
| CluBE | Greece | Bioeconomy and bioenergy R&D; management of the Research & Development (R&D) Centre in Florina |
| GAUSS Institute | North Macedonia | Foundation for New Technologies, Innovations & Knowledge Transfer; business support, entrepreneurship mentoring and operation of the Entrepreneurship & Creativity (E&C) Centre in Pelagonia |
| ZMAI | North Macedonia | Entrepreneurship and innovation support; training, mentoring and circular economy promotion on the MK side |
GAUSS Institute served as a partner responsible for business support, entrepreneurship mentoring, and the development of a new Entrepreneurship & Creativity (E&C) Centre in the Pelagonia region.
Within the project, GAUSS Institute:
- Led the development of a joint cross-border study on the state of the circular economy in the cross-border region (Deliverable D3.3.1)
- Developed a Regional Action Plan for the circular economy in North Macedonia and for the services of the E&C Centre (Deliverable D3.3.3 / D4.3.4)
- Managed 5 training cycles and mentoring/coaching sessions for approximately 50 business idea candidates
- Recruited and deployed 2 new business mentors at the E&C Centre, supporting participants through business plan development
- Supported 11 business plans developed from validated business ideas in the CE/BE sector (Deliverable D5.3.3)
- Contributed to the final techno-economic analysis and impact assessment of the E&C Centre (Deliverable D5.3.2)
- Participated in the 2-day Final Conference in Florina and Bitola (October 2023)
The project was structured around five work packages:
WP1 – Management & Coordination
Overall administrative, technical and financial management; four consortium meetings (kick-off, two periodic, and final).
WP2 – Communication & Dissemination
Development of the project communication plan, trilingual website (EN/GR/MK), social media presence (Facebook, Twitter), promotional video, dissemination materials, and a 2-day Final Conference.
WP3 – Field Research & Knowledge Hubs
Cross-border needs assessment, transfer of entrepreneurship and circular economy skills between GR and MK partners, and development of two action plans specifying the centres’ operating models.
WP4 – Centre Development
Procurement of equipment for the three centres; re-deployment of two existing e-platforms (WasteRReact and Symbiosis) as CE hubs; development of a new e-learning platform (10 modules) and a mobile/web application (becircular.eu); coaching campaigns reaching over 300 participants.
WP5 – Centre Operation, Monitoring & Exploitation
Pilot operation of all three centres; creation of at least 10 new employment positions; business and marketing plan development for start-up companies; Living Labs ecosystems in Creative Industries, Bioeconomy, and General Entrepreneurship; techno-economic impact assessment.
| # | Deliverable | Description |
| D2.3.1 | Communication Plan | Project-wide communication and dissemination strategy |
| D2.3.2 | Project Website | Trilingual website (EN/GR/MK) at becircularproject.eu |
| D3.3.1 | CE Status Study | Joint study on the state of the circular economy in the cross-border region |
| D3.3.2 | Training of Trainers | Training seminar in Greece; two presentations; Circular Economy Manual (textbook) |
| D3.3.3 / D4.3.4 | Action Plan | Regional Action Plan for circular economy development in North Macedonia and E&C Centre services |
| D4.3.2 | Equipment | Computer and presentation equipment for the E&C Centre |
| D4.3.3 | Digital Tools | Web & mobile application becircular.eu; promotional trilingual video; social media channels; YouTube channel |
| D5.3.1 | Centre Promotion | Promotional campaign for the E&C Centre services |
| D5.3.2 | Impact Assessment | Techno-economic analysis and impact assessment of the E&C Centre |
| D5.3.3 | Business Plans | 11 fully developed business plans in the circular economy and bioeconomy sectors |
Quantitative outputs:
- 3 new centres established: R&R (Florina), R&D (Florina), E&C (Pelagonia/Prilep)
- ~50 business ideas generated; 11 full business plans developed
- ~50 Business Model Canvas documents produced
- 5 training cycles delivered in North Macedonia
- Over 300 participants in coaching campaigns across the cross-border area
- 10+ new employment positions created and sustained for at least 6 months after project end
- 2 e-platforms redeployed; 1 new e-learning platform developed; 1 mobile/web app launched
BECircular demonstrates how cross-border cooperation can translate circular economy principles into concrete employment outcomes. By combining Greek expertise in waste management, material recovery, and bioeconomy with North Macedonian strengths in startup ecosystems and entrepreneurship training, the project built a replicable model for CE-driven job creation in regions with high youth unemployment. The three centres, the digital tools, and the Living Labs ecosystems developed under BECircular continue to operate beyond the project’s lifespan, ensuring lasting impact in both participating regions.
Project implemented under the Interreg IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme Greece – Republic of North Macedonia, co-financed by the European Union and national funds.