Driving Circular Innovation Across Europe: Experts Gather in Izmir to Advance Industrial Symbiosis
On 21 May 2025, the LIAISE COST Action (CA22110) Working Group 2 (WG2) successfully held its workshop titled “Industrial Symbiosis from a Business Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities” in Izmir, Turkey. The event, hosted at the Izmir Chamber of Commerce, brought together more than 20 experts from across Europe and beyond to share research insights, innovative case studies, and business models that foster sustainable industrial collaboration.
The event aimed to showcase R&D projects and practical approaches implemented by universities, technology centres, and businesses in the field of Industrial Symbiosis (IS) and Circular Economy (CE). Discussions focused not only on environmental benefits but also on the economic, social, and technological dimensions of sustainability.
Key highlights of the workshop included:
🔹 Best practices from the Izmir region, featuring initiatives by the Izmir Development Agency, TÜPRAŞ, and the Tire Industrial Park.
🔹 Innovation and investment ecosystems, with speakers from EIT, business accelerators, and angel investment networks discussing collaboration opportunities across Turkey, the Balkans, and Europe.
🔹 Barriers to IS implementation, exploring both technical and non-technical challenges faced in different regional and economic contexts, including a case study from Kenya.
🔹 Measuring success in IS, with methods and tools shared from Romania, Norway, and Southeast Europe.
🔹 Business model innovation, highlighting strategies for valorising waste, supporting green product design, and fostering industrial transformation across sectors like livestock, textiles, and mining.
The workshop concluded with a reflection on the next steps for WG2, an update on the overall progress of the LIAISE COST Action, and the announcement of the Best Presentation Awards, celebrating excellence in IS research and communication.
