From Local Pilots to European Impact: TREASoURcE Strengthening the Circular Economy in the Nordics, Baltics and beyond – case Tampere Region

The Horizon Europe project TREASoURcE is a strong example of how regional innovation ecosystems can actively contribute to the European Union’s circular economy objectives while creating tangible business opportunities and scalable solutions across Europe. Funded under Horizon Europe (2022–2026), TREASoURcE focuses on three value chains that are central to Europe’s green transition: underutilized plastic waste, secondlife solutions for electric vehicle batteries, and biobased side and waste streams. By addressing currently underutilised materials and connecting cities, regions, companies and research organisations, the project supports the EU’s goals on resource efficiency, strategic autonomy and climate neutrality. Horizon TREASoURcE is part of the European Union’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) that seeks to support the implementation of local and regional circular economy solutions

The project is coordinated by VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland) and involves 17 partners from different countries. Business Tampere contributes particularly through business development and stakeholder networks, strengthening Tampere Region’s position as one of Europe’s leading circular economy regions. As a recognised CCRI pilot region, Tampere Region plays a key role in translating EU ambitions into practice and demonstrating how systemic circular economy solutions can be developed, tested and replicated.

Advancing circular solutions in plastics, batteries and biobased side streams

In the plastics value chain, TREASoURcE develops systemic approaches to bring hardtorecycle plastic fractions back into circulation and into new value chains. This directly supports EU policies aiming to reduce plastic waste, increase recycling rates and strengthen European plastics value chains.

In the battery domain, the project focuses on secondlife applications for electric vehicle batteries, including energy storage solutions. The solutions developed and tested contribute to more sustainable battery value chains and extended product lifetimes.

Biobased side and waste streams form the third key value chain of the project. TREASoURcE identifies new business potential in biobased residues, supporting highervalue utilisation and helping regions move towards more closedloop, lowcarbon bioeconomy solutions.

The project is having the Final Conference on th 14th of April in Brussels where you have a chance to hear more on the results of the project and meet the people behind the development work. The programme features cross-cutting plenary sessions on policy, digitalisation, business models, and stakeholder engagement, followed by deep-dives into real-world applications and replication pathways for each key value chain. Read more and register through here: TREASoURcE Final Conference – 14.04.2026 – TREASoURcE

Strengthening and supporting Tampere Region as a CCRI pilot region

Acting as a CCRI pilot region, Tampere Region utilizes the project to strengthen regional cooperation, industrial symbioses and crosssectoral innovation in plastics, batteries and bioresources. The project supports longterm regional development goals and reinforces Tampere Region’s role as a forerunner in circular economy solutions in Northern Europe. TREASoURcE is one of key projects in the CCRI project family.

From the Business Tampere perspective, the focus is strongly on exploitation, business development and replication:

“TREASoURcE shows how EU-funded innovation projects can create real business opportunities when companies and regions are involved from the start. In Tampere Region and all other project demo/replication areas, we are building scalable solutions that can be transferred to other European regions,” says Pirkko Eteläaho, Senior Business Advisor, Circular Economy at Business Tampere and Exploitation and Business Development Manager in TREASoURcE. funded innovation projects can create real business opportunities when companies and regions are involved from the start. In

“The CCRI framework helps us connect local pilots with European policy priorities. TREASoURcE is not only about testing solutions, but about enabling regions to replicate them and accelerate the green transition together Eteläaho adds.

Replication handbook and European outreach

A key outcome of TREASoURcE is its replication handbook, which distils lessons learned from regional pilots and provides guidance for other cities and regions aiming to implement similar circular economy solutions. The handbook supports the wider uptake of TREASoURcE results and contributes to the scaling of systemic circular economy approaches across Europe.

These results will be showcased at the TREASoURcE Final Conference in Brussels on 14 April 2026, bringing together policymakers, regions, industry and researchers to discuss how circular systemic solutions can move from demonstrations to deployment. See you there!

Looking ahead: key events in Tampere and Brussels

Beyond TREASoURcE, Tampere Region continues to strengthen its European engagement. On the 19-20th of May 2026, Tampere has the priviledge to host the next Nordic Battery Summit, focusing on global, European, and Nordic battery trends, the latest applications, and emerging technologies, including the role of AI in battery development. The event will further highlight Tampere’s role in the evolving European battery ecosystem. The registration is open here! For further information you may contact Heini Wallander heini.wallander@businesstampere.com or Pirkko Eteläaho pirkko.etelaaho@businesstampere.com.

In June 2026, an energythemed regional advocacy visit to Brussels is planned in connection with EU Sustainable Energy Week, offering companies and regional actors a platform to engage directly with EU institutions and networks on clean energy, energy systems and the green transition. For further information you may contact Joni Rauhansalo joni.rauhansalo@tampere.eu or Pirkko Eteläaho pirkko.etelaaho@businesstampere.com