Empowering Systemic Change in Textiles and Healthcare

In March 2025, the TRACE partnership will launch two separate funding calls, each with DKK 33.7 million —totaling DKK 67.4 million —focusing on Workstream Focus Areas within TRACE’s Textiles and Common workstreams. These Workstream Focus Areas are targeted sub-areas identified to accelerate innovation and systemic change in specific portions of the plastics and textiles value chains.

Funding Call 1 Common Workstream Focus Area: Circular Solutions to Plastics and Textiles in the Healthcare Sector

Funding Call 2 Textiles Workstream Focus Area: Circular Services and Solutions for Extending the Lifespan of Applied Textiles

Both calls reflect TRACE’s North Star vision under Innomission 4—a partnership funded by Innovation Fund Denmark to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. By concentrating resources on these targeted Workstream Focus Areas, TRACE propels collaboration and synergy, aligning plastics and textiles with Denmark’s ambitious climate goals.

This early announcement gives prospective applicants time to refine project ideas, form consortia, and explore synergies. We encourage researchers, SMEs, industries, and public institutions to contribute to a positive trace on people and the planet through circular economy initiatives.

TRACE Innovation Arena: Aligning Efforts for Systemic Circular Solutions

The TRACE Innovation Arena serves as TRACE’s central collaborative platform, bringing together expertise across disciplines and sectors to address the challenges of circular systems. Driven by an experienced team, the Arena facilitates synergy among new and ongoing TRACE projects, building on previous learnings to foster measurable, data-driven, and scalable solutions that balance technical feasibility with market and societal needs.

The Innovation Arena is guided by TRACE’s overarching vision of leaving a positive trace on people and the planet through a circular economy.

Core Pillars of the TRACE Innovation Arena:

Core Pillars of the TRACE Innovation Arena:

  • Impact Generation: Ensuring projects deliver tangible societal and environmental benefits.
  • Data-Driven Collaboration: Utilizing the TRACE Data Space to enable seamless data sharing and foster collaboration across projects.
  • Knowledge and Skill Development: Building capacity and expertise through the TRACE Academy.
  • Synergies Across Workstreams: Bridging efforts across the Textiles, Plastics, and Common workstreams to address interconnected challenges.

The TRACE Innovation Arena operates across the Textiles, Plastics, and Common workstreams.

All funded projects are required to actively engage with the TRACE Innovation Arena.

Disclaimer 

The details of this call text—including titles, scope, and eligibility criteria—are provisional and subject to final confirmation upon signing the Investment Agreement (IA) with Innovation Fund Denmark (IFD). TRACE may modify or withdraw the call text if the final IA requires adjustments or if any new requirements arise from IFD. Any significant changes to the scope or wording of these calls will be communicated as soon as possible.

Save the Date: TRACE Pool 4 Conference – March 25

Join us at the Design School in Kolding on March 25 for the TRACE Pool 4 Co-creation Workshop—an opportunity to:

  • Connect with peers
  • Form consortia
  • Refine ideas for impactful projects

The workshop will focus on two key funding calls:

  1. Circular Solutions to Plastics and Textiles in the Healthcare Sector
  2. Circular Services and Solutions for Extending the Lifespan of Applied Textiles

Sign-up and registration opens in March alongside the funding call. Save the date and prepare to co-create solutions that leave a positive TRACE on people and planet!

About TRACE: A Circular Economy for People and Planet

To enable good lives for current and future generations, transitioning to a circular society is essential. TRACE plays a leading role in systemic circular economy efforts by building, aligning, harmonizing, and mapping pathways to make this vision a reality. TRACE is a mission-driven association guided by its vision of leaving a positive trace on people and the planet through a circular economy.

TRACE’s mission is to drive collaboration and knowledge creation across all actors to set the path for implementing circular solutions within plastics and textiles.

Over the past two years, it has grown into a collaborative force with over 115 partners, including 74 companies, 7 universities, 2 academies, and 27 other organizations such as municipalities, regions, and NGOs. TRACE’s initiatives are built on collaboration and innovation, driving transformative projects like Innomission 4.

TRACE leverages Denmark’s strengths in innovation and collaboration to drive local solutions with global influence, creating green jobs, export opportunities, and a regenerative economy.

Interested in more funding news?

Clean’s Funding Insider