TRACE has launched “A Path to Resilience” — five coordinated funding calls with a total budget of 128 million DKK to accelerate Denmark’s transition to a circular and resilient economy, and are looking for consortia of companies, researchers, public actors and NGOs that want to scale systemic solutions with impact for both the market and society.
These calls target proof-of-concept circular economy systems across plastics and textiles — and support the development of robust methods for measuring systemic impact. Together, they aim to move from pilots to policy, for people and planet.
The five funding calls that have opened up for A Path to Resilience are:
Call 1: Circular Solutions in the Food Industry (TRACE)
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Total budget: 32.3 million DKK (4–5 projects, 6–7.5M DKK each, up to 75% funding)
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Focus: Circular economy systems for plastic use in the food sector
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Keywords: Reuse, recyclable materials, refill models, PoC CE System (Proof-of-Concept Circular Economy System)
Call 2: Circular Solutions to Single-Use Plastics and Textiles in the Healthcare Sector (TRACE)
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Total budget: Funding 4–6 projects with 5–8.5 million DKK each, up to 75% funding
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Focus: Circular economy solutions for single-use plastics and textiles in healthcare
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Keywords: Medical textiles, single-use plastics, remanufacturing, PoC CE System
Call 3: Circular Services and Solutions Extending the Lifetime of Applied Textiles (TRACE)
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Total budget: 33.3 million DKK (funding 4–6 projects, 5–8.5 million DKK each, up to 75% support)
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Focus: Develop proof-of-concept circular economy systems for extending the lifespan of applied textiles in sectors like healthcare, hospitality, and public institutions
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Keywords: Textile longevity, repair services, reuse models, PoC CE System
Call 4: International Scaling of Proof-of-Concept Circular Economy Systems (TRACE)
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Total budget: Funding 2–3 projects with 6–7.5 million DKK each, up to 75% support
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Focus: Scale TRACE’s proof-of-concept circular economy systems internationally, focusing on cross-border pilots and policy alignment
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Keywords: International pilots, policy alignment, cross-border partnerships, scalability
Call 5: Research and Innovation in Systemic Impact Measurement for Circular Economy (TRACE)
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Total budget: 10 million DKK (1 project, 10 million DKK, up to 75% funding)
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Focus: Develop and validate scientifically credible methods for measuring circular economy impact, aligned with TRACE’s Circular Readiness Level (CRL) metric and Data Space
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Keywords: Impact measurement, CRL metric, data aggregation, policy alignment
Read more about the 5 Call’s and apply here
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.
