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Home > News > Collaboration in mission-driven innovation KIC call awards REWIRE project

We are happy to announce that one of the EWUU’s seed grant projects, REWIRE, has secured funding in the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant’s ‘Collaboration in mission-driven innovation’ call. In this call, three interdisciplinary consortia consisting of knowledge institutions and private and public partners have been selected to conduct research on how to effectively design and sustain complex collaborations aimed at accelerating mission-driven innovation.

REWIRE: Leveraging new collaborations for circular agriculture missions – a multilevel ecosystem approach

The mission of the Dutch government is to make the agricultural system fully sustainable. Despite agriculture being one of the most innovative sectors in The Netherlands, solutions often remain underdeveloped and challenging to disseminate.

REWIRE is a 4-year research project which aims to develop, from an ecosystem perspective, practically applicable methods that support collaborative activities oriented towards finding new business models and designing appropriate policy frameworks. Special attention will be paid to coordination issues between (supra-)national governments, regional governments, and the various organisations ‘in the field’ – in this case circular agriculture.

The project relies on several mutually reinforcing lines of research. One work package, for instance, will map existing collaborative structures and then develop a recommender system that supports network development. Two other work packages focus on the ecosystems of Greenport West-Holland and FoodValley to determine how parties can innovate together, upgrade their value chains, and achieve social impact more effectively. There is also an interlinked work package focusing on the role of policy and new governance arrangements for the circular agriculture transition. A Collective Learning Platform for stakeholders and researchers constitutes the heart of REWIRE to ensure the usability of developed tools and foster cross-level learning.

How it Started: EWUU Seed Grant

In July 2022, the REWIRE project was awarded a seed fund from the EWUU alliance. The initial project focused on developing the proposal that eventually secured the research grant funded by NWO.

Designed as a societal impact project, the first REWIRE project developed a set of methodologies for and with project stakeholders to identify new collaboration opportunities when navigating a circular agriculture transition. These efforts have led to an impressive list of transdisciplinary applicants and a consortium that includes important players in the field of agricultural circularity.

Urban-Rural Circularity

We are delighted that the seed fund has culminated in an NWO-awarded grant. This accomplishment underscores the significance of our research theme, “Urban-Rural Circularity.” This research theme focuses on the dynamic between urban areas and their surrounding regions and its pivotal role in swiftly transitioning to a sustainable, circular society.

We are confident that the REWIRE project will propel progress in this field.

Applicants

  • prof. dr. K. Frenken, Utrecht University
  • prof. dr. ir. C. Leeuwis, Wageningen University & Research
  • prof. dr. M.L.A.M Bogers, Eindhoven University of Technology
  • prof. dr. H.A.C. Runhaar, Utrecht University
  • dr. ir. C.S.H. de Lille, The Hague University of Applied Sciences (HHS)
  • dr. F.J. van Rijnsoever, Utrecht University
  • dr. I. Wanzenböck, Utrecht University
  • dr. ir. M.J. Janssen, Utrecht University
  • dr. J.P.G. van der Pol, Utrecht University
  • dr. M. Mahdad, Wageningen University & Research
  • dr. S Begemann, Wageningen University & Research
  • dr. E.M. de Olde, Wageningen University & Research
  • dr. Y. Baggen PhD, Wageningen University & Research
  • dr. A Markus, Eindhoven University of Technology
  • prof. ir. A.C. Valkenburg, Eindhoven University of Technology
  • prof. dr. I.M.M.J. Reymen, Eindhoven University of Technology
  • A.G.L. van Oostrom, The Hague University of Applied Sciences (HHS)
  • dr. B.J. van Helvoirt, HAS Green Academy
  • ir. F.M. Praasterink, HAS Green Academy

Consortium

Utrecht University, Wageningen University & Research, Eindhoven University of Technology, HAS Green Academy, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Province of Overijssel, Province of Noord-Brabant, Province of Zuid-Holland, Greenport West-Holland, Lentiz | MBO Oostland, Forever Plants, Municipality Waddinxveen, Oost NL, FoodValley, TOP BV, Plantum, Landbouw Innovatie Brabant, Greenport Noord-Holland Noord, Dialogic, NewForesight, Province of Gelderland, Natuur en Milieu Gelderland, FoodnetNL, NAJK, LTO Noord, BrabantKennis, Brabantse Ontwikkelings-Maatschappij (BOM), Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), and Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO).

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