From Matching to Making

A Canvas for Collaborative Circular Value Creation

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54337/plate2025-10334

Keywords:

Co-design, Circular business model, Circular economy, Circular ecosystem innovation, Collaborative innovation

Abstract

Co-design, which involves end-users in the design process, has emerged as a promising strategy for developing circular offerings. However, creating such offerings requires collaboration not only with end-users but also between companies forming circular ecosystems centered on shared value propositions. While existing research highlights the importance of inter-company collaboration and co-design with end-users, tools supporting co-creation with both users and multiple stakeholders remain limited. This paper introduces and evaluates a prototype tool called the Collaborative Circular Value Creation Canvas. The tool is designed to facilitate company collaboration in generating concepts for circular offerings, which can serve as structured inputs for co-design with end-users. This paper reports on testing the canvas in a pilot workshop. Initial findings suggest the tool's potential to foster inter-company collaboration and generate valuable inputs for a co-design process with end-users. However, further research is needed to validate its role in a co-design process and its ability to foster business models focused on product longevity. Additionally, the implications of using the tool in a digital format should be further investigated.

Author Biography

Katherine A. Whalen, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Sweden

Katherine Whalen is a Senior Researcher at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden. Her interests include business model innovation, entrepreneurship, and game-based learning. She hosted the top-ranking circular economy podcast 'Getting in the Loop' and has created several serious games about circular economy. Katherine previously worked at Circle Economy, a non-profit, circular economy-focused organisation based in Amsterdam where she led the Circular Design Program. She holds a PhD from Lund University's International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics and engineering degrees from Webb Institute and Delft University of Technology.

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Published

24-06-2025

How to Cite

Whalen, K. A., & Renström, S. (2025). From Matching to Making: A Canvas for Collaborative Circular Value Creation. Proceedings of the 6th Product Lifetimes and the Environment Conference (PLATE2025), (6). https://doi.org/10.54337/plate2025-10334

Issue

Section

Track 9: Education, Tools, and Games – Research Papers