LABEL4FUTURE

Label4Future is an EU-funded initiative under the Interregional Innovation Investment Instrument (I3) programme, which aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in less developed regions of the EU.

The project supports small and medium-sized enterprises in developing innovative solutions for the transition to a circular economy, redesigning products and services, and preparing them for investors, while building strategic partnerships with research institutions and local authorities. Label4Future enables stakeholders to prioritise and implement innovative projects, understand future challenges and transition to circular economy models.

Label4Future’s unique approach brings together artists and designers with small and medium-sized enterprises to jointly create innovative business models and explore circular value chains. This creative collaboration bridges the gap between artistic vision and industrial innovation and promotes new solutions for sustainable business transformation.

Label4Future focuses primarily on the plastics industry and related sectors, creating interregional cooperation and strengthening links between EU regions to build innovative ecosystems in less developed areas.

• Future Forum – launching the transformation dialogueThe Label4Future project kicked off with a one-day Future Forum conference, which brought together representatives from industry, research, public administration, experts and project partners from less developed regions of Europe. The event focused on discussing future challenges and innovative responses from industry in the context of green transformation and the circular economy.

  The programme featured keynote speeches on the latest trends, innovative business models and policies supporting ecological transformation, particularly in the plastics industry and related sectors (healthcare, construction and others). The forum also provided an opportunity for networking and the presentation of the Label4Future open call, through which selected companies received mentoring, training and support in developing innovative solutions for the European market.

  Open Call

  At the beginning of 2024, Label4Future announced an open call for small and medium-sized enterprises from the plastics industry in less developed regions of the EU. The aim was to support innovative projects already in progress and enable their further development and testing in a real environment during the project.

  Artistic residencies: creativity as a driver of change

  One of the key pillars of the project was residencies that connected creative professionals with small and medium-sized enterprises. During the project, six international partnerships were formed, within which artists and companies worked together to develop specific products and services, while critically re-evaluating existing business models. The result was proposals on how to make businesses more sustainable, circular and competitive in the European market, with an emphasis on long-term value and environmental impact.

  The result was proposals on how to make business more sustainable, circular and competitive on the European market, with an emphasis on long-term value and environmental impact.

  Innovation labs and study visits

  The project organised a series of intensive innovation labs in Prague, Vienna and Ljubljana. These practical workshops brought together entrepreneurs, creative professionals, designers and new media artists. Thematic focus was on business model innovation, product and service innovation, and policy innovation. The workshops were followed by inspirational study visits, which allowed participants to see functional solutions in practice.

  Knowledge Transfer Sessions

  These interactive meetings allowed participants to reflect on the course of the residencies and share experiences and practical knowledge from cross-sector cooperation.

  Mentoring

  Selected SMEs received targeted mentoring focused on developing innovative solutions, sustainable strategies and preparing to enter the European market.

Three Label4Future RIS3 Policy Labs in Košice (April, June and October 2025) opened a dialogue on how regional innovation strategy can systematically support both technological and social innovation. The Policy Labs set the stage for an intense discussion among more than 35 regional and international experts on the coordination of institutions, building a regional brand, and the strategic use of Košice’s location. The result is specific recommendations for the Košice Self-Governing Region on how to set up a system to support a functional innovation ecosystem.

The project concludes with the Innovation Cookbook, a practical guide that transfers Label4Future know-how to SMEs and policymakers, stimulates the transformation of the plastics industry through artistic interventions, and demonstrates the transformative power of the cultural and creative industries.

The structure of the Innovation Cookbook is designed as a practical and inspiring guide, consisting of a chapter for SMEs with a 6-step “recipe” for artistic interventions, a chapter for policymakers with a 5-step “recipe” for systemic change, and six practical “recipes” from specific collaborations between SMEs and artists during the project.

The results of the project, the Innovation Cookbook and specific products and services created during the collaboration between artists and SMEs will be presented at the conference: CIMIx 2026 – The Transformation Edition (www.cimix.at). CIMIx is an international conference and B2B matchmaking event focused on connecting the creative sector with industry, supporting innovation, collaboration and sustainable business models. The programme includes keynote lectures, workshops, matchmaking, panel discussions, networking and visits to innovative creative spaces in Vienna.

1. Small and medium-sized enterprises: Small and medium-sized enterprises will gain access to tools, expertise and support in transitioning to circular business models. The project has provided them with the opportunity and funding to develop innovative products that are in line with the principles of the circular economy.
2. Local authorities: Label4Future provides knowledge, tools and policy frameworks for the systematic and strategic support of innovative projects and ecosystems.
3. Research institutions: Research institutions participate in joint research and development activities, contribute their expertise, conduct studies and provide valuable insights into green transformation and innovation in the circular economy.

Label4Future is a project implemented by an international consortium led by Creative Industry Košice (Slovakia) and its members: Ars Electronica (Austria), Austrian Development Bank (AWS, Austria), Slovenian Chamber of Commerce (GZS, Slovenia), Kreativni Praha (Czech Republic), Creative Fed (Netherlands) and Technical University of Košice (Slovakia).

Important project documents can be found below.

label4future.eu