Circular Sprint: How Spanish SMEs Can "Accelerate Their Transition to the Circular Economy" in 90 Days

For years, the circular economy has been presented as a future strategy. In corporate discourse, it sounds inevitable, desirable, almost obvious. But in practice, for a small Spanish company, especially in sectors like hospitality, food, or light manufacturing, the circular transition remains a nebulous horizon: costly, technically complex, with uncertain results, and no clear framework for where to begin.

Shifting a business model towards circularity requires investment in R&D, process redesign, impact audits, and pilot projects. These are resources that SMEs rarely possess in abundance. However, a methodology exists that transforms this transition into something actionable, measurable, and financiable in short cycles: the Circular Sprint.

What is a Circular Sprint: Rapid Innovation with Purpose

A Circular Sprint is a Design Thinking sprint specifically designed for circular business model innovation. It structures a transformation process into seven clearly defined phases: Inspire, Understand, Define, Ideate, Decide, Prototype, and Test, preceded by a preparatory phase.

What sets it apart isn’t the methodology itself, but its application. Unlike a conventional product sprint, each phase of the Circular Sprint is oriented towards answering a specific circularity question: How can we reduce waste? Can we redesign our packaging? Is there an opportunity for reuse or repair in our value chain?

“The Circular Sprint structures a circular transformation process into seven phases: inspire, understand, define, ideate, decide, prototype, and test.” The Circular Sprint, 2022

The advantage is that it’s not an abstract strategic exercise. It’s an iterative process that yields a testable prototype within 90 days, or less. An SME can validate a concrete opportunity (waste reduction, procurement reuse, process redesign…) without massive initial investment, identify operational risks before scaling, and generate real data to justify investment to management or investors.

Europe Already Funds This: Up2Circ and the Acceleration Ecosystem

In the European context, this is not an experimental methodology. The Up2Circ initiative, funded by Horizon Europe, is specifically designed to accelerate and scale SMEs’ transition to the circular economy. Its differentiator: it incorporates training, advice, and financial support to transform ideas into real pilots and demonstrations.

This is relevant because it transforms the circular sprint from a theoretical exercise into a path supported by European public funding. SMEs do not bear the risk of experimentation alone. They gain access to specialized training, mentorship from circularity experts, and funding that bridges the gap between prototype and pilot.

For Spanish companies, this represents a paradigm shift: circularity ceases to be an isolated “nice to have” and becomes an accessible tool for operational innovation with measurable impact.

The Spanish Anchor: Aligning with España Circular 2030

In Spain, the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy España Circular 2030 establishes a clear public framework for companies to align their innovation with national circularity objectives and specific sectoral action plans. It’s not just a rhetorical commitment; it’s a document that defines ecoinnovation priorities by sector.

This means that a circular sprint in an SME is not an isolated exercise. It’s a tool to activate opportunities that the State already recognizes as strategic. The combination of this clear regulatory framework, plus the availability of practical diagnostic tools (like those offered by the Cámara de Comercio de España through its Empresa Sostenible initiative), allows SMEs to quickly move from diagnosis to action.

Element	Conventional Circular Sprint	Circular Sprint in España Circular 2030 Context
Typical Duration	90 days	90 days
Regulatory Alignment	Generic	Aligned with state priorities
Access to Diagnostic Tools	Limited	Facilitated by public bodies
Perceived Risk	Medium-high	Reduced by strategic backing

Where the Sprint Begins: High-Impact Sectors

For an SME, the value of a circular sprint lies in identifying a concrete opportunity and validating it in short cycles. Sectors with the greatest immediate impact are those where redesigning procurement, packaging, and waste has a direct operational effect.

In hospitality (HORECA), for example, a circular sprint could address: How can we reduce beverage packaging? Is there a purchasing model that reduces fresh produce waste? Can we collaborate with suppliers to establish reusable packaging return systems?

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s methodology, through resources like the Circular Design Guide and Circulytics, provides frameworks for prototyping and measuring circular progress, enabling SMEs not only to ideate solutions but also to measure and communicate their advancement.

Conclusion: From Intention to Verifiable Outcome

As experts in positive impact innovation, we identify that SMEs’ circular transition fails not due to a lack of intention. It fails due to a lack of framework, accessible funding, and a clear methodology that reduces the uncertainty of the first steps.

A guided Circular Sprint closes that gap. It transforms the circular economy from a remote strategic objective into a verifiable outcome within 90 days. The SME gains real data on operational viability, identifies necessary alliances (suppliers, funders, customers), and generates a prototype that justifies scaling investment.

For Spanish companies, the time is now. The regulatory framework is in place, European funding is accessible, and the tools exist. What’s missing is structured action. A circular sprint is not a luxury for large corporations; it’s a tool for operational efficiency and competitive differentiation available to any SME willing to invest 90 days of discipline in validating its circular opportunity.

Sources and References

• The Circular Sprint (2022): Definition and methodological structure of the Design Thinking sprint for circular business model innovation.

• Up2Circ, European Commission (2025): Horizon Europe initiative aimed at accelerating and scaling SMEs’ transition to the circular economy, with training, advice, and financial support for pilots and demonstrations.

• España Circular 2030, MITECO (2020): Spanish Circular Economy Strategy that establishes a public framework and sectoral action plans for business circular innovation.

• Empresa Sostenible, Cámara de Comercio de España (n.d.): Self-diagnostic tools and best practice sheets for sustainable companies.

• Ellen MacArthur Foundation (n.d.): Business resources including the Circular Design Guide and Circulytics for structuring circular innovation sprints and measuring impact.

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