Based on SEED’s 20-year experience and of other SMEs related initiatives, many SME-lead resources efficient and nature positive innovations were identified, ready for replication and scale. However, scaling these innovations requires adequate enabling conditions with supportive technical and financial resources as well as tailored non-financial support.

The Coalition for Innovation, Circularity, and Entrepreneurship (CICE) will serve as a Voice of SMEs, while providing needed enabling services. It will move SMEs from the edge to the centre of attention of the global sustainability discourse and will enhance the capacities and finance-access for scale-ready SMEs fuelled by collective actions with value chain, policy-making and finance partners accelerating the transition to a low-carbon, circular and inclusive economy. In doing this, the Coalition will build on the existing groundwork of Coalition partners consisting of business associations, SME/industry networks, larger companies, governments and international organisations. The Coalition will focus its work mainly to SME-lead Resources Efficient, Decarbonising, Circular and Nature-positive Innovations (“Net-positive SMEs”).

The Coalition for Innovation, Circularity and Entrepreneurship/CICE will:

1. Support and Enable SMEs in developing technological as well as system/strategy 
   innovative solutions, and where possible in implementing them.
2. Scale-up and Replicate, leveraging the work of SME-lead Resources Efficient, Decarbonising, Circular and Nature-positive Innovations (“Net-positive”) by connecting them with larger companies, policy makers and financiers.
3. Provide global Voice of SMEs, catalysing global actions through collaborative platforms, dedicated fora and active communication, while building next generation net-positive innovations to accelerate progress and synergies in the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Paris Agreement goals.
4. Enhance system-wide innovation, identifying ambitious transformative actions, capitalising on collective expertise and resources of private and public stakeholders to accelerate implementation at scale, contributing to the effective delivery of the SDGs.
   
    

The concept note about the Coalition for Innovation, Circularity and Entrepreneurship/CICE - The Voice of SMEs for Green Climate Action can be downloaded here. 

For more information contact arab [dot] hoballahseed [dot] uno (arab[dot]hoballah[at]seed[dot]uno) and mirko [dot] zuerkerseed [dot] uno (mirko[dot]zuerker[at]seed[dot]uno).