HOOP: A Circular Journey Comes Full Circle After four years of exploring circular solutions in cities across Europe, the HOOP project shows what’s possible when technology, finance and participation come together. From AI-powered waste trucks to citizen-led innovation—urban circularity is no longer a vision, but a practice. In March 2025, over 100 stakeholders gathered in Cartagena, Spain, for the HOOP Final Conference to reflect on four and a half years of collaborative work. The Horizon 2020 project supported eight lighthouse cities and regions in turning urban biowaste and wastewater into valuable resources and built a legacy that goes far beyond its original scope. From ambition to action HOOP helped launch 18 investment-ready urban circular bioeconomy (UCBE) projects, leveraging over €120 million. With 25 technologies evaluated, 51 technical and environmental studies conducted, and more than 50 manuals and reports published, the project proved that circular innovation is possible at city level, if the right conditions are in place. At the conference, testimonies from municipalities and waste operators underlined how HOOP’s Project Development Assistance (PDA) supported them in aligning technical, legal, and financial aspects. One of the panels, hosted by the CSCP, featured lighthouse representatives from Münster (Germany), Porto (Portugal) and Western Macedonia (Greece). Together, they shared how PDA helped overcome regulatory hurdles and move from pilot ideas to real investment concepts. People at the centre of transformation Beyond numbers, HOOP’s impact is also tangible, including on a social level. Over 1,600 stakeholders were engaged via Biowaste Clubs based on the CSCP club model and other citizen science interventions. The HOOP Trainers App made it possible to measure and improve awareness in a playful way—especially among younger citizens. These participatory approaches weren’t side activities, they were integral to shaping local solutions and strengthening ownership. Legacy that lives on To ensure long-term impact, HOOP developed a range of open-access tools hosted on the HOOP Hub. These include the Circularity Label for territorial assessment, the Project Maturity Level to evaluate investment readiness, and the Circular Valuation Method to quantify circular value. These tools, together with the HOOP Network and Virtual Academy, will remain available beyond the project’s official end—supporting cities and regions in their circular journey. The final publication “Closing the HOOP: A legacy of circular innovation” brings together all achievements, methodologies, and lessons learned. Check it out on our library. For further questions, please contact Cristina Fedato.