The TREco Project

TREco began with a simple observation: valuable technologies within the research environment were being bought for short-term use, quietly shelved, and forgotten. As researchers, we saw this pattern repeated across institutions, and we realized it wasn’t a series of isolated inefficiencies but a systemic gap. TREco was created to close that gap by building a platform that makes research technologies visible, shareable, and trackable across their full lifecycle. 

Norway is the leading nation in the production of e-waste, and although efforts for recycling are considered above average, the United Nations annual report emphasizes the need for more ambitious targets with a focus on public campaigns to encourage reuse over replacement. There is currently no specific plan for the reduction of e-waste, and research institutions produce a significant amount of e-waste, purchasing technologies for data collection that are expensive and often only used for short periods of time. Research projects function in silos, making it challenging to realize technology inventories, and there are currently no standard systems for inventory or guidelines for the reuse of these technologies between projects or institutions. TREco aims to be a trusted marketplace where researchers can buy, rent, sell, borrow, or donate technologies, from wearables to robotics, through a platform built specifically for academic environments. Research institutions face a clear challenge: valuable equipment is underused, difficult to share, and often replaced rather than reused. TREco solves this by enabling compliant, efficient reuse of technology across projects, departments, and institutions both nationally and internationally.

Team

Lydia Boyle, Maarja Vislapuu, Brice Marty, Morten Storevik, Rayanne Garcia, and Petra Hribovsek.

Impact

By extending the life of equipment, TREco helps research teams save time and funding while reducing CO₂ emissions and e-waste. Metrics for environmental and economic impact will be built into the platform, giving institutions transparent insight into savings and sustainability gains. TREco promotes a circular economy model where technology is continuously repurposed instead of discarded. Our solution is designed by researchers for researchers, giving TREco a unique advantage in understanding workflows, governance, and real-world constraints. While other marketplaces exist, none are uniquely tailored to the needs of research-driven environments. As an added benefit, TREco creates new opportunities for equity: smaller or underfunded projects gain access to advanced tools they otherwise could not afford, while larger institutions reduce unnecessary purchases. TREco also strengthens collaboration across universities, hospitals, and municipalities, creating a shared ecosystem dedicated to responsible technology use. By including technology providers as co-development partners, TREco ensures alignment with regulatory, cybersecurity, and sustainability standards. Together, all stakeholders help build a culture where research innovation and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. TREco’s mission is to inspire a new way of thinking, where every research project contributes not only to scientific progress but also to a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.

Current Status

In 2025, TREco received funding from UiB Idé at the University of Bergen for a phase-one pilot project and began more than 50 structured interviews and workshops with administrative staff, technical super-users, and researchers at the University of Bergen (UiB), Bergen Municipality, Helse Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital (HUH), and Høgskulen på Vestlandet (HVL) to establish proof of concept. The team now focuses on market acceptance, validating user needs, and preparing for co-design and testing in a phase-two pilot in 2026.