The Circular Valley initiative in Germany has recently launched a new round of its funding programme with the aim of creating a ‘Silicon Valley of the circular economy’ in the heart of Europe. Established by the Circular Valley Foundation in 2021, the initiative aims to close material loops along existing value chains, create policy recommendations, and educate the public about the circular economy.
Among the current members of Circular Valley are major companies like BASF, Bayer, Evonik, Knipe, and Vorwerk, as well as renowned scientific institutions such as the Fraunhofer Umsicht Institute, the Max Planck Society, and the Wuppertal Institute. Over 100 start-ups from around the world have been supported by Circular Valley, bringing their innovative ideas to the Rhine-Ruhr region.
The latest cohort of start-ups, comprising 15 teams from countries like Egypt, Chile, India, and across Europe, will spend three months in the Rhine-Ruhr region refining their business models starting in April. As part of the programme