Demystifying, de-risking and delivering circular innovation

We all know we are in a polycrisis. To tackle the 45% of emissions linked to material extraction and processing, we need a circular economy mindset – a system led, collaborative, and value-oriented approach.

Designed and led by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and funded by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE), CIRCULÉIRE, is a dynamic cross-sectoral public-private Industry Network committed to scaling circularity.

Adopting a systems and supply chain approach, we are a member-based network comprised of over 50 active cross-sectoral industry from start-ups to micro-enterprise, SMEs and MNCs, across food and drinks, MedTech, BioPharmaChem, built environment, automotive, packaging, plastics, electronics and batteries, textiles, second-life enablers, financial services, sustainability consulting, and circular ventures.

CIRCULÉIRE is now in its sixth year with IMR supporting cross-sectoral knowledge exchange, facilitated learning, and capacity building. Our annual impact assessment supports members to set and achieve ambitious carbon reduction targets and emission reductions, while our Circular Maturity Toolkit helps builds internal awareness of what circular economy means for business, strengthening company and supply-chain resilience, competitiveness, and cost reduction.

Between 2020-2024, we leveraged the public investment in this innovation partnership to generate €4.5m in membership fees and in-kind contributions enabling:

• deployment of €1.5m grant-funding to 10 circular innovation pilots;

• delivery of 19 member action plans, identifying over 450 opportunities to eliminate waste and greenhouse gas emissions through circular practices;

• supporting 26 innovative start-ups through Ireland’s first circular venture accelerator;

• leading 10 multi-sector industry-oriented thematic working groups with input from 150+ ecosystem stakeholders;

• publishing 10 sector specific thought leadership guides to inspire circular innovation replication; and

• submitting 10 national and international policy consultations on behalf of our members.

Scaling our reach

During 2024 and 2025 we sought to scale our reach by growing our all-island co-operation, international collaboration, and relationships with international circular businesses and VC partners. We explored new ways to support members in their RD&I journeys and will further consolidate our collaboration with Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) with a CE Innovation Exchange to Scotland for members.

2025 CIRCULÉIRE InnoSprint: Building innovation capability

IMR has learnt that a key challenge for many companies, when it comes to circular innovation, is creating the habits required to shift from a reactive to a strategic approach to circular RD&I. The 2025 CIRCULÉIRE InnoSprint addressed this issue head-on by providing our cross-sectoral members with a design thinking process tailored to identifying circular economy opportunities and institutionalizing innovation capabilities and mindsets to accelerate implementation.

Co-designed and co-delivered by IMR in partnership with Colectivo Ltd, the InnoSprint, culminated in a final pitch session, where participants presented their circular RD&I concepts, receiving expert feedback, guidance, and signposting of funding routes from IMR’s team of circularity and RD&I experts.

CIRCULÉIRE’s National Conference, The Future of Business is Circular, exemplified our 2024 ecosystem collaboration efforts. Held in November to celebrate CIRCULÉIRE’s fifth anniversary and open to the public as well as industry, the conference explored:

Pathways to 2030

Iain Gulland, CEO of ZWS, delivered a keynote emphasizing the need to “rewire the economy” to address the environmental crisis caused by over-reliance on extraction and production. ZWS is the Scottish Government’s circular economy implementation agency and works across sectors to promote circularity through awareness, infrastructure, and targeted engagement. Gulland advocated for a fair, sustainable, and inclusive circular economy with their corporate plan aiming to increase the flow of resources and materials in the economy through disruptive and collaborative approaches. Gulland stressed the importance of embedding circular thinking in education and communities to foster innovation and entrepreneurship and highlighted the need for localised approaches, focusing on cities and regions in conjunction with national strategies.

Building markets for circular products and services

This segment featured insights from Sarah Miller, former CEO at The Rediscovery Centre; Rasmus Jorgensen, Circularity Manager at Danfoss; and Martijn Lopes-Cordozo, Partner at Regeneration.VC.

Miller highlighted the circular economy’s role in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, emphasizing the need for “scalable circular business models and service design that overcome cost and accessibility barriers”. 55% of the Irish public is aware of the circular economy, with strong moral motivation to support it, however, uptake among SMEs remains low, with 18-36% adopting circular practices. Miller introduced the National Platform for Circular Economy Communications and Citizen Engagement and called on industry to help deliver on the platform’s vision of an Ireland “engaged, informed and enabled to transition to a circular economy” by providing the opportunities for sustainable consumer choices, products, and solutions.

Jorgensen shared Danfoss’s remanufacturing journey, focusing on decoupling revenue from material consumption by using circular revenue as a key performance metric. Danfoss lead the way in redesigning products for easier service and remanufacture, aiming to integrate take-back systems into core operations. Through IMR’s support, they now collaborate with CIRCULÉIRE network member IQUTECH.

Lopes-Cordozo emphasized that “there is no net-zero without the circular economy”. As a partner at Regeneration.VC, he highlighted the underfunding of circular solutions despite their high impact potential, noting that Ireland – with its strong track record in renewable energy – could replicate that success in circularity. He stressed that design and use, not just recycling, are the most valuable investment areas, and sees Ireland as ripe for building national and global circular economy champions.

Showcasing circularity in action

CIRCULÉIRE’s 2024 Circular Accelerator Venture pitches from HaPPE Earth, ReZero, Finline Furniture, Shareclub, and BladeBridge demonstrated practical, scalable circular solutions that reinforced the message that circular innovation is already well underway.

In a keynote speech, former CSO at Climate-KIC Andy Kerr addressed the evolving role of the EU Council, noting its increasing focus on economic levers and competitiveness to drive climate and circular economy progress. He warned of significant upcoming supply chain impacts and inflationary pressures, yet urged businesses to embrace the moment and “got for it”.

Membership of CIRCULÉIRE is a gateway to a thriving community of experts and innovators. Join IMR to catalyse the next wave of circular action to 2030 and beyond.

W: www.circuleire.ie