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Agnese Metitieri at the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expo Ireland’s circular economy is poised for a transformative shift, with remanufacturing emerging as a key driver of sustainability and industrial resilience. Last week Agnese Metitieri , IMR Circular Economy Ventures Lead presented the latest findings from the CIRCULÉIRE 2024 Remanufacturing Insights Report, at the Manufacturing and Supply-Chain Conference. Agnese highlighted how remanufacturing isn’t just a circularity trend—it’s an innovation-led approach that preserves value, strengthens supply chains, and reduces environmental impact.  At its core, remanufacturing goes beyond repair or refurbishment, fully restoring products to their original performance  while cutting costs by 40-65%  compared to new production. By reducing resource extraction and waste disposal by up to 80% , remanufacturing aligns with Ireland’s ambitions under the EU Green Deal , Circular Economy Action Plan , and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation .  Agnese explained in the presentation how despite its benefits, barriers remain— regulatory uncertainty, logistical challenges, market perception, and technological constraints  can slow progress.   To overcome these hurdles, the report identifies  key insights for Irish businesses , including embracing product design for remanufacturing , leveraging  service-based models , and providing strong warranties to improve consumer trust .  Public sector support is critical, and Ireland is leading the charge with initiatives such as the EPA-led National Repair & Reuse Network  and the 2024 procurement framework for remanufactured laptops , a €30 million commitment that sets a precedent for Europe.  With projected growth to €90 billion by 2030 , remanufacturing in Ireland can revolutionize the automotive, aerospace, electronics, and medical devices industries. By scaling remanufacturing effectively, businesses can reduce dependence on raw materials, mitigate supply chain risks, and drive long-term sustainability . The future is circular—and Ireland is ready to lead.  Want to dive deeper?   Access the full CIRCULÉIRE 2024 Remanufacturing Insights Report  here.

2024 Cohort of CIRCULÉIRE Circular Venture Accelerator Programme with Agnese Metitieri (Circular Economy Venture Lead, IMR) CIRCULÉIRE is Ireland’s first industry-led Circular Innovation Network.   Our mission is to demystify, derisk, and deliver circular business model innovation by unlocking the value that resides in the Irish circular economy.  Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) (Secretariat) in conjunction with three public sector Strategic Partners (Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC); the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC ) and 25 Founding Industry Members (MNCs and SMEs alike) soft-launched the programme in January 202O as a pilot initiative.   Building on the impacts delivered by the CIRCULÉIRE pilot initiative over 2020-2022, CIRCULÉIRE was awarded continuation funding by The Department of Environment, Climate & and Communications to continue scaling industry-led circular innovation while leveraging existing expertise and activity within the national circular innovation ecosystem.  Now in its’ 6th year of operation, CIRCULÉIRE works across multiple Industry sectors stewarding over 50 organisations and their supply-chains on a journey from linear to circular business models.    1: CIRCULÉIRE’s Circular Ventures Accelerator    1.1: 2025 Cohort - Programme Objectives  CIRCULÉIRE’s Circular Venture Programme is the first of its kind in Ireland, dedicated to supporting late-stage circular economy ventures to scale.   We are committed to supporting circular economy innovators (that have developed and tested services or products) who wish to avail of highly specialized circularity mentorship and business acceleration support.   The Programme will provide participants with the knowledge and tools to help their circular solutions make a systemic impact at an environmental, economic and social level and drive Ireland’s transition to net-zero carbon circular economy. Participants will have access to workshops, training sessions, knowledge sharing activities and mentoring centred around:      Systems thinking  for circular value chains and supply chains;    Circular business / revenue models development and customer discovery;    Leveraging multiple funding streams to support business growth;      Measuring impact and communicating circularity performance;    Perfecting the pitch and selling the circularity story.    Our preferred sectors  for programme participation include (but are not limited to):   Manufacturing  Food, Drinks and Agriculture  Pharma & Chemicals  Medtech  Consumer Goods  Plastics & Packaging  Built Environment  ICT & Electronics  Textile  Automotive    1.2: Eligibility Criteria  The company/business solution must  be centred on/implementing or enabling the “circular economy” e.g. “Circular Manufacturing” “Circular Production Systems” “Circular Supply Chains”, “Circular Products”; “Circular Reverse-Logistics”;    The Enterprise must ideally be incorporated  in Ireland for a minimum of 2 years;   T he solution must  be at an advanced technology readiness level (TRL6-8) i.e. a validated technology, close to market or recently launched on the market.  Applicants must demonstrate how their solution/business will benefit from the CIRCULÉIRE Circular Ventures Accelerator and outline how they will leverage the following to scale their business:  Build relationships with representatives from sectors leading the Circular Economy in the CIRCULÉIRE Members Network;  Integrate system thinking and design strategies into business models;  Learn how to get funding ready to accelerate their journey;  Measure impact data and circularity performance;  Demystify upcoming regulations and understand implications for Irish companies;  Access knowledge and build networks.    1.3: Programme Format   6 months hybrid (online and offline), part-time (approx. 6h per week)  Regular 1-to-many training sessions   Regular 1-to-1 mentoring sessions  Peer-to-peer calls, events and forums  Networking opportunities with CIRCULÉIRE industry members, and representatives from policy, corporate and investment sectors    1.4: Accelerator Benefits  Participants will benefit from:  -> € 5,000 Equity-Free Funding     -> Coaching & Capacity Building   Engage with national and international cross-sectoral CE & Entrepreneurship experts on circular systems thinking, business modelling, customer discovery, communications and pitching.     -> Circularity Mentoring    Experience cross sectoral 1:1 and Group Mentoring from circular practitioners, industry reps and founders.    -> Circular Business Supports   Product Market Fit Validation  CE Impact & Metrics Training  Investment Supports including readiness workshops and VCs/fund/investor contact sessions     -> CIRCULÉIRE Network Membership   Complimentary 2025 membership providing access to:  - Ireland’s first industry network dedicated to circular innovation   - Regular in-person network meetings and capacity building activities   - Relationship building with circular economy ecosystem actors  - Irish Manufacturing Research’s RD&I facilities/expertise (if appropriate)    2: Application Evaluation Criteria  Applications will be evaluated based on the degree to which they meet the following criteria:    Alignment with CIRCULÉIRE’s Accelerator objectives:  Track record of business performance over the previous 3 years including evidence of circular economy implementation;  Evidence of strong founders in the business fully committed to the Accelerator and the ideals of Circular Economy practices;  Strong leadership team with a track record of skills/capabilities to make the new venture succeed;  Strong value proposition/s encapsulated in a well-designed business model which will deliver growth and profitability through circular economy principles;  Strong prospect of generating defensible IP;  Evidence of understanding target market/s and marketing strategy;   The financial strength to fund and sustain the circular venture through the " Valley of Death ". Ability to commit 1 day/week for the duration of the Accelerator.  3: Timeline Date    Description of Activity    28/03/2025   CIRCULÉIRE 2025 Circular Ventures Accelerator – Call for Applications Launch    28/04/2025    Zoom Information Session     Master Deck of the 28/04 Info Session   Recording of the 28/04 Info Session   21/05/2025    EXTENDED Deadline for submission of completed applications 23/05/2025   Shortlisted applicants Notified   26/05/2025    Evaluations & Pitches for Short Listed Applicants (Online)    28/05/2025    Awardees Notified    04/06/2025   Deadline for Acceptance & Contract Signed    06/06/2025   Announcement of 2025 Cohort   11/06/2025    Accelerator Commences    4: Application Process  Applicants must submit their completed application forms no later than Wednesday, the 21st May 2025.    The email should be addressed to the following email:  circuleire@imr.ie , adding in copy agnese.metitieri@imr.ie .   The subject of the email should be: ‘ Application for CIRCULÉIRE 2025 Circular Ventures Accelerator ’.  Additional Information On Monday 28th of April we held a virtual information session on the 2025 Circular Venture Accelerator Programme, if you were unable to attend this session you can recap through the below Slide Deck and Session Recording: Information Session Slide Deck Information Session Recording

(From left) Sadhbh Wood, Geraldine Brennan, Narina Mnatsakanian, Colette van Jaarsveld On Wednesday 30th of April  Geraldine Brennan, PhD  Head of Circular Economy at Irish Manufacturing Research  chaired Stream 2 of the ESG Spring Summit which explored how we redefine business models through circularity.    Opening with an exploration of CE, Geraldine mapped Ireland’s path to a circular economy, highlighting both the policy levers and innovation gaps we must navigate.    Narina Mnatsakanian  Partner and Chief Impact Officer at Regeneration.VC  delivered the keynote stating that 'Circular models are not just environmentally necessary - they are financially strategic'.     While the circular economy has been consistently underfunded, Narina's organisation is focused on investing in companies and brands innovating in the space via ecodesign, novel material use and products as a service. In terms of outlook Narina believes that #circularbusinessmodels  drive efficiency and therefore profitability; regulation is forcing focus on circularity and finally consumers and capital markets are demanding it.     Of the four companies showcasing circularity innovation case studies, two of the four were CIRCULÉIRE  members and former accelerator alumni. Colette van Jaarsveld  ( Arcology System )  and Mary O'Riordan  ( HaPPE Earth )  spoke about their circular innovations and value propositions in the built environment and biomaterials sectors with Mary then running off to the official unveiling by Minister of State Alan Dillon of their world first compostable PPE & food waste medicalized biodigester.   Sadhbh Wood  from Bean Around  spoke about her coffee repurposing company with Heidi Hooper  from Irish Rail outlining their very practical circular strategies to reduce, reuse, repair and refurbish helped by procurement and material reduction initiatives.     The panel discussion included other ecosystem collaborators and explored the challenges of unlocking business opportunities and scaling the circular economy.     Alan Wyley  from Energy Cloud spoke about using surplus renewable energy for those in poverty, Gillian Kinsella  from Pringles, showcased the project to make packaging fully paperbased and recyclable. Janet Lynch  from Arup, spoke about relationship building and talking to your value chain to make real progress. Portia Sara Quinn  from Harley & Marley called for more state support to enable innovation and Zoe Kavanagh  Repak CEO mirrored the need for stakeholder engagement, highlighted the opportunity technology presents, as well as the need for economics to work in order to scale circularity.     Circularity is no longer niche — it is a strategic imperative. Let’s build business models that regenerate, not deplete.   If you are interested in hearing more about CIRCULÉIRE  services please reach out.

National Repair and Reuse Network 2025 Meeting CIRCULÉIRE’s dedicated policy engagement leaders have been hard at work in the circular economy policy spheres across Ireland and Europe, advocating for a regulatory landscape that spearheads circular economy. Here are some highlights of key policy events in the first quarter of the year.   National Repair and Reuse Network The NRRN launched by the EPA in 2024 aims to facilitate knowledge sharing and scale reuse and repair initiatives across Ireland. The network comprises 16 members from both the public and private sectors. The NRRN held its first meeting of the year on the 20th of March 2025. IMR represented CIRCULÉIRE members and provided updates on reuse and repair-related projects and activities carried out over the past six months. CIRCULÉIRE will be submitting information on reuse and repair activities conducted with its members to support Ireland’s national reporting to the EU for 2023.      First European ESPR Working Plan Stakeholder Consultation The consultation on the 3rd March aimed to seek feedback on the products identified by the EU Commission for initial regulation under the ESPR framework. Nine CIRCULÉIRE members actively contributed their insights, helping to shape the submission. Some concerns were on whether the ecodesign requirements for intermediate products would address waste classification barriers, which can hinder recycling and the use of secondary raw materials. The Government greatly appreciated the feedback received, recognising its value in representing the perspective of Irish industry at the European level. Link to further information: Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation - European Commission   National Bioeconomy Strategy Preliminary Stakeholder Survey Hosted by DAFM, the consultation sought stakeholder feedback to inform the development of the National Bioeconomy Strategy for Ireland. IMR, on behalf of CIRCULÉIRE, submitted a response highlighting the importance of embedding circular economy principles into the strategy’s Vision, Mission, and objectives. DAFM and DECC will be engaging with CIRCULÉIRE to support ongoing collaboration with its industry members in shaping the Bioeconomy Strategy. Link to further information: Bioeconomy Policy   Stakeholder consultation with the Irish Green Building Council The consultation aimed to gather feedback on the draft Building a Circular Ireland Roadmap, an EPA-funded project led by IGBC. A submission was shared with IGBC, following two townhalls hosted on April 2nd and 3rd, which were attended by eight CIRCULÉIRE members along with representatives from DECC. Key policy recommendations included emphasise on the role that manufacturing can play in advancing Ireland’s circular transition for the construction and built environment sectors, developing of national standards for non-Portland cements as well as establishing a regulatory framework to guide the use of circular materials DECC is currently preparing the Government’s Built Environment Roadmap and will be reaching out to CIRCULÉIRE to support engagement with its industry members. Link to further information: HAVE YOUR SAY! Building a Circular Ireland: A Roadmap for a Resource-Efficient Built Environment - Irish Green Building Council Public Consultation on DECC Strategy 2025-2028 The consultation aimed to gather feedback on the upcoming Statement of Strategy for the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC). IMR, on behalf of CIRCULÉIRE, submitted a response highlighting the importance of embedding circular economy principles throughout the entire strategy—reflecting its cross-cutting relevance—and called for clear objectives and targeted actions to support Ireland’s transition to a more circular economy. This included suggestions such as introducing financial incentives to de-risk investment in circular business models, disincentivising the use of virgin materials, and exploring models to help businesses navigate the regulatory landscape and eliminate barriers—such as Denmark’s one-stop-shop for new business models. Link to further information: Consultation on the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications Statement of Strategy 2025- 2028   Policy Priorities for 2025? If your organisation has concerns or queries related to national or EU-level policy or legislation, we want to hear from you. Get in touch with us at circuleire@imr.ie to help shape CIRCULÉIRE’s upcoming policy agenda.

CIRCULEIRE members gathered at the RDS Circular Economy Awards The RDS Circular Economy Awards recognise Irish businesses and entrepreneurs making a difference for our planet with circular economy innovations.   Five of our CIRUCLÉIRE members were nominated as finalists -- Rebox, BladeBridge, IQUTech, HaPPE Earth and The Factory.  HaPPE Earth  won the Emerging Business category with their full cycle healthcare bio-digestion system that turns bio-PPE and food waste into nutrient-rich fertiliser with advanced decontamination technology.  IQUTECH  came first in the SME category, as the leading returns management company for telecommunication equipment in Ireland.   The awards follow a string of wins for CIRCULÉIRE members.   Late last year, BladeBridge, rezero and The ZeroNet (all CIRCULÉIRE Circular Venture Accelerator Alumni), were successful in winning the   2024 Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme  from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communication.  Finally, we would like to congratulate three members on their recent Green Tech Health Innovation Ireland  wins. HaPPE Earth  once again received a win. Members  Offerre  & DeltaQ  (in conjunction with Envetec and Enva) won with their pitch for ‘a multi-faceted solution focused on medical waste treatment and recovery'. Health Innovation Hub Ireland will be mapping their solutions in an upcoming pilot for sustainable Irish healthcare.   Learn more about CIRCULÉIRE’s membership offerings here.

CIRCULÉIRE was delighted to feature two articles in Media Planet’s Circular Economy & Net Zero campaign in Sunday’s Business Post.   Remanufacturing Agnese Metitieri , CE Ventures Lead wrote about the benefits of remanufacturing, highlighting insights from CIRCULÉIRE’s 2024 Thematic Working Group.   Remanufacturing is recognised by the EU as central to a competitive circular economy and has cross-sectoral replication potential in Ireland.    The Remanufacturing Insights Report showcases how industry and the public sector can leverage the benefits of remanufacturing and refurbishment and provides actionable strategies and real-world case studies demonstrating opportunities for cross-sectoral replication.   One recent Irish example is Circular Computing and GreenIT (a CIRCULÉIRE network member) securing a €30m 4-year procurement framework from the Government of Ireland to supply 60,000 remanufactured laptops to the public sector under the Green Public Procurement Strategy. This initiative will prevent 19 million Kgs CO2 of emissions, preserve 72 million Kgs of mined resources and 11 billion litres of water while delivering high-performing ICT equipment.    Could your business adopt remanufacturing as business model to capture circular value?   Read the Media Planet Remanufacturing  article and if of interest then read the full Remanufacturing  report on our knowledge library. MedTech Circular Innovation Paul McCormack-Cooney , Circular Economy Best Practice & Toolkits Lead wrote about Circular Innovation Opportunities for Ireland’s MedTech sector.   The Circular MedTech Guide authored by Paul showcases actionable strategies for the sector to adopt more circular practices. These include designing reusable products, extending device lifecycles through remanufacturing, and recovering valuable materials. Case studies of companies like Stryker and Tympany Medical (a CIRCULÉIRE network member) demonstrate how circular business models can cut waste, save costs, and secure resource availability while maintaining stringent safety standards.   Read the Media Planet MedTech  article and if of interest then read the full MedTech  report on our knowledge library.

Dr Geraldine Brennan (IMR) and Colm Munnelly (Repak) presenting at Q1 Network Meeting on PPWR On Wednesday Irish Manufacturing Research  hosted a CIRCULÉIRE X Repak collaboration event ‘PPWR as a Driver of Circular Innovation’ with over 60 grocery, retail, food, plastics & packaging and B2B/B2C companies gathering to unpack the regulations and explore innovation opportunities.   Niall McLoughlin , Principal Officer, CE Strategic Policy Unit, Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications   opened the session with an overview of the strategic priorities of his unit. Key highlights included the announcement of successful CEIGS 2024 Projects (noting three as CIRCULÉIRE Circular Ventures Accelerator Alumni), the upcoming CE Strategy 2.0 Consultation, DRS scheme success at 1.2bn container returns, the launch of a study on measures to further increase recycling rates; a National Policy Statement & Roadmap on Circular Textiles and C&D Roadmap nearing completion, as well as enhanced funding for CIRCULÉIRE   in 2025.   Dr Geraldine Brennan , Head of Circular Economy at IMR, chaired proceedings, welcomed new members ( i-Supply , HaPPE Earth  and BladeBridge ), our newly appointed 2025 Industry Steering Group Members ( Donough McGrath, Rory O Dwyer, Mark O’Sullivan  and Colette Van Jaarsveld ), gave an overview of CIRCULÉIRE’s   circular innovation network, and confirmed the upcoming visit by Alan Dillon TD , Minister of State, DETE with special responsibility for Small Businesses and Retail and DECC with special responsibility for Circular Economy to IMR’s Mullingar RD&I Lab.   Colm Munnelly, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Repak delivered an overview of the regulations and highlighted the new compliance requirements and associated timeframes.  Definitions have broadened, there are new producer register requirements, packaging waste prevention, minimisation, re-use and refill targets; new recyclability of packaging and recyclability performance grades, minimum recycled content requirements, changes to compostable packaging requirements; and the need for an authorised representative for packaging and reporting of packaging data (by material type).   PPWR Workshop at Q1 Network Meeting After a restorative coffee and some enthusiastic networking, the group reconvened to engage with IMR’s Sophie Reynolds , CE policy & Innovation Lead who spoke about product, process, material and business model innovation opportunities as well as our upcoming Innovation Sprints.  To break the ice, Sophie highlighted 4 key innovation outputs from our 2021 Packaging Thematic Working Group that were most aligned with PPWR, namely: modifiable transport trays, packaging material standardisation, labelling systems, and compostable packaging.   The groups then took to their innovation challenge, exploring innovation ideas, opportunities and barriers and rounded off the session by each identifying the most important and urgent innovation ideas for their sectors.    While the exercise was very much quick dip, CIRCULÉIRE   has a range of work packages that can be used to deep dive PPWR solutions. The group are now busy responding to our next steps survey – more on this shortly!   Thanks again to Repak for collaborating with us and to all the attendees, we look forward to working closely with innovative companies to explore circular solutions.

How do we close the loop on the earth’s resources?  At first glance, the idea of a circular economy is overwhelming – it is daunting to turn our systems upside down and keep materials circulating in the human world for as long as possible.     At KPMG’s Leaders 2050 event, the audience learned what circularity looks like in practice.   The event is dedicated to young professionals leading the future in sustainability. Under the theme of ‘Circularity: The next wave in sustainability’, speakers shared how to enact circularity in a startup, at a multinational corporation and with the help of AI.     Michael Wylde, CEO of circular startup Rezero (and CIRCULÉIRE Venture Alumnus)  shared his experiences selling a circular product to the traditional fashion industry. Rezero makes buttons from cigarette filters seized by customs officials across Europe. Competing against the traditional, linear alternatives, Michael reflected on the importance of knowing your customer’s needs, and not solely relying on the environmental benefits of a sustainable product to drive sales. Circular products and solutions need a competitive edge against linear alternatives, a finding echoed by Enya O’Connell-Hussey of IMR and Aideen Doyle of construction company CRH.     Doyle shared some of the circular solutions CRH is creating in its built environment product line, as well as the importance of highlighting the durability and superior performance of recycled and refurbished products to a customer base that oftentimes associates these terms with lesser quality.      IMR's Circular Economy Project Officer Enya O’Connell-Hussey took the stage to share the results of IMR’s recent ‘AI for the Circular Economy’ project.  This two-year research project was funded by the EPA and aims to demystify AI in the circular economy by exploring its potential, barriers, opportunities and integration into Irish industry.     Like Doyle and Wylde’s insights, IMR’s research found that industry puts business needs first – and that uptake of AI4CE could be encouraged by highlighting AI’s ability to enable circular economy strategies that save businesses money and minimise waste whilst improving efficiency.     Despite the range of backgrounds, the speakers came to the same conclusion – circular solution buy-in hinges on knowing your audience. With some creativity and innovation, circular solutions can be everywhere – from tarmac, to the van on the tarmac, to the buttons on the driver’s shirt!

On the 6th of March 2025 the 26th  Annual Irish Waste Management Association’s   Conference ' Breaking down the Barriers to the Circular Economy ' was held in the Aviva Stadium. Key speakers at the conference included Minister Alan Dillion of the Department of Environment, Climate, and Communications, Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, and Zoe Kavanagh. Minister Alan Dillion at IWMA Conference Alan Dillon TD , Minister of State for the Circular Economy, reflected on the urgency of stronger collaboration across government, industry and enforcement bodies to accelerate Ireland’s circular economy transition. Innovation, including new technologies adoption, policy alignment, and infrastructure development are needed to meet national and EU sustainability goals. Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea   Director in charge of Circular Economy, European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment referred to the geopolitical tensions impacting European supply chains and the need to address price imbalances between raw and secondary materials. To tackle these challenges, the EU is committed to scaling circular economy efforts, improving policy coherence, and addressing challenges like resource security and market imbalances. It encourages Irish stakeholders to engage in consultations to shape future regulations. Zoe Kavanagh   from  Repak presented on the implications of the new Plastic & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), a far-reaching regulation that will drive circular innovation in B2B and B2C packaging placed on the market. She also emphasised the importance for transparency in recycling outcomes to build public trust and highlighted the importance of educating businesses and consumers on proper waste sorting and recycling.

Circular Economy Hotspot Dublin 2023 Launches Programme at Mansion House Embassy ambassadors, Industry leaders and Public Representatives gathered at the Mansion House Dublin on Thursday 6th April for the official launch of a major international four day event on circular economies. Launched by the steering committee for the 2023 Circular economy Hotspot Dublin 2023, this event will set the tone for the prestigious opportunity for Dublin to showcase, promote and celebrate ground-breaking Circular economy initiatives from across the globe. Speaking at the launch, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, said: " Circular Economy Hotspot Dublin 2023 aims to showcase how we can make Dublin a more vibrant place by adopting circular practices, inspiring individuals, businesses, and policymakers to take action towards a more sustainable future ." Commenting on the upcoming event, Dr. Sarah Miller, Chief Executive at The Rediscovery Centre said: "We are thrilled to be hosting this flagship event in Ireland for the first time. Circular Economy Hotspot Dublin 2023 presents a unique opportunity for businesses in Ireland, Europe, and beyond to learn from, connect with, and be inspired by the very best. Today as we bring together Embassies and industry leaders it is an opportunity to highlight the importance of this event and its place in international policy. The programme launch marks a crucial first step in promoting the event and building excitement for the opportunities it will provide. CIRCULÉIRE's Head of Circular Economy Dr Geraldine Brennan outlined just some of the the highlights from the packed event schedule including a matching making event to be held on May 30th in Croke park that will allow delegates to connect and forge relevant collaborative relationships to further their CE aims, deep dive workshops facilitated by top CE Experts across Europe on May 31st and a series of tours demonstrating CE in action on June 1st at the OPW, The Rediscovery Centre and Cloughjordan Ireland's first eco village. Circular Economy Hotspot Dublin 2023 will showcase, promote and celebrate ground-breaking circular economic initiatives, best practices and innovations that Dublin and Ireland have to offer. Attendees will learn about practical steps and resources to mobilise action within their respective countries, network with international stakeholders and engage in inspiring discussions. The event will revolve around three key themes: Policy in Practice, Citizen Engagement, and Innovation & Collaboration. These themes will be explored with four innovative focus areas: Social Enterprise, Design & Manufacturing, Built Environment, and Food Systems & the Bioeconomy For more information on Circular Economy Hotspot Dublin 2023, visit the website at https://www.dublincirculareconomyhotspot.com or e-mail hello@dublincirculareconomyhotspot.com About Us: The Steering Committee for Circular Economy Hotspot Dublin 2023 is a collaboration of leading organisations in the fields of circular economy and waste management, chaired by The Rediscovery Centre. The committee comprises representatives from Dublin City Council, the Eastern & Midlands Regional Waste Management Planning Office, CIRCULÉIRE and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. These experts have united to host the Circular Economy Hotspot 2023 in Dublin, with exciting events spanning over four days to raise awareness of Dublin's commitment to the circular economy. About CIRCULÉIRE Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) is the secretariat of CIRCULÉIRE – The National Platform for Circular Manufacturing which is funded by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . In November 2022, DECC announced €1.5m continuation funding for CIRCULÉIRE in 2023.

Meet the six new ventures who will embark on this year's fast track Circular Economy innovation and mentoring programme. The CIRCULÉIRE venture programme is the first of its kind in Ireland (established in 2020) to target late-stage ventures that demonstrate or enable circular business models. Following a very competitive selection process, each awardee will receive a grant of €5k and participate in our bespoke Innovation & Mentoring Programme from July to December 2023. This Programme has been co designed with Trinity Tangent and delivered by Aideen O'Hora Co Founder Sustainability Works and Ron Immink Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy expert and thought leader. Read more about the awardees and their visions to validate their solution and build new markets for circular solutions across multiple sectors: UsedFULLY creates science based solutions for unwanted clothing and textiles. Circulating textile resources, measuring impacts, reducing waste and emissions. Implementing new technologies and circular business models at scale, ensuring the full value of textile resources are maximised to minimise the impacts of what we clothe and protect ourselves with. "UsedFULLY is excited to be accepted into the CIRCULÉIRE 2023 New Venture Programme. Growing a thriving business through the support and networks of this programme. Rapidly scaling our science based, circular textile solutions in Ireland, Europe and beyond." Bernadette Casey Co Founder Usefully Ériu is reviving the lost legacy of Irish Wool. Ériu yarn is made from the softest Irish wool, hand selected, processed and designed entirely in Ireland. We are proud to be the first Irish knitwear brand whose products are exclusively Irish sourced and made through our ‘Farm to Yarn’ sustainable initiative, we source from our trusted network of farmers around Ireland, as well as Eriu’s own farm in Wicklow. Our mission is to combat the tragic decline of the Irish wool industry and to put a value back on Irish wool again. We seek to draw from our ancient heritage of working with wool and community values which were created around these industries and reignite them by creating new communities, new products and developing new markets. Medtech company Tympany Medical has developed Solascope a variable angle scope in Endoscopy manufactured with circularity at it's core. Endoscopy is the use of a camera technology to improve visualisation of hard to reach areas during surgery. Traditional endoscopy technology uses a rod lens, which is limited by light available and image technology used, however they are very fixed in terms of what can be seen through them and cannot vary the angle of view – a significant problem in an area with multiple cavities like the sinus. Tympany aims to change this, by introducing a variable angle scope called Solascope which while delivering excellence in visual technology for endoscopy will also deliver the next generation of manufacturing for circular economy. This will shift the lifecycle of Solascope endoscopes from linear to circular as sales progress. This is achieved through an encapsulation process where high value internal components like the camera module maintain their integrity and value and are re-used and lower value components which protect them are directed towards recycling. The FACTORY is on a mission to reinvent the traditionally wasteful and plastic-reliant signage industry by utilising wood, cardboard and other more Earth-friendly materials. This reinvention will be enhanced by using green energy for production, and most importantly, a reimagining of the signage system, so reuse is at its core. "We believe all businesses must operate in harmony with the environment, so, as in nature, the reuse of materials is vital. The CIRCULÉIRE 2023 New Venture Programme is a trail-blazing initiative that will facilitate The FACTORY to manufacture signage for a circular economy." Lisa Dooley Creative Director The Factory Well Spent Grain’s first product is called Born-Again bites which will help eliminate the stigma that sustainable & upcycled snacks have a bland taste. Born-Again bites are made from upcycled brewer’s spent grain plus 5 ingredients (i.e., dates, 100% peanut butter, toasted hazelnut, 70% dark chocolate, maple syrup) to provide good nutrition and a boost to adults’ energy levels. Each pack of Born-Again bites has a natural malty, nutty and fruity flavour, with hints of dark chocolate and maple syrup. It provides some protein and is high in fibre. It has a soft texture, not chewy, no preservatives/artificial flavouring.are committed to leading the charge in improving climate change as well as reducing the impact of food waste in the supply chain by upcycling brewer’s spent grain (which is underutilized and wasted in the food supply chain), all while contributing to a circular food economy and promoting sustainable snacking lifestyle. "In the long term, our dream is to become a leading food upcycling company that offers a wide range of value-added food & snack products in Ireland & Europe. We will be acting as a role model and advocator for a circular economy across Ireland & Europe." Sunkyung Choi , Patrick Nagle Co Founders Well Spent Grain Arcology System is a revolutionary smart and data-driven interior construction system that offers modularity and adaptability, unlocking circular economy value in the way commercial fitouts are financed, procured, built and managed for REIT’s, developers and end-users. This innovative system integrates the existing supply chain around connection hardware quicker, more cost effectively and enable materials to be kept in use at their highest value possible without waste. Assets become intelligent, and interiors are transformed into ‘Material Banks,’ resulting in future proofed spaces that can be fully utilised for Space-as-a-Service (SPaaS) business models. "We applied to the CIRCULÉIRE 2023 New Venture Programme to leverage manufacturing assistance and tap into specialist expertise across various verticals required by our hardware and platfom solutions. Additionally we aim to become investor ready with the guidance and resources supported by the programme." Colette Van Jaarsveld . Arcology System Ltd About CIRCULÉIRE CIRCULÉIRE is a public-private partnership co-created by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and three strategic partners: the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EIT Climate-KIC . Together with industry partners CIRCULÉIRE aims to assist manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models. Read more about CIRCULÉIRE here .

More than 150 delegates attended the 2024 edition of the Irish Waste Management Conference, held on Thursday, 14th March, at the Aviva Stadium. Dr. Geraldine Brennan, along with Government and industry representatives, provided insightful input on the progress and implementation of the circular economy in waste management in Ireland. Dr. Geraldine Brennan gave the conference an overview of CIRCULÉIRE and displayed some of the members' projects to scale up the utilisation of secondary raw materials and foster circularity. She also highlighted how current and upcoming regulations are enabling and pushing towards more circular business models. Some of the key takeaways from the other speakers were: Representatives of DECC and EPA highlighted the inclusion of specific circularity targets on upcoming regulations, such as the second Whole Government Strategy for Circular Economy. KPMG shared the results of its economic assessment on the Re-municipalisation of household waste management in Ireland, concluding that the management of waste by the private sector has been proven to be more effective and less costly than public management. The Southern Region Waste Management Office showcased the findings of their project to incentivize food waste separation, which includes the rollout of caddy packs and the establishment of a national food waste recycling week. The AMCS Group explained how AI could help achieve circularity targets. According to their most recent study, AI could help classify waste at the moment of its collection to avoid the contamination of recycled materials Industry shared positive news in terms of progress and commitment towards more circular practices. According to REPAK, between 2016-2023, there was a 25% increase in recycled tonnes in Ireland. Coca-Cola shared its commitment to NetZero emission by 2040 and 100% recyclable packaging by 2025.