Circular Economy Innovation Network

The Circular Economy Innovation Network aims to enable stronger, more resilient industries working together, connecting, collaborating, and sharing experiences to achieve Net Zero through circular innovation.

About the network

In the UK most of what we use and consume flows through a take, make, waste economy. By contrast in a Circular Economy products or their component parts are returned or processed so they can be repaired for reuse, resold, refurbished or remanufactured, or reduced to composite elements for recycling.

Material flows in a circular supply chain focus on retaining the value of materials at the highest value for the longest time, i.e. extending the lifecycle of a product: instead of just recycling the material or sending it to a landfill, an item is returned to begin a new journey in the supply chain. A Circular Economy supply chain can help ameliorate the upfront investments made in carbon, energy, water, chemicals, labour, money etc. by designing out waste from the outset.

By adopting a Circular Economy framework and building collaborative communities aligned to three key principles: Circular Design, Circular Business Models, and Circular Recovery; we aim to inspire industry members to come together to reduce environmental impact and achieve Net Zero goals through circular innovation.

Circular Economy focus areas

Circular Design

Circular Design

From choosing the material type, considering the way products and services interact with people and systems through to end-of-life disposal, Design is a critically important pillar of Circular Economy systems.

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Circular Business Models

Circular Business Models

By taking into account how materials & products move around the economy or how an organisation creates and delivers value to a wide range of stakeholders while eliminating waste and environmental damage, Circular Business Models can offer new commercial opportunities.

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Circular Recovery

Circular Recovery

Focusing on retaining every asset possible across the value chains and the procurement processes to reduce the amount of new feedstocks needed can result in reduced expense and increased risk mitigation in the supply chains.

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Working Together to Find Solutions

Research shows specialist collaborations produce results that wouldn’t be possible when people think and work in isolation. We are focused on three Challenge Communities: Wool, Aluminium, and Chemicals; which will convene and consult across the value chain to co-create a Circular Innovation Action Plan for each of the sectors. These Action Plans will identify the key barriers preventing progress towards Net Zero and highlight how Innovation for a Circular Economy can help overcome these barriers.

Click here to read the Wool Innovation Action Plan.

Click here to read the Action Plan for Transforming Industrial Waste Gases (CO/CO2) to Chemicals.

Our Action Plan for the Aluminium sector is coming soon.

As part of this process, each of the cross-sector communities will agree on two challenges they want to tackle together. We will seek potential solutions and broker new relationships and collaborations between established industries, innovators and academia, for example, by using our Innovation Exchange, or the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships platforms.

These and other IUK KTN Programmes can facilitate these relationships, matching the right businesses and institutions to work together. Engaging in the Circular Economy Innovation Network could help you and your business build knowledge in this important area, access research teams and strengthen connections across sectors to maximise the benefits, economic, environmental and societal, for everyone.

Resources

Our Experts

Related Opportunities

European Commission Plastics Related Funding & tender opportunities

Opens: 01/03/2023 Closes: 22/02/2024

Horizon Europe funding for reducing plastic pollution, pollutant monitoring, circular economy, and biodegradation validation. Various closing dates.

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Zero Waste Scotland Circular Textiles Fund

Opens: 01/05/2023 Closes: 09/06/2023

Scottish businesses can apply for support from the Circular Textiles Fund to support the development of circular supply chains in Scotland.

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Global Innovation Exchange challenge: Valorisation of Paper Industry Waste

Opens: 18/05/2023 Closes: 30/06/2023

DCLM (operated by Veolia) want to find economically viable solutions to transform waste materials into valuable resources.

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Faraday Battery Challenge Round 6: collaborative R&D

Opens: 16/05/2023 Closes: 16/07/2023

Up to £10m is available to demonstrate or accelerate state of the art battery technologies in the UK, grow the supply chain & increase UK competitiveness.

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Critical materials for magnets: Strand 1, feasibility studies

Opens: 11/04/2023 Closes: 21/06/2023

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £5 million for innovative projects that stimulate growth in the rare earth elements (REE) critical materials supply chain. This funding is from Innovate UKs CLIMATES programme.

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Critical materials for magnets: Strand 2, mid- and late-stage R&D

Opens: 11/04/2023 Closes: 21/06/2023

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £5 million for innovative projects that stimulate growth in the rare earth elements (REE) critical materials supply chain. This funding is from Innovate UK’s CLIMATES programme.

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Related Events and Recordings

Tue
6
Jun
2023

Wool in Construction: A Smart Technical Fibre

10.00 - 11.15 | Online

Register for this event
Thu
2
Mar
2023

Transforming industrial waste gases (CO/CO2) to chemicals

10.00 - 12.15 | Online

Watch now
See all events

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Made Smarter
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Join the Circular Economy Innovation Network

If you would like to take part in the discussion and be kept updated of our activities, grants and funding opportunities, join our Community.

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