Circular Economy Prize winners use next-generation tech to advance a European circular society
Four ground-breaking tech solutions have been awarded the EIT Circular Economy Prize to help advance a circular society across Europe.
A circular economy is necessary for Europe’s green and digital transitions, and ultimately, for carbon-neutrality. It is a framework for industry and consumers to re-use, recycle, refurbish, and repair existing materials and products for as long as possible. The approach is an enabler of both economic growth and reduction of carbon emissions.
The EIT Circular Economy Community has launched the EIT Circular Economy Prize to award start-ups with groundbreaking solutions related to the circular economy. The Circular Economy Community is led by EIT RawMaterials, with the involvement of EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing, EIT Climate-KIC, and EIT Urban Mobility.
This new competition is part of the EIT Community mission to progress a circular society across Europe. The initiative identifies start-ups and SMEs with significant innovations for enabling a circular approach in industry and society.
The winning start-ups offer solutions ranging from technology that can decarbonise the construction industry, to durability labels for products that can guide consumers towards more responsible purchasing choices. They will each receive EUR 15,000 to help bring their solution to market.
Find out more about the four phenomenal 2022 winners below.
An Alpine mission to Decarbonise Construction
Technicians and scientists witnessing the effects of climate change in the Alpine region came together to form the start-up ParaStruct. Their mission is to decarbonise the construction industry and reduce resource inefficiencies. They were awarded the Circular Economy prize for their advanced 3D power-printing technology that enables the recycling of construction waste into high-quality materials for re-use.
An E-Commerce Platform for Industrial Spare Parts
E-commerce platforms enabling clothes swapping and the re-selling of second-hand clothes have revolutionised the world of responsible fashion. Now kheoos is offering a similar, breakthrough technology – but for the re-use of industrial spare parts. It won the Circular Economy prize for the Kheoosmarket platform that enables a full-scale, efficient, and transparent worldwide market for the reuse of spare parts. With just a few clicks, the platform allows companies to assess the potential of dormant spare parts and generate them for re-sale.
The LONGTIME product certification
Ethikis, a social enterprise promoting ethical consumption and use, was awarded the prize for their LONGTIME® product label. This label, a certified stamp of approval, informs consumers that the product is durable and long-lasting. (It works in a similar way to the Leaping Bunny certification for vegan products.) This aims to guide consumers towards more informed and responsible decision making when buying products.
Empowering consumers to keep materials in the loop
Niaga’s solution is a scannable tag for products like mattresses and carpets that enables consumers to see exactly what they are made of and, crucially, how to recycle them. In this way, the Niaga® tag helps to keep valuable materials in the loop for future generations and significantly reduce waste.
The four start-ups will officially receive their award at The Future is Circular event on 1 December. This virtual event will also highlight the EIT Community’s achievements in advancing the circular economy in the past year. Join us for the livestream and find out more about Europe’s circular future!