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Leanne Conroy
May 133 min read

Applications Open for 2024 CIRCULÉIRE Late-Stage Venture Programme - Deadline Extension to 26th June

Updated: Jun 26




Now in it's 5th year of funding, 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 support circular economy innovators with well developed and tested services or products who wish to avail of highly specialized circularity mentorship and business acceleration support.

The programme will provide the cohort of participants with key knowledge and tools to help their circular solutions make a systemic impact on both economic and social level and drive Irelands transition to net-zero carbon circular economy. Participants will have access to workshops, training sessions, knowledge share activities and mentoring centered around:

  1. System thinking and design strategies for circular value chain and supply chain

  2. Customer discovery for circular business development

  3. Leveraging the funding landscape to support business growth

  4. Measuring impact and communicating circularity performance

  5. Perfecting the pitch and selling the circularity story

Eligibility Criteria

  1. The company/business solution must be centred on/implementing or enabling “circular economy” e.g. “Circular Manufacturing” “Circular Production Systems” “Circular Supply chains”, “Circular Products”; “Circular Reverse-Logistics”;

  2. The Enterprise must be incorporated in Ireland for a minimum of 2 years;

  3. The 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 venture programme and outline how they will leverage the following to scale their business:

  1. Build relationships with representatives from sectors leading Circular Economy in the CIRCULÉIRE Members Network;

  2. Integrate system thinking and design strategies into their business models;

  3. Learn how to get funding ready to accelerate their journey;

  4. Measuring impact data and circularity performance;

  5. Demystifying upcoming regulation and understanding implications for Irish companies;

  6. Accessing knowledge and building networks.

Programme Benefits

The programme will offer participants added value with:

  1. Equity-free funding for your new venture: € 5,000

  2. Coaching & training from national and international cross-sectoral experts on Circular Economy and Entrepreneurship

  3. 1-to-1 and 1-to-many mentoring by practitioners, industry representatives and experienced founders from a variety of sectors

  4. Validation of product/technology and market and finding product-market fit

  5. Access and learnings from MNC and SME supply-chains through CIRCULÉIRE’s network

  6. Sessions to get investor ready, exploring potential contacts with investors & VCs/funds

  7. Access to and opportunity to engage in wider CIRCULÉIRE Industry Network meetings and activities

  8. Chance to leverage the R&D potential of Irish Manufacturing Research (secretariat of CIRCULÉIRE)

  9. Opportunities to build relationships across the Island of Ireland CE ecosystem

Application Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the degree to which they meet the following criteria:

  1. Alignment with CIRCULÉIRE’s Programme objectives.

  2. Track record of business performance over the previous 3 years including evidence of circular economy implementation.

  3. Evidence of strong founder in the in the business fully committed to the Programme and the ideals of the Circular Economy.

  4. Strong leadership team with a track record of skills/capabilities to make the new venture succeed.

  5. Strong Value Proposition/s encapsulated in a well-designed business model which will deliver growth and profitability through circular economy principles.

  6. Strong prospect of generating defensible IP.

  7. Evident understanding of the target market/s and the marketing strategy that is to be employed.

  8. The financial strength to fund and sustain your circular venture

Programme Timeline

Application Process

Applicants must submit their completed application by EOD Wednesday, the 26th June 2024 via the following email: circuleire@imr.ie

If you have any queries regarding the Circular Venture Innovation & Mentoring Programme please reach out to Agnese.Metitieri@imr.ie directly.

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