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 be incorporated in Ireland for a minimum of 2 years;
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 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 |
14/05/2025 | Deadline for submission of completed applications: 5pm (GMT) |
w/c 19/05/2024 | Evaluations & Pitches for Short Listed Applicants (Online) |
w/c 26/05/2025 | Awardees Notified |
04/06/2024 | Acceptance & Contract Signed |
w/c 09/06/2025 | Accelerator Commences |
4: Application Process
Applicants must submit their completed application forms no later than 17:00 (GMT) on Wednesday, the 14th 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’.
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