Organized by the Circular Valley Foundation
Circular Valley Forum 2025
We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the forum with their participation, their contributions and their expertise.

The next forum will take place on November 13, 2026.

Impressions from this event are available here.
Image Gallery
Impressions
Speakers and panelists
Agenda in chronological order
Agenda by type
Speakers and panelists 2025
The Circular Valley Forum brings together top decision makers and Circular Economy experts from Industry, Science, Politics/Administration and Civil Society. Plus, we welcome Startups from our Accelerator program. The agenda is designed to facilitate high-impact interactions, offering opportunities for focused bilateral discussions alongside the conference sessions.
  • Thierry Aartsen
    Minister of Environment and Public Transport
    The Netherlands
  • Henrik Ahlers
    Chairman of the Board

    Ernst & Young Deutschland
  • Dr. Yilmaz Alan
    Managing Partner

    EY Consulting Germany
  • Dr. Thorsten Bastigkeit
    Head of Global Research & Open Innovation
    HENKEL
  • Lars Baumgürtel
    CEO

    ZINQ Group
  • Dr. Georg Bäuml
    Circular Construction Lead

    Circular Valley
  • Dr. Dorothee Becker
    CEO
    Becker Group
  • Astrid Boeijen
    CEO
    Brightlands Chemical Campus
  • Bart Brosius
    General delegate of Flanders
    Belgium Embassy Berlin
  • Jo Brouns
    Minister
    Flemish Ministry for Environment and Agriculture
  • Martin Chaumet
    Head of Innovation
    SPRIND
  • Carsten Cramer
    Managing Director
    Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Photo: Stefan Grey / BVB
  • Sir Tony Cragg
    Sculptor
    Photo: Schmidt
  • Dr. Heike Denecke-Arnold
    CEO
    Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH
  • Wolfram Diener
    CEO
    Messe Düsseldorf
  • Dr. Gerhard Erdmann
    Member of the Board
    Employers' Association for the Steel Industry
    Photo: Marc-Steffen Unger
  • Felicitas Erfurt
    Managing Director
    ERFURT&SOHN KG
  • Prof. Dr. Manfred Fischedick
    President
    Wuppertal Institute
  • Dr. Timo Fleßner
    Head of Global API Production
    BAYER AG
    Photo: Christian Lord Otto / Bayer AG
  • Sigmar Gabriel
    Former Vice Chancellor
    Federal Republic of Germany
  • Dr. Carsten Gerhardt
    Founder and Chairman
    Circular Valley Foundation

  • Jens Geier
    Member of Parliament
    European Union
  • Dr.-Ing. Alexander Gosten
    CEO
    Deutsche Gesellschaft für Abfallwirtschaft e.V. (DGAW)
  • Prof. Jan Grossarth
    Professor of Bioeconomics
    Hochschule Biberach
  • Dr. Albrecht Haase
    CEO
    GEFA Bank - Groupe BPCE
  • Viktor Haase
    State Secretary
    MUNV NRW
  • Susanne Hagenkort-Rieger
    Head of the Department of Economic Policy
    MWIKE NRW
  • Dr. Henrik Hahn
    CIO

    Evonik
  • Dr. Markus Helftewes
    COO

    Veolia Umweltservice
  • Dr. Thomas Hermann
    Chief Strategy Officer
    Evonik
  • Markus Hilkenbach
    CEO
    WSW Wuppertaler Stadtwerke GmbH
  • Inge Hofkens
    Member of the Board
    Aurubis
  • Axel Jütz
    CEO
    Stadtsparkasse Wuppertal
  • Dr. Johannes Kirchhoff
    CEO
    Managing Director Kirchhoff Gruppe
  • Bettina Kittel
    Head Chemicals Unit
    MWIKE, NRW
  • Dr. Daniel Koch
    Managing Director

    Basell Polyolefine GmbH
  • Prof. Dr. Lambert T. Koch
    President

    Deutscher Hochschulverband
  • Dr. Matthias Koehler
    Deputy Director General

    Federal Ministry of Economy (BMWK)
  • Tim Krieglstein
    CEO

    Sail GP Germany
  • Oliver Krischer
    Minister of the Environment, NRW

    North-Rhine Westphalia
    Photo: Land NRW / Ralph Sondermann
  • Philipp Krohn
    Editor

    FAZ
    Photo: Frank Roeth
  • Cornelius Laaser
    Head Circular Economy

    Ministry of the Environment NRW
  • Dr. Thorsten Latzel
    President, Representative of the Council of the EKD for Church and Sport
    Evangelical Church in the Rhineland
  • Nathanael Liminski
    Minister, Head of the State Chancellery, Minister for Europe
    State of North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Jens Loschwitz
    Managing Director

    BDE
  • Dr. Ing. Paul Mählitz
    Environmental Engineer
    DERA
  • Natalie Mekelburger
    CEO
    Coroplast
  • Frank Meyer
    Corporate Senior Vice President R&D
    Henkel Consumer Brands
  • Brigitte Mouligneau
    Transition Manager Circular Economy
    Flanders Circulaire
  • Andreas Mucke
    Managing Director
    Circular Economy Accelerator
  • Dr. Andreas Muth
    Member of Management Board
    EY Parthenon
  • Markus H.P. Müller
    Managing Director
    Chief Investment Officer Sustainability & Global Head of Chief Investment Office Private Bank
    Deutsche Bank
  • Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum
    Chief Scientist



    Circular Valley Foundation
  • Dr. Peter Nagler
    Regional Director Business & Technology



    A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research
  • Mona Neubaur
    Minister of the Economy and Climate
    North-Rhine Westphalia
    Photo: Land NRW / Ralph Sondermann
  • Dr. Max Neufeind
    Head of Societal Dialogue
    Federal Chancellery of Germany
  • Felix Neugart
    CEO
    NRW Global Business
  • Inge Neven
    CEO

    VITO
  • Prof. Dr. Regina Palkovits
    Director Institute for a Sustainable Hydrogen Economy
    Forschungszentrum Jülich
  • Gabriela Pantring
    Member of the Board

    NRW Bank
  • Arnoud Passenier
    Strategic Advisor on Circular Economy

    Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management | Environment Directorate | International Affairs
  • Bruno Pelli
    Technical Services Director - Geology, Mining, Processing
    VALE, Rio de Janeiro / Brazil
  • Tim Philippi
    Executive Director / Board Member

    Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce
  • Eva Platz
    CEO

    Economy Development Agency Wuppertal
  • Eckard Preen
    Head of Economic Development Agency

    Krefeld
  • Lars Redeligx
    CEO

    Düsseldorf Airport
  • Marcus Remmers
    Partner Planetary Health Investments
    Novo Holdings, Denmark
  • Prof. Dr. Manfred Renner
    Director
    Fraunhofer UMSICHT
  • Thomas Riedel
    CEO
    Riedel Communications
  • Dr. Thomas Rodemann
    Member of the Board

    Vorwerk
  • Michael Rusnarczyk
    Personal assistant to the managing partner
    ZINQ
  • Miriam Scherff
    Lord Mayor

    Wuppertal
  • Dr. Stefan Schindele
    Global Head Agri PV


    BayWa RE
  • Carsten Schneider
    Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection
    Germany
  • Romy Schnelle
    Managing Director


    High Tech Gründerfonds
  • Marc Scholze
    CEO
    Petkus
  • HA Schult
    Artist
  • Dr. Ingrid Sebald
    CTO
    TESA
  • Frank Terhorst
    Executive Vice President (EVP) Strategy & Sustainability
    BAYER Crop Science
  • Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schurr
    Director Institute of Plant Sciences

    Jülich Research Center
  • Dr. Dirk Stenkamp
    CEO

    TÜV Nord
  • William Stevens
    CEO
    Tech Tour
  • Thomas Stoffmehl
    CEO
    Vorwerk SE
  • Dr. Marco Trienes
    CEO
    Economic Development Agency Paderborn
  • André Tünkers
    Managing Director

    Tünkers Group
  • Koos van Haasteren
    Executive Director

    Chemelot
  • Dr. Johannes Velling
    Director General Digitalization and Startups
    NRW
  • Lia Voermans
    Chair Steering Board
    Brightlands Circular Space
  • Prof. Dr. Henning Wilts
    Director of Division Circular Economy
    Wuppertal Institute
Program Circular Valley Forum
November 14th, 2025
Circular Economy - challenges and opportunities
Forum 2022
Cooperation along the value chain
Forum 2023
Taking action

Forum 2024
Action across borders and industries
Forum 2025
08:00
08:00
RECEPTION
08:45 - 9:00
08:45 - 9:00
Welcome from the Circular Valley Foundation Board of Directors
Großer Saal
  • Dr. Thomas Stoffmehl, CEO Vorwerk SE
  • Dr. Dorothee Becker, CEO Becker Group
09:00 - 09:10
09:00 - 09:10
Opening Keynote
Großer Saal
  • Mona Neubaur, Minister of Economy NRW
09:10 - 09:15
09:10 - 09:15
Circular Valley Convention
Großer Saal
  • Wolfram Diener, CEO Messe Düsseldorf
09:15 - 09:25
09:15 - 09:25
Circular Economy in the broader societal discussion
Großer Saal
  • Dr. Thorsten Latzel, Praeses of the Protestant Church of the Rhineland
09:25 - 09:45
09:25 - 09:45
The role of the trilateral region - the heart of Europe-Collaboration
Großer Saal
Panel:
  • Susanne Hagenkort-Rieger (Director General of the Economic Policy Department, Ministry of Economy, NRW
  • Brigitte Mouligneau (Transition Manager, OVAM, Flanders)
  • Arnoud Passenier (Circular Economy Advisor to the Government, the Netherlands)
09:45 - 11:15
09:45 - 11:15
Status of the industry – opportunities and challenges
Großer Saal
Metals – a highly circular industry
  • Inge Hofkens, COO Aurubis
  • Dr. Heike Denecke-Arnold, CEO Salzgitter Flachstahl
  • Bruno Pelli, VALE, Brazil
  • Dr. Ing. Paul Mählitz, DERA
  • Dr. Matthias Koehler, Deputy Director General - Raw Material Policy, Circular Economy, Resource Protection, BMWK
  • Prof. Jan Grossarth, University Biberach, Editor

Chemicals – key challenge and core solution provider
What’s possible in Chemistry – the scientific perspective
  • Frank F. Meyer, SVP/Head of R&D Henkel Consumer Brands
  • Inge Neven, CEO VITO
  • Prof. Regina Palkovits, RWTH Aachen and Head of Catalaix Program – Catalysis for a Circular Economy
  • Prof. Dr. Manfred Renner, CEO Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Fraunhofer CCPE
  • William Stevens, CEO Tech Tour

Putting the potential into practice
  • Lars Redeligx, CEO Düsseldorf Airport
  • Koos van Haasteren, Executive Director Chemelot
  • Dr. Daniel Koch, Managing Director LyondellBasell Germany and Head of Transformation Site
10:00 - 11:00
10:00 - 11:00
Regional Network Meeting
Mahlersaal
  • Exchange and networking
    Innovation Meets Location: Circular Renovation and Construction
    Organised by NRW.Global Business GmbH

    Circular renovation and construction – What do we offer? What are we looking for?
    Intro: Film Köster GmbH ‘Circular construction. Brick harvesting in Rehmstraße, Osnabrück’

    Insights from various regions and stakeholders
    • Birgit Essling, Lippe zirkulär
    • Dr Bettina Knote, Bergische Rohstoffschmiede
    • Bert Krikke, Cirkelstad, Netherlands
    • Armin Möller, Healthy Building Movement Viersen
    • Brigitte Mouligneau, Circular Flanders, Belgium
    • Jürgen Schubert, STRUCTURELAB
    • Felix Schumacher, ICLEI
    • Monika Zurnatzis, Gründungszentrum Krefeld
    • Silke Kretschmer, Stefanie Schönrath, NRW.Global Business

    Exchange and networking
    • Regions and stakeholders are ready to exchange ideas
    • Individual contact establishment for ‘This is what I offer. This is what I am looking for.’

    In German
11:15 - 11:30
11:15 - 11:30
Startup Pitches
Großer Saal
11:30 - 12:00
11:30 - 12:00
NETWORKING BREAK
Großer Saal
12:00 - 12:25
12:00 - 12:25
Talk with Sigmar Gabriel
Großer Saal
  • Former Federal Minister of the Economy and Federal Minister of the Environment
12:25 - 12:40
12:25 - 12:40
Startup Pitches
Großer Saal
12:40 - 13:00
12:40 - 13:00
Action of Value Chain Participants for the Circular Economy
Großer Saal
  • Dirk Stenkamp, CEO TÜV Nord
  • Frank Terhorst, Executive Vice President (EVP) Strategy & Sustainability BAYER Crop Science
  • Lia Vormans, Brightlands Circular Space

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum
13:00 - 14:00
13:00 - 14:00
LUNCH I NETWORKING

14:00 - 15:00
14:00 - 15:00
Catalaix meets industry – Sustainable cycles for plastics
Mahler Saal
  • Prof. Dr. Regina Palkovits, Co-Lead Catalaix & ITMC RWTH Aachen
  • Dr. Ralf Düssel, Head of Sustainability EVONIK
  • Jürgen Ephan, Managing Director REMONDIS
  • Dr. Daniel Koch, Managing Director and Plant Manager of the Wesseling and Knapsack sites LYONDELLBASELL
  • Dr. Michael Kroh, Fellow Materials and Sustainability Officer VORWERK ELEKTROWERKE
  • Marcus Söhngen, Managing Director and COO COROPLAST

In German (simultaneously translated into English)
14:15 - 14:30
14:15 - 14:30
Startup Pitches
Großer Saal
14:30 - 15:00
14:30 - 15:00
World Champions in Doing
Großer Saal
Panel:
  • Dr. Henrik Ahlers, CEO EY Germany
  • Carsten Cramer, Managing Director Borussia Dortmund
  • Dr. Max Neufeind State Chancellery, Berlin
  • Jens Loschwitz, Managing Director BDE
  • Dr. Gerhard Erdmann, Member of the Board, Employers Association Steel

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Lambert Koch, President German University Association
14:30 - 15:00
14:30 - 15:00
Action across borders in the construction industry
Mendelssohn Saal
Panel:
  • Viktor Haase, State Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Nature and Transport of the State North Rheine-Westphalia
  • Arnoud Passenier, Strategic Advisor on Circular Economy, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands
  • Bert Krikke, Cirkelstad, The Netherlands
  • Werner Annaert, CEO, OVAM, Flanders
  • Dr. Georg Bäuml, Circular Construction, Circular Valley
15:00 - 15:30
15:00 - 15:30
How to innovate for a Circular Economy
Großer Saal
  • Dr. Ingrid Sebald, CTO/Member of the Board TESA
  • Martin Chaumet, Head of Innovation SPRIND
  • Dr. Thorsten Bastigkeit, Head of Global Research & Open Innovation HENKEL

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum, Circular Valley
15:00 - 15:30
15:00 - 15:30
Multiple Regions - one goal: how development agencies cooperate to find the optimal locations for expanding Circular Economy companies
Mendelssohn Saal
  • Eckard Preen, Head of Economic Development Agency Krefeld
  • Paul Sterz, Managing Director Metropolregion Rheinland
  • Eva Platz, CEO Economic Development Agency Wuppertal
  • Dr. Marco Trienes, CEO Economic Development Agency Paderborn
  • Kris Castelein, Flanders, Investment & Trade

Moderator: Andreas Mucke, Managing Director Circular Economy Accelerator
15:30 - 16:00
15:30 - 16:00
The role of Tech in a Circular Economy
Großer Saal
  • Dr. Henrik Hahn, CIO Evonik Industries
  • Dr. Yilmaz Alan, Managing Partner Consulting EY Germany
  • Dr. Markus Helftewes, COO Veolia Germany
  • Dr. Alexander Gosten, CEO DGAW
  • Dr. Johannes Velling, Director General Digitalization and Startups, NRW

Moderation: Philipp Krohn
15:30 - 16:00
15:30 - 16:00
Looking East – how does Asia promote the Circular Economy
Mendelssohn Saal
  • Peter Nagler, Director Business & Technology Development (Europe) of A*Star Singapore
  • Tim Philippi, Executive Director/Board Member, Singapore-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce SGC
  • Marc-Oliver Pahl, Ministry of the Enviroment
16:00 - 16:30
16:00 - 16:30
The Cost Dilemma – who will pay for Circularity or how to set incentives?
Großer Saal
  • Dr. Thomas Rodemann, Member of the Board, Vorwerk SE
  • Lars Baumgürtel, CEO ZINQ
  • Felicitas Erfurt, Managing Partner Erfurt
  • Gabriela Pantring, Member of the Board, NRW Bank

Moderator: Dr. Carsten Gerhardt, Circular Valley
16:00 - 16:30
16:00 - 16:30
Green Impact Award ceremony
Mendelssohn Saal
16:30 - 17:00
16:30 - 17:00
The attractiveness of Circular Economy to Investors
Großer Saal
  • Dr. Marcus Remmers, Partner Novo Holding
  • Dr. Nikolaus Raupp, Priciple of High Tech Gründerfonds
17:00 - 17:30
17:00 - 17:30
Powering the Circular Economy – the potential of AgroPhotovoltaics
Großer Saal
  • Pascal Stoeters, Tünkers Group
  • Prof. Ulrich Schurr, Forschungszentrum Jülich
  • Dr. Stefan Schindele, Global Head AgriPV, BayWe RE
17:30 - 18:00
17:30 - 18:00
Signing of the Joint Declaration Flanders/The Netherlands/NRW
Großer Saal
  • Jo Brouns, Flemish Minister of the Environment and Agriculture,
  • Oliver Krischer, NRW Minister of the Environment, Environmental Protection and Transportation of North-Rhine-Westphalia;
  • Afke van Rijn, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, The Netherlands

Introduction and greeting by Dr. Johannes Kirchhoff, (Managing Director Kirchhoff Group and CEO BDI Initiative Circular Economy) and Albrecht Haase, CEO GEFA Bank (member of the Circular Valley Foundation Board of Trustees), Miriam Scherff (Lord Mayor of Wuppertal)
18:00
18:00
END OF THE CONFERENCE PROGRAM
18:00
18:00
Startup Pitches
Mendelssohn Saal
Translation DE <> EN available in Großer Saal.
Im Großen Saal Simultanübersetzung DE<>EN.
Forum Program
Reception 08:00
Keynotes and Sessions
08:45 - 9:00
Welcome from the Circular Valley Foundation Board of Directors
  • Dr. Thomas Stoffmehl, CEO Vorwerk SE
  • Dr. Dorothee Becker, CEO Becker Group
Großer Saal
09:00 - 09:10
Opening Keynote
  • Mona Neubaur, Minister of Economy NRW
Großer Saal
09:10 - 09:15
Circular Valley Convention
  • Wolfram Diener, CEO Messe Düsseldorf
Großer Saal
09:15 - 09:25
Circular Economy in the broader societal discussion
  • Dr. Thorsten Latzel, Praeses of the Protestant Church of the Rhineland
Großer Saal
09:25 - 09:45
The role of the trilateral region - the heart of Europe-Collaboration
  • Susanne Hagenkort-Rieger (Director General of the Economic Policy Department, Ministry of Economy, NRW
  • Brigitte Mouligneau (Transition Manager, OVAM, Flanders)
  • Arnoud Passenier (Circular Economy Advisor to the Government, the Netherlands)
Großer Saal
09:45 - 11:15
Status of the industry – opportunities and challenges
Metals – a highly circular industry
  • Inge Hofkens, COO Aurubis
  • Dr. Heike Denecke-Arnold, CEO Salzgitter Flachstahl
  • Bruno Pelli, VALE, Brazil
  • Dr. Ing. Paul Mählitz, DERA
  • Dr. Matthias Koehler, Deputy Director General - Raw Material Policy, Circular Economy, Resource Protection, BMWK
  • Prof. Jan Grossarth, University Biberach, Editor

Chemicals – key challenge and core solution provider
What’s possible in Chemistry – the scientific perspective
  • Frank F. Meyer, SVP/Head of R&D Henkel Consumer Brands
  • Inge Neven, CEO VITO
  • Prof. Regina Palkovits, RWTH Aachen and Head of Catalaix Program – Catalysis for a Circular Economy
  • Prof. Dr. Manfred Renner, CEO Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Fraunhofer CCPE
  • William Stevens, CEO Tech Tour

Putting the potential into practice
  • Lars Redeligx, CEO Düsseldorf Airport
  • Koos van Haasteren, Executive Director Chemelot
  • Dr. Daniel Koch, Managing Director LyondellBasell Germany and Head of Transformation Site
Großer Saal
11:30 - 12:00
NETWORKING BREAK
Großer Saal
12:00 - 12:25
Talk with Sigmar Gabriel
Former Federal Minister of the Economy and Federal Minister of the Environment

In German (simultaneously translated into English)
Großer Saal
12:40 - 13:00
Action of Value Chain Participants for the Circular Economy
  • Dirk Stenkamp, CEO TÜV Nord
  • Frank Terhorst, Executive Vice President (EVP) Strategy & Sustainability BAYER Crop Science
  • Lia Vormans, Brightlands Circular Space

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum
Großer Saal
13:00 - 14:00
LUNCH I NETWORKING
12:00 - 12:25
Catalaix meets industry – Sustainable cycles for plastics
  • Prof. Dr. Regina Palkovits, Co-Lead Catalaix & ITMC RWTH Aachen
  • Dr. Ralf Düssel, Head of Sustainability EVONIK
  • Jürgen Ephan, Managing Director REMONDIS
  • Dr. Daniel Koch, Managing Director and Plant Manager of the Wesseling and Knapsack sites LYONDELLBASELL
  • Dr. Michael Kroh, Fellow Materials and Sustainability Officer VORWERK ELEKTROWERKE
  • Marcus Söhngen, Managing Director and COO COROPLAST

In German (simultaneously translated into English)
Mahler Saal
14:30 - 15:00
World Champions in Doing
  • Dr. Henrik Ahlers, CEO EY Germany
  • Carsten Cramer, Managing Director Borussia Dortmund
  • Dr. Max Neufeind, State Chancellery, Berlin
  • Jens Loschwitz, Managing Director BDE
  • Dr. Gerhard Erdmann, Member of the Board, Employers Association Steel

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Lambert Koch, President German University Association

In German (simultaneously translated into English)
Großer Saal
14:30 - 15:00
Action across borders in the construction industry
  • Viktor Haase, State Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Nature and Transport of the State North Rheine-Westphalia
  • Arnoud Passenier, Strategic Advisor on Circular Economy, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands
  • Bert Krikke, Cirkelstad, The Netherlands
  • Werner Annaert, CEO, OVAM, Flanders
  • Dr. Georg Bäuml, Circular Construction, Circular Valley
Mendelssohn Saal
15:00 - 15:30
How to innovate for a Circular Economy
  • Dr. Ingrid Sebald, CTO/Member of the Board TESA
  • Martin Chaumet, Head of Innovation SPRIND
  • Dr. Thorsten Bastigkeit, Head of Global Research & Open Innovation HENKEL

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum, Circular Valley
Großer Saal
15:00 - 15:30
Multiple Regions - one goal: how development agencies cooperate to find the optimal locations for expanding Circular Economy companies
  • Eckard Preen, Head of Economic Development Agency Krefeld
  • Paul Sterz, Managing Director Metropolregion Rheinland
  • Eva Platz, CEO Economic Development Agency Wuppertal
  • Dr. Marco Trienes, CEO Economic Development Agency Paderborn
  • Kris Castelein, Flanders, Investment & Trade

Moderator: Andreas Mucke, Managing Director Circular Economy Accelerator
Mendelssohn Saal
15:30 - 16:00
The role of Tech in a Circular Economy
  • Dr. Henrik Hahn, CIO Evonik Industries
  • Dr. Yilmaz Alan, Managing Partner Consulting EY Germany
  • Dr. Markus Helftewes, COO Veolia Germany
  • Dr. Alexander Gosten, CEO DGAW
  • Dr. Johannes Velling, Director General Digitalization and Startups, NRW
Moderation: Philipp Krohn, FAZ

In German (simultaneously translated into English)
Großer Saal
15:30 - 16:00
Looking East – how does Asia promote the Circular Economy
  • Peter Nagler, Director Business & Technology Development (Europe) of A*Star Singapore
  • Tim Philippi, Executive Director/Board Member, Singapore-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce SGC
  • Marc-Oliver Pahl, Ministry of the Enviroment
Mendelssohn Saal
16:00 - 16:30
The Cost Dilemma – who will pay for Circularity or how to set incentives?
  • Dr. Thomas Rodemann, Member of the Board, Vorwerk SE
  • Lars Baumgürtel, CEO ZINQ
  • Felicitas Erfurt, Managing Partner Erfurt
  • Gabriela Pantring, Member of the Board, NRW Bank

Moderator: Dr. Carsten Gerhardt, Circular Valley

In German (simultaneously translated into English)
Großer Saal
16:30 - 17:00
The attractiveness of Circular Economy to Investors
  • Dr. Marcus Remmers, Partner Novo Holding
  • Dr. Nikolaus Raupp, Priciple of High Tech Gründerfonds
Großer Saal
17:00 - 17:30
Powering the Circular Economy – the potential of AgroPhotovoltaics
  • Prof. Ulrich Schurr, Forschungszentrum Jülich
  • Dr. Stefan Schindele, Global Head AgriPV, BayWe RE
  • Pascal Stoeters, Tünkers Group

In German (simultaneously translated into English)
Großer Saal
17:30 - 18:00
Signing of the Joint Declaration Flanders/The Netherlands/NRW

  • Jo Brouns, Flemish Minister of the Environment and Agriculture,
  • Oliver Krischer, NRW Minister of the Environment, Environmental Protection and Transportation of North-Rhine-Westphalia;
  • Afke van Rijn, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, The Netherlands

Introduction and greeting by Dr. Johannes Kirchhoff, (Managing Director Kirchhoff Group and CEO BDI Initiative Circular Economy) and Albrecht Haase, CEO GEFA Bank (member of the Circular Valley Foundation Board of Trustees), Miriam Scherff (Lord Mayor of Wuppertal)
Großer Saal
18:00
END OF THE CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Startup Pitches
11:15 - 11:30
Batch #9
Block 1
  • Naion.tech - Berinike Bräsel
  • Anferra - Max Lumetzberger
  • AraBat - Leonardo Renna
  • REEgen - Alexa Schmitz

Moderation: Maximilian Merklinger
Großer Saal
12:25 - 12:40
Batch #9
Block 2
  • Gizil - Esma Gulten
  • LightEd - Peter Johnson
  • LoopID - Alexis Gamboa
  • Pikare Skysource - Hüseyin Çiloğlu
  • Circular Ecosystems - Stephen McGurk

Moderation: Maximilian Merklinger
Großer Saal
14:15 - 14:30
Batch #9
Block 3
  • Fungi Life - Maria Isabel Gaviria
  • Ecorbio - Abhinav Singh
  • Algreen - Zee Wang
  • DEPOLIFY - Tomislav Stolar
  • CYCLIZE - Maike Lambarth

Moderation: Maximilian Merklinger
Großer Saal
18:00
Reverse Logistics Accelerator
  • The Ocean Package
  • Maxmove
  • Xpack
  • Urbix Hub
  • Circular Logistics
  • EDENenergy
  • BooxIT
  • Koorvi
  • Recarbished
  • Sacred Valley Tech
  • wempyre
Mendelssohn Saal
Roundtables and other
10:00 - 11:00
Innovation Meets Location: Circular Renovation and Construction
Regional Network Meeting
Organised by NRW.Global Business GmbH

Circular renovation and construction – What do we offer? What are we looking for?

Intro: Film Köster GmbH ‘Circular construction. Brick harvesting in Rehmstraße, Osnabrück’

Insights from various regions and stakeholders
  • Birgit Essling, Lippe zirkulär
  • Dr Bettina Knote, Bergische Rohstoffschmiede
  • Bert Krikke, Cirkelstad, Netherlands
  • Armin Möller, Healthy Building Movement Viersen
  • Brigitte Mouligneau, Circular Flanders, Belgium
  • Jürgen Schubert, STRUCTURELAB
  • Felix Schumacher, ICLEI
  • Monika Zurnatzis, Gründungszentrum Krefeld
  • Silke Kretschmer, Stefanie Schönrath, NRW.Global Business

Exchange and networking
  • Regions and stakeholders are ready to exchange ideas
  • Individual contact establishment for ‘This is what I offer. This is what I am looking for.’

In German
Mahler Saal
16:00 - 16:30
Green Impact Award ceremony
Mendelssohn Saal