With the motto “Uniting Industries for a Circular Tomorrow”, the first Circular Valley Convention took place on March 12 and 13 at Areal Böhler in Düsseldorf. And this premiere exceeded all expectations. Two days filled with ideas, innovations and inspiring discussions - the first Circular Valley Convention proved that the circular economy is no longer a niche topic, but a key driver for business and politics. Leading companies, hidden champions, startups and research institutions came together to build partnerships and shape the future of the circular economy together with high-ranking representatives from politics, administration and civil society.

The Circular Valley Foundation has launched the world's first trade fair on the circular economy in cooperation with Messe Düsseldorf and with scientific support from the Fraunhofer UMSICHT Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology and has jointly put together a varied program with more than 200 top-class speakers - many of them from the Circular Valley network.

Speakers included Oliver Krischer, Minister of the Environment of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Prof. Dr. Holger Hanselka, President of Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Dr. Timo Fleßner, Head of Global Active Ingredient Production at Bayer, Markus Bangen, Chairman of the Executive Board of Duisport - Duisburger Hafen AG, Dr. Clara Seidel, Senior Vice-President Research at BASF SE, Liam Condon, CEO of Johnson Matthey, Joerg Deppmeyer, Managing Director of Der Grüne Punkt - Dual System Germany GmbH, Ulrike Sapiro, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henkel and many more. NRW Minister President Hendrik Wüst was the patron of the event.

Among the more than 100 exhibitors presenting circular innovations - from advanced recycling technologies and bio-based materials to digital innovations - were the startups from the current Batch 8 of the Circular Valley Accelerator program. Numerous alumni startups from previous programs were also present.

A highlight of the convention on the morning of March 13 was the DemoDay of the eighth batch of startups that were guests in the region at the time. DemoDay gives them the opportunity to pitch their ideas to partners from the Circular Valley network and other interested parties. The seating and standing areas throughout the room were completely full as the startups presented their business models in short, snappy presentations. The presentations then generated a lot of interest at the startups' stands.

The special thing about the new Circular Valley Convention is not only that it is the first trade fair that is specifically dedicated to the topic of the circular economy and brings together international companies, science and politics, but also the unique combination of conference and practice-oriented expo. In addition to lectures, discussion rounds and presentations, there was also plenty of room for exchange and intensive discussions. This benefited young companies in particular, who were able to make important contacts at the convention in order to advance their business ideas.

Messe Düsseldorf sees the event as an all-round success:

Professor Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, adds: “The Circular Valley Convention 2025 is a very good opportunity to bring Fraunhofer solutions in applied research and development to the market with companies. I look forward to the first Circular Valley Convention 2025 becoming a good tradition - and to us continuing to shape the transition to the circular economy together with the participants.”

Dr. Carsten Gerhardt, Chairman of the Circular Valley Foundation, also explains that the Circular Valley Convention stands for a holistic, cross-industry and cross-material approach. The aim is to drive forward the circular economy worldwide - and this can only be achieved if all players along the value chain work together.

They come from 13 countries on four continents - in February and March, all 16 startups from the eighth round of the Circular Economy Accelerator came to the extended Rhine-Ruhr region. A varied program and many opportunities to further develop their business ideas and make important contacts awaited them there.

The program included workshops and coaching, Hot Chair sessions with experts and visits to companies from the Circular Valley network.

In the body language workshop with Stefanie Siebers, the young entrepreneurs learned how to stand on a stage, how to use their own voice and what they can do to counter excitement before a presentation.

One topic that concerns many startups is attracting investors. This was the subject of the “How to talk to investors” workshop. It focused in particular on how entrepreneurs approach discussions with potential investors - what questions to expect and which preparation makes sense.

The workshops and coaching sessions also included one on social media, individual coaching sessions on business models and pitch training with Judith Alt and Maximilian Merklinger from Kearney and a branding boot camp, which focused on developing your own brand and positioning.

In the Hot Chair Sessions, the startup representatives were able to talk directly to experts. They answer questions and provide insights into their entrepreneurial practice. The young entrepreneurs continue to benefit from the resulting contacts after the sessions. The following guests took a seat on the “hot chair”:

During visits to Vorwerk and Knipex, the founders were also able to take a look behind the scenes at important companies from the Circular Valley network.

The big highlight of the program was the Circular Valley Convention on 12 and 13 March in Düsseldorf. At their own exhibition stands, the entrepreneurs could talk to interested visitors and potential business partners. At DemoDay on the second day of the convention, they were able to present their business ideas to a large audience and then engage in exciting discussions and make promising contacts.

The young entrepreneurs went back to work full of inspiration after intensive and substantial days and were not only enthusiastic about the varied program, but also about the many new contacts - with potential business partners, but also with the other founders who were part of Batch 8 alongside them.

How does a company increase the proportion of reused materials in its production? What does it do to ensure that its discarded products do not simply end up in the incinerator? How do chemical companies help to keep materials in the cycle for longer? And what role does waste management play in this?

Podcast host Philipp Ketteler discusses these and other questions with managers from a wide range of companies such as Vorwerk, Knipex and Evonik in the Circular Valley podcast. What role does the circular economy play for them now and in the future - and how do they realize the idea of a circular economy in their actions? Other players from the broad Circular Valley network also have their say - from creative startup founders to representatives from politics, science and civil society.

The startup Radical Dot, which was part of the sixth batch, was able to celebrate a successful pre-seed fundraising of 2.7 million Euro. Their innovative low-temperature catalytic process converts mixed, contaminated plastic waste into high-quality chemical building blocks, driving progress towards a truly circular economy for plastics.

Ecoplastile, a Ugandan startup from the second batch, is now being supported by the UK-funded Climate Finance Accelerator. Ecoplastile is receiving support from Ugandan and international experts through the program to increase the chances of investment in the idea. Ecoplastile collects waste and turns it into low-cost, high-performance, low-carbon building materials. To encourage more people to recycle, the company creates financial incentives in the communities for those who participate.

The startup Carbonauten from the first round has won the Sustainability Impact Award from Wirtschaftswoche in the Impact of Product category. The prize is awarded to companies that “dedicate themselves to the topic of sustainability in an outstanding way”. The company produces biocarbons from biogenic and industrial waste, such as waste wood, sawdust and harvest residues, through pyrolytic carbonization.

At Nachhaltigkeitsforum Mittelstand, the startup Triangular was selected for the sustainable future of SMEs and was able to present its business idea at the event. Triangular was part of the 7th round of the Circular Economy Accelerator of Circular Valley. The startup brings together large companies with unused production capacities with smaller ones that have a need and by doing that improves the efficiency of material processing. Its platform gives companies access to technology and expertise without large investments.

The education program is an important part of the Circular Valley Foundation's public relations work, as the transformation to a circular economy will not succeed without the general public. An important key lies in inspiring and empowering the next generation. Rebecca Kruppert, Education and Culture Program Coordinator, therefore brings the circular economy into the classrooms.

In interactive workshops, students dive into the world of the 17 sustainability goals formulated by the UN in the 2030 Agenda and learn about the R-strategies of the circular economy. They also develop their own forward-looking startup ideas, because the workshops are more than just dry theory. The focus is on interactive learning and the practical application of knowledge is encouraged. At the end, the participants present their ideas in an exciting pitch and face critical questions from their fellow students.

Herderschule in Wuppertal was one of the schools that recently visited the Circular Valley Foundation's premises. The concepts that the students came up with included patchwork accessories made from textile waste, a sustainable luxury hotel for testing circular materials and a rental system for fishing nets made from hemp. The students' enthusiasm and knowledge were impressive.

As part of project days on the topic of sustainability, Rebecca Kruppert visited two carpentry classes at Ulrepforte Berufsschule in Cologne. The workshop there focused on sustainable and recyclable solutions for the use of wood in the construction industry. One of the ideas developed by the group revolved around green electricity on construction sites. Photovoltaics were to be used to set up charging stations for battery-powered tools on construction sites.

A group of students from the Berufsschule in Elberfeld were also guests with their teacher Patrick Brehm. They also developed innovative ideas, such as an ergonomic ballpoint pen made entirely from recycled materials and equipped with an aroma diffuser that promotes concentration and motivation. The students also came up with a printer and pen ink that is made from environmentally harmful particles in the air, a rechargeable vape device that delivers vitamins instead of nicotine and a power bank rental model as a flexible energy supply solution for use on the go or to cover the increased energy requirements in schools and at events.

The workshops are currently aimed at students from 8th grade upwards. However, the offer is to be expanded for other target groups.

In order to better assess the potential of the German mechanical engineering sector, the Circular Valley Foundation commissioned PEM Motion GmbH to conduct a study on “Potentials and players in mechanical engineering for battery production in Germany” as part of the federal project TraWeBa (Transformations-HUB value chain battery” (TraWeBa).

The aim of the study is to investigate what contribution Germany can make to battery production and the entire value chain for electromobility and renewable energies. The aim is to identify key players and potential in this area and to draw up specific recommendations for future-oriented development.

To this end, the study analyzes the current state of battery production with regard to existing technologies and production capacities. Which are the most important companies and what innovative solutions do they offer? Where are the opportunities and what obstacles need to be overcome? Best practice examples are also examined. What has proved successful internationally so far? Market trends and recommendations are also the subject of the study. Specific strategies for the mechanical engineering sector are to be developed and formulated.

Project progress and initial findings

An important milestone was the visit of a Circular Valley delegation to PEM Motion on the campus of RWTH Aachen University at the end of January 2025. In addition to discussions on the status of the study, the team was given a tour of the electromobility laboratory (eLab) and an introduction to current developments and best practices in battery testing, dismantling and recycling. Another important topic of the meeting was the European Battery Regulation and its impact on the value chain. Possible strategic collaborations were also discussed.

The results will not only be reported at the TraWeBa Congress in Leipzig in May 2025 - the results of the study will also be presented at an event as part of the project in Münster on April 11.

Experts and decision-makers regularly meet online and on site in topic-specific project groups to develop strategies on how their respective industries can be made more circular and sustainable. The focus here is on the entire value chain and the promotion of industrial symbiosis. This collaboration also enables the formulation of policy recommendations.

As part of the NRW-Flanders cooperation, the project groups also work closely with partners from neighboring regions to exchange best practices across borders and formulate joint visions for the future.

The project groups cover - among others - the following areas:

The joint focus follows the mission of Circular Valley: Grow the economy - Protect the environment. The project group's activities have a positive impact on people and ecosystems.

The aim is to preserve the value of existing buildings and the materials used in construction in the long term and to establish future-proof business models. Circular Valley aims to accelerate the transformation to circular construction and establish specific projects and real laboratories in the wider Rhine-Ruhr region. It also aims to strengthen economic efficiency through networking, new collaborations, new business models and dialog with politicians and the public.

The focus is always on implementation: Circular Construction@Circular Valley takes a pragmatic approach to projects in the region, learns as it implements them and thus becomes more ambitious step by step. The group scales the ideas and concepts through networking and knowledge transfer.

The workshop in March showed that the broad composition of the project group offers potential for new collaborations, new ideas and new approaches. All sizes of companies are involved, from startups and established family businesses to construction groups. In addition, all stages of the value chain from raw material extraction, building products, architects, engineering, general contractors, landlords and dismantling to recycling. And all stakeholders from research to companies, associations, NGOs and politics are also involved - just like our neighbors Vlaanderen Circular from Flanders and Cirkelstad from the Netherlands.

The first two implementation projects have given the workshop additional momentum and active supporters:
• Regional value chain for the use of recycled material in mineral building products
• Circular construction for affordable housing - for example Schellenbeck-Park Wuppertal

Now it's time to move on to implementation.

One of the two new partners is the mining company Vale from Brazil. As one of the largest producers of iron ore, pellets and nickel, the company strives to use resources responsibly. Bruno Pelli, Technical Services Director at Vale, presented their waste-to-value program at the Circular Valley Forum 2024. The company is taking a step towards circularity by recycling slag and other waste.

The other new partner in the Circular Valley network is Johnson Matthey. The London-based company is a leading international manufacturer of specialty chemicals and a global market leader in cutting-edge materials technology. It has been working on circular business models for many years. CEO Liam Condon has been a panelist at the Circular Valley Forum on several occasions and was also a speaker at the Circular Valley Convention and explained how the principle of the proven circular business model for automotive catalytic converters can be combined with digital innovation.

Before diving into the topic of the evening, the roughly 40 participants had the chance to experience the stadium like never before. Guided by a young but passionate BVB expert - who, at 19, jokingly claims to have been a fan for at least 20 years - the group went behind the scenes: from the mixed zone, where players face the media, to the locker rooms and through the tunnel onto the pitch. Sitting on the players' bench at the edge of the field and standing on the legendary Yellow Wall made the experience even more memorable. Along the way, the guide provided fascinating fun facts and anecdotes. Complementing this experience, representatives from Borussia Dortmund's sustainability team provided valuable insights into the club's energy, water and waste management efforts and answered numerous questions along the way.

The second highlight of the evening was a deep dive into economic policy: Economist Christoph M. Schmidt, President of the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and Professor of Economic Policy and Applied Econometrics at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, gave a thought-provoking presentation on "Current Developments and Challenges in F&I Policy - Paths to the Circular Economy". He highlighted how digital tools are already available, but need to be embedded in a structured data ecosystem to truly unlock their potential. He also emphasized that the circular economy is not about sacrifice, but is rather a strategic path that allows us to combine economic growth with environmental protection. A key takeaway: Overcoming silo thinking is essential. Across industries and along value chains, stronger collaboration is key to dismantling existing barriers and creating the systemic change needed for a circular economy.

The Circular Valley Foundation is committed to facilitating these connections to drive sustainable innovation and create a future where prosperity and environmental protection go hand in hand. We look forward to the next edition of Partner Talk in June - with another fascinating venue and another inspiring Speaker.

The Open House brings together science, industry, startups and other bright minds to share ideas, make contacts and talk about research and innovation. Around 70 guests from the chemical, plastics and chemical recycling industries attended the first edition of the event, including representatives from startups, investors and accelerators as well as other key players within the KOALA ecosystem, to network.

“KOALA does something very similar to what we do at Circular Valley but with a strong focus on chemistry” explains Andreas Mucke, Managing Director of the Circular Economy Accelerator, who presented Circular Valley at the event. Alumni from the Circular Economy Accelerator program were also present.

“It was an exciting event with many professionally interested people and good discussions,” says Mucke. The many new ideas that emerge in a cosmos as large as RWTH Aachen University are of particular interest to the Circular Economy Accelerator. The KOALA Open House was therefore a good opportunity to make important contacts and to expand and consolidate the Circular Valley network.