Circular Economy
As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, we are changing the demand profile on many materials. But at the same time, as the world population rises, resulting in an ever increasing demand for energy and products which puts increasing pressure on materials (and their supply chains), we are also generating more and more ‘waste’.
Circular Economy
|Experts
|Funding Opportunities
|Case Studies
|Events
|News
|Perspective
|Programmes
We believe that all sectors can play a role in enabling the transition to a more circular economy. Recent activity includes (among many others):
- Developing a Capability Map for the key process technologies required to convert alternative feedstocks into chemical products.
- An ongoing programme of workshops, awareness raising and scoping activity around Remanufacturing.
- UK Circular Plastics Network (UKCPN), a dedicated community around the sustainable use of plastics.
We are working with organisations across the UK, from large companies and SMEs to start-ups and researchers, up, down and across supply chains to accelerate this transition.
Get in touch if you have a circular economy challenge, or if you are a developer or provider of enabling technologies, solutions or expertise.
Our Experts
Related Opportunities
Innovation Exchange Challenge: Producing biocoke for metallurgical foundries from biomass
Opens: 08/01/2026 Closes: 17/02/2026
Stellantis seeks innovators who can produce environmentally sustainable biocoke from pyrolysis of biomass.
More Information
Horizon Europe 2026-27: Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5)
Various closing dates from Mar 2026 to Sep 2027
Funding of up to €100m per call to fight climate change, primarily by improving energy and transport sectors.
More Information
Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): 2026 – 2027 Round 1
Opens: 02/02/2026 Closes: 01/04/2026
UK registered academic institutions, RTOs or Catapults can apply for a share of up to £10 million to fund innovation projects with businesses.
More Information
Related Events and Recordings
Wed
30
Jul
2025
Thu
19
Sep
2024
Global Research and Innovation in Plastics Sustainability Conference 2024 (GRIPS 2024)
09.00 - 16.30 | Sheffield / Online
Watch now
Thu
13
Feb
2025
Related News
14/10/2024
Innovate UK hosts Roadshow & Workshop to foster circular fashion innovation between the UK and Nigeria
Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa has launched a groundbreaking initiative to promote sustainable practices in Nigeria’s vibrant fashion industry. The UK-Nigeria Circular Fashion Global Innovation Network aims to catalyse a revolutionary transformation by adopting circular fashion principles and innovations.
Read more
30/09/2024
UK innovators receive £3.5 million to support UK Rare Earth Minerals supply chain
A project to extract rare minerals and elements from the plumes of a volcano, and another to extract them from mining waste, are among 9 innovation partnerships that have been awarded £3.5 million of funding from Innovate UK.