In this article, we explore advancements in circularity through the lens of 10 new circular economy companies specializing in specific industry applications. These novel innovators are offering circular logistics platforms, enhancing transparency with waste value chain tracking, and quantifying sustainability through product circularity ratings. They are also converting agricultural by-products via waste upcycling and optimizing resource distribution through inventory sharing platforms. Each company contributes unique methodologies and technologies to close the loop in their respective domains, demonstrating practical applications of circular economy principles.
- Profiles of 10 Emerging Circular Economy Companies
- How to Scout the Best Circular Economy Companies Easily
Key Takeaways
Drawing insights from the Big Data & AI-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform that provides data on over 4.7+ million emerging companies globally, we explore the evolving landscape of the circular economy industry. This sector is marked by key trends and a substantial workforce, shaping its future. Here are some key insights at a glance:
- Latest Circular Economy Trends: Some of the major trends impacting the circular economy sector include novel waste-to-resource methods, advanced recycling technologies, solutions promoting reuse, repair & remanufacturing, and blockchain for enabling supply chain transparency.
- Circular Economy Industry Stats: The global circular economy industry encompasses 18K+ organizations and has a workforce of 1.7 million people. It is experiencing a 9.84% annual growth rate and has seen the emergence of 4.7K+ new circular economy companies in the past 5 years.
- Top 10 Circular Economy Companies to Watch:
- Cyclize – Plastic Waste to Syngas
- Asgaard Metals – Circular Steel Billets & Metal Powder
- Biova Project – Spent Barley Upcycling
- FIZZYCAPS – Circular Beverage Bottle Caps
- Relier – Agricultural Waste Upcycling
- Circulix – Product Circularity Rating System
- resourcly – Inventory Sharing Platform
- Deply – Supply Chain Traceability
- GIVO – Waste Value Chain Tracking
- Circular Route – Circular Logistics Platform
Explore 10 Out of 4.7K+ Emerging Circular Economy Companies
In this section, we highlight 10 innovative companies promoting circular economy through advancements in waste value chain tracking, agricultural waste upcycling, product circularity rating, plastic waste to syngas conversion, and much more.
These innovators are supporting sustainability practices by enhancing transparency, reducing waste, promoting resource efficiency, and converting pollutants into energy. Their efforts are pivotal in transitioning from linear to circular models, demonstrating that economic development and environmental conservation can coexist.
Note on Signal Strength
One of the unique metrics we feature for each company is Signal Strength, a proprietary data point generated by our Discovery Platform. Signal Strength gauges the extent to which a company’s influence has permeated the global ecosystem of startups, scaleups, and emerging companies. This proprietary metric serves as a valuable guidepost for understanding a company’s standing in the broader market landscape.
1. Cyclize
- Founding Year: 2023
- Employee Range: 2-10
- Location: Germany
- Signal Strength: Very Strong
- What they do: Cyclize uses its proprietary plasma technology to convert waste plastics into new intermediate chemicals like syngas, a mix of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This process, encompassing dry and steam reforming, transforms waste into valuable resources, potentially reducing CO2 emissions and tackling plastic pollution. By converting carbon dioxide into feedstock, Cyclize’s method achieves carbon-negative outcomes, aiding companies in meeting emission targets and substituting fossil resources. The technology closes the carbon value chain loop and enhances energy self-reliance by providing alternatives to natural gas or oil.
2. Asgaard Metals
- Founding Year: 2021
- Employee Range: 11-50
- Location: Denmark
- Signal Strength: Weak
- What they do: Asgaard Metals enables circular production of steel billets and powders, utilizing a proprietary spray forming process. Its product, ODIN44, a high-carbon martensitic stainless steel, is ideal for applications requiring high hardness and wear resistance, such as bearings, gears, and surgical instruments. THOR15, a tungsten-type high-speed tool steel, is fit for high-temperature applications like cutting tools and aerospace components. THOR44 with its wear resistance and manufacturability, is suitable for high-end tooling and medical equipment.
3. Biova Project
- Founding Year: 2019
- Employee Range: 11-50
- Location: Italy
- Signal Strength: Very Strong
- What they do: Biova Project formulates Ri-snack, a snack developed from upcycled ingredients. Ri-snack utilizes soft wheat flour and barley malt draff, a by-product of its other product range Biova Beer as well as from the brewing industry at large. The inclusion of sunflower seed oil, brewer’s yeast, and malted cereal flour enhances the snack’s nutritional profile. By integrating upcycled ingredients, Biova Project supports sustainability and offers a solution to food industry waste, benefiting eco-conscious consumers and reducing environmental impact.
4. FIZZYCAPS
- Founding Year: 2019
- Employee Range: 2-10
- Location: Spain
- Signal Strength: Very Strong
- What they do: FizzyCaps specializes in sustainable covering systems for the beverage industry. Its products, including FizzTirage Lite, FizzyPop, and FizzyCrown, replace non-recyclable, non-reusable, or non-returnable closures. FizzTirage Lite is a recyclable closure system for sparkling wines, eliminating waste from the fermentation process. FizzyPop offers reusable stoppers for sparkling wine bottles, extending their lifecycle. FizzyCrown serves the HORECA sector with returnable caps, reducing waste from crown caps.
5. Relier
- Founding Year: 2021
- Employee Range: 2-10
- Location: Chile
- Signal Strength: Medium
- What they do: Relier upcycles agricultural and industrial waste to bio-based packaging. It uses AI and nanotechnology to analyze the thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties of these waste materials. The data is then utilized by deep learning algorithms to predict and model various outcomes for biomaterial development. This enables the customization of packaging materials to specific needs. Nanotechnology enhances this process by imbuing the biomaterials with advanced properties, such as delaying fruit ripening and inhibiting microbial growth. In addition to its packaging solutions, Relier develops a natural biopesticide derived from wine residues for pest control in cherry and walnut trees. This biopesticide specifically combats Pseudomonas syringae in cherry trees and Xanthomonas campestris in walnut trees.
6. Circulix
- Founding Year: 2022
- Employee Range: 2-10
- Location: Germany
- Signal Strength: Very Strong
- What they do: Circulix offers a product circularity rating system designed to assist companies in adhering to EU sustainable product regulations, including Ecodesign, EPR schemes, and Green Claims. This tool enables businesses to monitor and comply with the latest legislation and product requirements. The Circularity Enhancement Engine utilizes key performance indicators from ongoing circularity standardization initiatives to recommend actionable changes in the product value chain, leading to significant environmental impact reductions. This benefits manufacturers and retailers looking for more sustainable and circular product designs, enhancing their environmental footprint, and complying with regulatory compliance.
7. resourcly
- Founding Year: 2023
- Employee Range: 2-10
- Location: Germany
- Signal Strength: Very Strong
- What they do: Resourcly develops an AI-powered inventory sharing platform to stabilize supply chains, enhance working capital, and prevent waste. This platform enables manufacturers to share unutilized inventory, either within their organization or with partners, optimizing resource utilization and improving cash flow. It saves time and streamlines the search process for compatible inventory. By facilitating access to a network of supply lines, Resourcly minimizes downtime and connects industrial partners across the value chain, ensuring compliance and a low carbon footprint.
8. Deply
- Founding Year: 2021
- Employee Range: 2-10
- Location: USA
- Signal Strength: Strong
- What they do: Deply streamlines supply chain transparency for consumer goods companies using blockchain, IoT, and AI. The platform offers features like Traceability Automation and Digital Product Passports, enhancing visibility and sustainability across the supply chain. The Digital Product Passport increases consumer trust by providing detailed product journey information. Additionally, the platform promotes a cross-industrial circular economy by facilitating sustainable waste management and enabling the reuse of materials through an AI-powered company matching tool. Deploy thus benefits brands and suppliers seeking to optimize supply chain efficiency, enhance product authenticity, and implement sustainable practices.
9. GIVO
- Founding Year: 2019
- Employee Range: 11-50
- Location: Nigeria
- Signal Strength: Medium Strong
- What they do: GIVO develops GIVO Technology Platform (GTP) that enhances the waste value chain’s transparency, efficiency, and sustainability. It tracks material flow, emissions, and compliance, providing essential data for stakeholders in the plastic management supply chain. By improving data quality and decision-making, GTP enables a connected and efficient approach to waste management. GIVO thus facilitates the transition towards a circular economy by ensuring that materials are recycled and reused, reducing environmental impact.
10. Circular Route
- Founding Year: 2023
- Employee Range: 2-10
- Location: USA
- Signal Strength: Very Strong
- What they do: CircularRoute develops a logistics network platform for the circular economy. The platform’s AI algorithms offer route optimization, real-time tracking, and logistics cost minimization for recyclable, reusable, and repairable items. The company supports eco-friendly transportation methods, contributing to reduced carbon footprints. It thus benefits businesses eager to implement sustainable practices by improving the lifecycle management of products and materials, thereby facilitating a reduction in waste and promoting resource circularity.
Tips to Quickly Find New Circular Economy Companies
Utilizing a SaaS platform like the Discovery Platform for identifying new circular economy companies provides significant benefits compared to traditional scouting methods:
- Streamlined Efficiency: The Discovery Platform offers advanced tools that streamline the scouting process. It replaces your hours of conventional desk research, saving time and resources in identifying circular economy innovations.
- Access to Real-time Insights: Gain a competitive edge with up-to-date information on the latest trends in the circular economy industry. The platform keeps you informed with near real-time updates on emerging circular economy companies and news, enabling you to make swift and informed decisions.
- Tailored Exploration: Customize your search to focus on specific niches within the circular economy sector, such as waste upcycling, supply chain traceability, or product circularity analysis. The platform’s diverse filtering options allow you to target your scouting efforts precisely, ensuring that you find the most relevant and groundbreaking companies in the field.
Eager to Meet All Circular Economy Companies?
We’ve explored the dynamic landscape of the circular economy industry, examining the latest trends and spotlighting exceptional companies driving innovation. To dive deeper, download our detailed free Circular Economy Report or schedule a demo of the Discovery Platform for a customized exploration of these groundbreaking developments.
