Four ground-breaking tech solutions awarded the EIT Circular Economy Prize
Four European start-ups are pushing technological boundaries in their mission to advance a circular society across the continent. A circular economy is necessary for Europe’s green and digital transitions, and ultimately, for carbon-neutrality. It is a framework for industry and consumers to re-use, recycle, refurbish, and repair existing materials and products for as long as possible. The approach is an enabler of both economic growth and reduction of carbon emissions.
The EIT Circular Economy Community has launched the EIT Circular Economy Prize to award start-ups with groundbreaking solutions related to the circular economy. The mission of this new competition is to identify start-ups and SMEs with significant innovations for enabling a circular approach in industry and society. The winning solutions range from technology that can decarbonise the construction industry, to an e-commerce platform enabling the re-sale and re-use of industrial spare parts. They will each receive EUR 15,000 to help bring their solution to market.
Find out more about the four phenomenal 2022 winners below.
An Alpine mission to decarbonise construction
Technicians and scientists witnessing the effects of climate change in the Alpine region came together to form the start-up ParaStruct. Their mission is to decarbonise the construction industry and reduce resource inefficiencies with an advanced 3D power-printing technology that enables the recycling of construction waste into high-quality materials for re-use.
An E-Commerce Platform for Industrial Spare Parts
E-commerce platforms enabling clothes swapping and the re-selling of second-hand clothes have revolutionised the world of responsible fashion. Now kheoos is offering a similar, breakthrough technology – but for the re-use of industrial spare parts. The Kheoosmarket platform enables a full-scale, efficient, and transparent worldwide market for the reuse of spare parts. With just a few clicks, the platform allows companies to assess the potential of dormant spare parts and generate them for re-sale.
The LONGTIME product certification
Ethikis, a social enterprise promoting ethical consumption and use, was awarded the prize for their LONGTIME® product label. This label, a certified stamp of approval, informs consumers that the product is durable and long-lasting. This aims to guide consumers towards more informed and responsible decision making when buying products.
Empowering consumers to keep materials in the loop
Niaga’s solution is a scannable tag for products like mattresses and carpets that enables consumers to see exactly what they are made of and, crucially, how to recycle them. In this way, the Niaga® tag helps to keep valuable materials in the loop for future generations and significantly reduce waste.
The four start-ups will officially receive their award at The Future is Circular event on 1 December. This virtual event will also highlight the EIT Community’s achievements in advancing the circular economy in the past year. Join us for the livestream and find out more about the future of Europe’s circular economy.
The Circular Economy Community is led by EIT RawMaterials, with the involvement of EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing, EIT Climate-KIC, and EIT Urban Mobility. You can also read more about the EIT Circular Economy Community on this page.
Source: EIT Raw Materials I News (https://bit.ly/3OF5zSx)