Europe’s largest start-up center launches circular economy initiative

Munich In view of fragile supply chains, a shortage of raw materials and the overriding issue of sustainability, the idea of ​​a circular economy is in line with the spirit of the times. This is based on the principle of converting products into a production cycle that is as closed as possible, including through recycling. Car manufacturers, for example, use valuable raw materials from old batteries to produce new ones.

The topic is also moving Europe’s largest start-up center, UnternehmerTUM, which is now launching an initiative called Circular Republic. The team around the founders Susanne Kadner, Matthias Ballweg and Niclas Mauß wants to help companies and start-ups to make innovations and ideas for the circular economy marketable.

It’s a market with great potential. According to calculations by the Federal Ministry for the Environment and the consulting firm Roland Berger, the global turnover of the circular economy was 148 billion euros in 2020. According to the forecast, it will increase to 263 billion euros by 2030.