loader image

Discover the 5 winning startups

among more than 3000 candidates

WELCOME TO

Circular Urban Challenge

A European competition between startups linked to the field of circular economy in which the best solutions are sought to address specific challenges that affect cities.

logrono-blanco
ecoembes2

From the city of Logroño, a candidate for being European Green Capital, and from the Ecoembes innovation center TheCircularLab, we look for innovative startups to collaborate with cities like Logroño, which play the role as large laboratories where startups can experiment with their solutions.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Innovative and effective solutions to solve urban challenges related to circular economy that are mainly based on new technologies or new business models.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO WE POSE?

WHAT CHALLENGES DO WE POSE?

1. Urban citizen science
and circular economy

1.1 Awareness in waste management and circular economy.

1.2 New models including rewards for citizens.

1.3 Ecodesign and overall information to the citizen.

2. Innovative technologies
for urban waste management

2.1 Innovation in collection and logistics systems (smart labelling, tokenization, traceability, artificial intelligence, sensing, IoE, passport products, circular open data).

2.2 Innovative models for the collection and management of bulky waste in cities.

3. Second life of
recycled materials in cities

3.1 Novel applications and materials for urban use.

3.2 Upgrading as in fashion and other value chains, new second-life business models, resource maps, products as a service, among others.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE

Startups already established with less than 10 years old and located in any European country.

WHAT DO
STARTUPS GET?

Visibility as protagonists of the Pitch & Demo Day.

Possibilities of attracting business, developing projects and accessing acceleration programs on Business Development Day.

Additional prize for the 5 winning startups of € 5,000 for each company.

Recognition and impact in the media at European level.

PHASES OF
THE COMPETITION

1
INITIAL APPLICATION
The startups will complete a questionnaire providing valuable information about their organizations and about the solutions they propose in relation to the challenges of the competition.
1
2
SELECTION OF FINALISTS
All applications will be assessed and the 15 finalist startups will be selected through the constitution of a professional and independent jury.
2
3
PITCH & DEMO DAY
The 15 finalist startups will participate in the final event where they will make a pitch. It will be an event open to other actors in the circular economy sector and in which, in addition, highly relevant experts will participate and the 5 winners of the Circular Urban Challenge program will be announced.
3
4
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DAY
The 5 winning startups will have access to an exclusive event where they will hold direct meetings with decision-makers in public administrations, with companies linked to the circular economy sector and with managers of startup acceleration programs.
4

EVALUATION
CRITERIA

Maturity

The maturity of the proposed solutions, positively assessing that the solutions of the startup are already in a commercialization phase.

Innovation

The level of innovation used by startups in the development of their products, services or in the deployment of their business models.

Effectiveness

The effectiveness for solving real problems in the urban environment related to the circular economy and framed in one of the 3 challenges set in the competition.

Achievements

Milestones reached by the startups that allow evidence of the positive evolution of their trajectory.

WINNERS 2021

BeFC

France
Speaker at the final event: Élise Bessac

Lixo

Francia
Speaker at the final event: Marjorie Darcet

Recycleye

United Kingdom
Speaker at the final event: Paloma Aldeguer

ReLearn

Italy
Speaker at the final event: Riccardo Leonardi

SpectralGeo

Spain
Speaker at the final event: Carlos Tarragona

THE 15 FINALIST STARTUPS 2021

CIRCULAR URBAN Challenge

BeFC

Blue Room Innovation

C02mmon

Giunko

Heylot

Impact Recycling

Liight App

Lixo

MatMap

Re Learn

Recycleye

SpectralGeo

SPRK

UBQ Materials

Veridis

logo-blanco

FINAL EVENT 2021 CIRCULAR URBAN CHALLENGE

It was so great to count on your participation at our Circular Urban Challenge´s final event, which was held on November 25, 2021, from 11.00 am to 01.30 pm CET.

All of us met 15 startups from different European countries that had been selected as finalists of the competition. Each one made a pitch, which was evaluated by the jury. At the end of the event, we got to know the 5 startup winners of the Circular Urban Challenge.

Moreover, we had the participation of two exceptional speakers:

jaime-rodriguez-de-santiago
JAIME RODRÍGUEZ DE SANTIAGO

General Manager Spain at FREE NOW, director of Kaizen and TEDx Speaker.

boyd-cohen
BOYD COHEN

PhD in Strategy & Entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado. CEO Iomob.

And all of this was conducted by:

marta-del-amo
MARTA DEL AMO

Chief editor of the MIT Technology Review in Spanish.

In this hybrid event, startups and speakers participated in person in the innovation centre TheCircularLab, which is located in Logroño (Spain). The rest of the audience joined virtually.

So, thanks to all who registered and participated at the event.

FINAL EVENT 2021 CIRCULAR URBAN CHALLENGE

Play Video