Search by circularity: Ellen MacArthur Foundation launches start-up index for green business connections
05 May 2023 --- The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) has introduced the Circular Startup Index to help businesses search and pick from an evolving database of start-ups driving a circular economy across different sectors, industries and geographies.
“There is no shortage of circular economy innovation – we just need it to scale,” Ella Hedley, project manager of Startups at EMF, tells PackagingInsights.
“The packaging space is a great example of this – businesses have set ambitious targets, governments are working on creating the right policies and countless entrepreneurs are innovating to create solutions that eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials and regenerate nature. Yet signs of scale are emergent at best.”
EMF’s index features start-ups selected for incorporating one or more circular economy principles – eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials and regenerate nature – into their business proposition.
EMF has added over 500 start-ups to the index.Solutions for circularity
The foundation aims to acknowledge the “fundamental role” start-ups play in transitioning to a circular economy. “One major barrier [to scaling innovations] is discoverability. Circular start-ups have a visibility problem, so we have created the Circular Startup index to enable key players to find the solutions they can partner with to help transform the packaging sector,” underlines Hedley.
EMF has added over 500 start-ups pioneering product and material circularity to the index, and calling for more applications.
“The index contains a variety of circular packaging solution providers, including novel materials, smart packaging and gamification to increase reuse and recycling. The solutions all differ in business model, geographical context and approach – this diversity is important in achieving a circular economy for packaging,” highlights Hedley.
“We are excited to see start-ups with a focus on building the enabling infrastructure behind scaling reusable packaging. Examples included in the index, like Again (which was part of the 100+ Accelerator run by AB InBev, Coca-Cola, Unilever and Colgate-Palmolive) and Uzaje offer exciting models.”
Radical rethink required
Hedley emphasizes that EMF created the Circularity Startup index to create visibility for the breadth of circular start-ups on the market and help businesses discover suitable circular solutions. 
The index aims to scale circularity innovations by start-ups.
“Designing a circular future requires radical innovation to rethink how our economy works. Thousands of circular start-ups are already on the case. But they need more support and investment,” she reiterates.
DS Smith has started working with one of the businesses it found on the index. Hugh McCann, senior circular growth manager at DS Smith, says: “The Ellen Macarthur Foundation’s Circular Startup Index has already expedited our work, bringing us into contact with potential partners – businesses that are leading the way and surfacing hundreds of circular solutions.”
“As a leading provider of sustainable, fiber-based packaging across Europe and the US, we are keen to work with disruptive businesses that can bring exciting and innovative circular solutions to DS Smith, helping us realize our purpose to redefine packaging for a changing world and reach our industry-leading circular economy ambitions,” McCann concludes.
Our sister platform FoodIngredientsFirst recently explored the rise of food accelerator programs through which big organizations are investing in start-ups to help solve global challenges like climate change and food security.
By Radhika Sikaria
