Circle Lab: accelerating the circular economy with an inspiring program
Circle Lab is a program for entrepreneurs that actively contributes to the circular economy in the Delft region.
Circle Lab is an entrepreneurship program that actively contributes to the circular economy in the Delft region. With a focus on strengthening circular entrepreneurship, the program offers participants the opportunity to develop sustainable ideas and initiatives into viable business models. From experienced entrepreneurs to enthusiastic start-ups, Circle Lab supports anyone with a passion for circularity.
This initiative is an inspiration for policy makers who want to encourage circular thinking and promote sustainable entrepreneurship within their own region. Circle Lab is a program of New Future Lab, set up in cooperation with the Municipality of Delft and the Province of South Holland. In addition, the municipalities of Midden-Delfland, Rijswijk and The Hague have also been involved in this program.
The challenge
The Municipality of Delft wants to accelerate the transition to a circular economy and sees a crucial role for collective entrepreneurship in this. The transition requires more than individual efforts; it requires an entrepreneurial mindset that collaborates on shared solutions within an ecosystem of organizations. The municipality desires to establish a program that empowers residents and businesses to actively contribute to this mission. How can we inspire and support people and organizations to put their circular ideas into practice, while creating a sustainable network that fosters innovation and collaboration?
Our solution
Circle Lab offers a program consisting of multiple components, where entrepreneurs develop their circular initiatives through coaching, collaboration and case studies:
* Five collaborative sessions: During the program, participants dive into specific topics during five sessions, such as circular business models, sales and marketing, or practical issues such as financing and Chamber of Commerce regulations. These sessions are often combined with field trips to local or regional examples of successful circular initiatives.
* Community and Makers Lab: Throughout the program, entrepreneurs actively work on their ideas, with the support of New Future Lab's community. Participants also get access to the Makers Lab, a shed of New Future Lab, where they can store or process materials to further develop their projects.
* Circular Showdown: The program concludes with a celebratory event, the Circular Showdown, where participants present their innovations to a wider audience. This gives them a chance to showcase their ideas, receive feedback and find further support.
The result
Circle Lab successfully guided participants in developing and testing their circular ideas. During the first edition in 2024, they demonstrated how creative solutions and entrepreneurship can go hand in hand with sustainability:
- Hester of HESTAS creates bags by seeing value in residual materials.
- Joram, Fleur and Mees of Studio Haering focus on making the festival industry more sustainable.
- Emiel from the Worm Farm encourages people to start composting, a sustainable waste management solution.
- Monique inspired others by showing how much energy it gives to especially DO rather than wait and see.
- Marijn wants to further link supply and demand of residual streams so that materials are optimally reused.
- Marjan from Repair Café works on an innovative idea for an appliance shelter, where discarded appliances get a new life.
- Elise of Boozed | B Corp is a leader in sustainability for physical events.
- Nawfal of Project Remod creates a sustainable and conscious clothing brand for and by young people.
- Hans from Speelgoedbank Delft has set up a store without a cash register so that every child has access to good toys.
- Merel from Sudder seeks food pioneers to collaborate on sustainable food solutions.
- Rob from Brush Bear proved that there is a demand for repairing electric toothbrushes.
- Janet of Studio Tiny Pieces calls attention to environmental problems such as the plastics soup in a unique way with her circular art.
- Jeffrey and Michael challenge the construction world with their circular construction project.
- Sarina from Knowledgexy offers young people new opportunities and gives furniture a second life.
- Pieter, has been engaged in repairing espresso machines.
Together, these entrepreneurs form a vivid example of how circular thinking can be put into practice. They show that sustainability and entrepreneurship reinforce each other, and that there are plenty of opportunities for innovation in the Delft region. The diversity of ideas and initiatives underlines the power of collaboration within Circle Lab, where entrepreneurs inspire and support each other to make their vision a reality.
Realized in collaboration with
Possibly also of interest to you
DigiHandy: international platform for closing the digital divide
.jpg)
Penarie: serious game to encourage safe working in small SMEs
Circle Lab: accelerating the circular economy with an inspiring program
Driver of progress
At the New Future Lab, we believe that the future is not fixed, but that we can create it ourselves. Therefore, we support future-makers who dare to dream of a better world and are willing to work towards it. Together we build an inclusive, social and just future for all.