Circular Economy Catalyst Announces Call for Applications for Awards in Kenya and India

The awardees will receive support to refine their business models and scale their business to spur the transition to circular and inclusive economies. Examples of eligible businesses include those bringing sustainable solutions to the market that address unsustainable food systems, e-waste, water pollution, plastic waste or fast fashion challenges.

Applications are now open until 23 March 2023. Two (2) winners in each country will receive a one-year Accelerator support and a matching grant of up to 15,000€ to make necessary investments to scale. Ten (10) runners-up in each country will receive six-month Catalyser business development support and a matching grant of up to 5,000€ to make necessary investments to grow.

The Circular Economy Awards by Circular Economy Catalyst are one of the two categories of this year’s Green Entrepreneurship Awards. Enterprises from Botswana, Malawi and Zambia are eligible to apply to the Climate Adaptation Awards by SEED. Both award categories are hosted by the Green Entrepreneurship team at adelphi.

The Circular Economy Awards are just one of the initiatives launched by the Circular Economy Catalyst in 2023. The Circular Economy Catalyst will continue its work of empowering entrepreneurs, start-ups, and SMEs to scale profitable circular economy business models that generate income, positive environmental impacts and green jobs in Kenya and India.

“We are delighted to support the launch of adelphi’s Circular Economy Awards and invite circular enterprises to apply. The awards will champion green entrepreneurs to transform their innovative ideas into viable businesses that provide a decent income for people in their communities while protecting the planet”, said Ahmed Sameh, Programme Manager, IKEA Foundation.

“The Circular Economy Awards recognise the achievements of circular economy enterprises that deliver environmental, social and economic impacts through their business models. The Awards aim to showcase the important contribution of small and medium enterprises to the transition to a circular and inclusive economy”, explains Camilla Shearman, Circular Economy Catalyst Project Lead.

For more information on the Awards, take a look at the FAQ

To apply, register at https://platform.thecircularcatalyst.com 

About the Circular Economy Catalyst

The Circular Economy Catalyst harnesses the transformative potential of small and growing enterprises to contribute to circular and inclusive economies. Working in India and Kenya, we collaborate with partners — such as business advisors and financers — to support over 220 entrepreneurs to create profitable circular economy business models that generate income, positive environmental impacts and more than 8,700 jobs.

For more information, please visit: https://www.thecircularcatalyst.com/

About adelphi

adelphi research gGmbH is a public policy consultancy and think-and-do tank focused on climate, environment and development. At adelphi, we work together with green enterprises, financial institutions and policy makers to unlock finance at scale to secure a climate-neutral and resilient tomorrow.

For more information, please visit: www.adelphi.de/en

About IKEA Foundation

The IKEA Foundation is a strategic philanthropy that focuses its grant making efforts on tackling the two biggest threats to children’s futures: poverty and climate change. It currently grants more than €200 million per year to help improve family incomes and quality of life while protecting the planet from climate change. Since 2009, the IKEA Foundation has granted more than €1.5 billion to create a better future for children and their families. In 2021 the Board of the IKEA Foundation decided to make an additional €1 billion available over the next five years to accelerate the reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions.

Learn more at: www.ikeafoundation.org

For more information, or for interview requests with the Green Entrepreneurship Awards team at adelphi, please contact: awards_epadelphi [dot] de (awards_ep[at]adelphi[dot]de)