At Impact Hub, we believe in the power of circularity to create a more sustainable present and future. That’s why we are on a path to mainstream circular design principles across the design of our global network’s business support initiatives.
embedding circularity
Integrating circular design principles in incubation and acceleration programs
As part of that commitment, we have been running a pilot program across different Impact Hubs around the globe – from Rwanda to Spain, from Turkey to China – dedicated to boosting incubation and acceleration programs, impact ventures and social entrepreneurs’ capacities to implement the circular design principles in their own operations and mission.
On this page, you will find the tools, insights and stories that were built and collected along the process and that can also help you in embedding circularity in your business support programs and projects.
The Embedding Circularity Program is co-funded by Stichting DOEN and the MAVA Foundation.
Did you know that it is possible to mainstream circular design principles across small and growing businesses regardless of whether they are social, environmental or profit-driven?
Moving from the Linear to the Circular Economy is for everyone – it allows us to address climate change while pushing innovation in key industries and value chains that must become more green and sustainable.
Our Embedding Circularity toolkit offers curated insights, tools and methodologies for Entrepreneur Support Organisations – and all interested types of organisations! – to implement a Circular Economy lens to their entrepreneur support programs and initiatives, particularly incubators and accelerators.
In this toolkit, you will find resources that enable you to:
- Develop knowledge of Circular Economy trends, frameworks, businesses and sectors.
- Build the capacity of your team, organisation and ecosystem to catalyse action.
- Integrate circularity as a design principle into programmatic support for entrepreneurs.
To learn from already-tested approaches, discover new activities and opportunities to integrate the Circular Economy knowledge into your entrepreneur support programs design and implementation, discover our toolkit!
Impact Hub offers a range of capacity building services to support Entrepreneur Support Organizations and Business Development Service Providers integrate circular design principles and activities into the support they offer to their entrepreneurial communities. This includes an online curriculum journey for self-paced learning and workshops for facilitated group learning. If you are interested in these opportunities for yourself or your team, please request access to the toolkit and check the ‘online curriculum’ box.
Circularity Tales
Discover the Impact Hubs, the programs and the entrepreneurs who joined us along the way and learn from their experiences in implementing circular principles not only in their work, but also in their core values.
Key insights from the program
12 Impact Hubs in Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America trained to better design and deliver programs that integrate CE principles
82 Small and Growing Businesses supported that advanced their circular products and business models
2x The median revenue of participating ventures increased more than double, from US$ 5,000 to US$ 12,000
12 new valuable connections for participants of the program, in average
98% of respondents feel that the program was very or extremely helpful to learn more about the circular economy and how circular economy principles can be applied to their venture
93% of respondents feel that they now have sufficient knowledge on how to apply circular economy principles to their business
Partners
