The Circular Economy ClimAccelerator in Bengaluru is dedicated to scaling growing start-ups and enterprises that tackle the root cause of waste generation in the city and actively support and include informal workers and underserved communities.
With support from the IKEA Foundation, EIT Climate-KIC and SecondMuse are pioneering the establishment of a Circular Economy Innovation Cluster in Bengaluru. One key aim of this cluster is to generate new solutions for waste elimination and prevention within circular economies by encouraging collaboration across diverse sectors and facilitating continuous innovative development and learning.
The transition from linear to circular waste generation offers opportunities to decouple reliance on raw materials, regenerate the environment, and create jobs. Entrepreneurship in a circular economy is a driver of change, promoting innovation and inclusivity in other dimensions of the system as well.
Meet the 2024 cohort: R Buy Smart Refill, Brown Reed Agri Waste Innovations, Bare Necessities Zero Waste Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Saving Grains, SAAHAS WASTE MANAGEMENT PRIVATE LIMITED, CarbonCraft, Wheedle
Focus areas of the programme
Incorporate innovative designs or business models that prevent waste generation at the design stage.
Facilitate the reuse of products and services to maintain material use at the highest value for the long term, contributing to waste prevention and elimination efforts.
Focus on reducing the materials and resources used for product and/or service creation thus minimizing waste generation.
Highlights of the programme
- Equity-free support: ClimAccelerator offers start-ups equity-free support, allowing founders to access all the benefits of the programme without giving up ownership during early growth. The five most promising solutions will receive grant funding awards (up to USD 98,000 in total available across the cohort).
- Access to circular economy experts: Ventures gain unique insights from leading circular economy experts through workshops and one-on-one mentorship, enhancing their understanding and application of sustainable business practices.
- Comprehensive capacity building: ClimAccelerator provides targeted training on circular economy, social impact and impact measurement.
- Focusing on new frontiers: ClimAccelerator strategically addresses waste generation, directing its efforts towards unexplored opportunities and supporting ventures pioneering innovative solutions in Bengaluru.
- Circular economy deep dives: ClimAccelerator offers deep dives into circular business models, sustainability practices, and waste reduction strategies. It emphasises future development for long-term success in the evolving circular economy landscape.
Our implementing partner
SecondMuse is an impact and innovation company that works with communities focused on climate, equity and tech to create solutions to the world’s biggest challenges. They connect innovators, entrepreneurs, private/public sectors, and community resources to develop market-driven solutions that transform systems. In essence, they bring communities together to build economies that benefit people and protect the planet.
Our funding partner
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 or by following them on LinkedIn or Twitter.