Embedding Circularity: A Toolkit for Incubators and Accelerators

The current “take-make-waste” linear model is no longer sustainable for businesses, people, or the planet. The guide “Embedding Circularity: A Toolkit for Incubators and Accelerators” was designed specifically for Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) and Business Development Service Providers who want to champion restorative and regenerative design.

What’s Inside?

This isn’t just a theoretical manual; it is a practical resource built on tried and tested approaches piloted by the Impact Hub Network between 2020 and 2022. With insights gathered from 12 pilot programs across Europe and Africa, supporting 82 enterprises, the toolkit provides a roadmap for integrating circularity into any entrepreneurial community. The toolkit offers deep dives into:

• Key Trends and Frameworks: Understand core concepts like the “R-Ladder,” Doughnut Economics, and the three principles of a Circular Economy: designing out waste, keeping materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.
• Sector-Specific Opportunities: Explore how circularity is transforming industries like agrifood, fashion, electronics, and construction.
• Programmatic Integration: Learn how to adapt your scouting, selection, and diagnostic processes to support “Circular Natives” (startups born circular) and “Circular Adapters” (SMEs transitioning from linear models.

Why Circularity Matters for ESOs

By adopting a circular lens, ESOs can help entrepreneurs build ventures with a neutral or positive environmental footprint while positioning themselves as ecosystem builders that connect government, policy makers, and investors. Beyond environmental benefits, circularity is a driver for economic growth, job creation, and long-term business resilience.

Whether you want to develop a program explicitly focused on the Circular Economy or simply embed its design principles into your existing services, this toolkit is your starting point.

➚ Access the full toolkit here to learn more and begin your circular journey