CircularInvest, a Project Development Assistance project funded by the European Union to assist  the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI), has launched its second call for applications  from European local and regional authorities looking to attract investments to help implement  circular economy projects.  

“Circular economy projects have the potential to revolutionise the way we think about resources  and products. Yet, the path from concept to realisation can be challenging, particularly when  seeking financial backing. That’s where CircularInvest comes into play. We offer free tailor-made  services to bridge the gap between circular innovators and potential investors,” shares Dora  Fazekas, Head of the European Territorial Cooperation Unit at INOVA+ and Coordinator of  CircularInvest. 

CircularInvest will offer support to selected circular economy projects by preparing them to  maximise investment opportunities, in addition to providing a range of free services, such as  circularity optimisation, fundraising, and business development planning. These services are  administered by the CircularInvest consortium: INOVA+, META Group, Circle Economy, and  ICLEI Europe. Further assistance includes mentoring sessions, peer-to-peer workshops, pitching  seminars, knowledge transfer events, networking opportunities with potential investors, and  promotional support. 

CircularInvest aims to support circular economy projects that offer a minimum viable  product/service or scalable prototype and have adopted a clear business and financial model that  demonstrates economic potential. The projects should be innovative, provide unique benefits to 

customers, and generate positive environmental, economic and/or social impacts in one or more  local or regional European territories.  

Circular project developers are invited to submit their applications by 15 December 2023.  Detailed information on eligibility and access to the application portal are available here.

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About CircularInvest: CircularInvest is a project funded by the European Union to support the  Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and facilitate the circular transition in Europe. The  project’s mission is to support project promoters by providing the support they need to develop  investment-ready circular economy projects at local and regional scale. Cities and regions play  an important role in the transition towards a more circular society as they operate in key sectors  like waste management, mobility, energy, land use and many others. CircularInvest will help cities  and regions put circular strategies into action by removing obstacles and closing the gap between  circular economy project promoters and investors. 

About ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability: ICLEI – Local Governments for  Sustainability is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed  to sustainable urban development. Active in 125 countries, we influence sustainability policy and  drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development.  ICLEI Europe provides Members in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and West Asia with a  voice on European and international stages, a platform to connect with peers and tools to drive  positive environmental, economic and social change. ICLEI Europe works closely with an  extended network of local and regional governments and partners on a broad range of topics. 

Press contact: 

Valeria Eirin  

Senior Officer, Media & Outreach  

ICLEI Europe  

Email: valeria.eirin@iclei.org  

Tel: +49 761 368920