People, you may have heard that all five Impact Hubs in Switzerland are implementing a very cool, very “this is important stuff” Circular Economy Transition, a pioneer initiative that aims at accelerating the transition of Switzerland to a Circular Economy. How cool is that?! It currently takes place in 5 Swiss cities – Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, and Zurich.

And if you’re like me, you get inspired by smart, creative people who attack behemoth problems like climate change with innovation, gusto and drive…in fact, I get downright giddy. So, naturally, when I read about the 27 startups that were selected to take part in the second edition of the 3-month Circular Economy Incubator Program, I was practically dancing in the streets.

And though it isn’t quite Fasnacht yet, I invite you to join me in my excited-street-dancing-mood and read about this diverse, thoughtful, solutions-driven bunch.

FIRST, WHAT IS CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

Rather than the current linear ‘take, make, dispose’ model, where resources are wasted, circular economy aims to write waste out of the equation altogether. A circular economy keeps resources in use for as long as possible, extracting the maximum value from them while in use, then recovering and regenerating products and materials at the end of each service life.

Now…sit down, pour yourself a glass of bubbly and prepare to be inspired. These folks are worth celebrating.

Carrie Aikman