From Lab to Market: Can Circular Innovation Scale?

Europe’s transition to a circular economy depends not only on breakthrough technologies, but also on the ability to turn promising innovations into solutions that reach the market and deliver real environmental impact.

Across Horizon Europe, projects are developing high-potential Key Exploitable Results (KERs). Yet moving from research to market is not always straightforward. Innovative solutions can face challenges in attracting investment, finding early adopters and building viable commercialisation strategies.

Our upcoming Investor Workshop will explore how to bridge this gap and accelerate the market uptake of circular innovations addressing pollution, cleaner environments and resource efficiency.

Using the NYMPHE project as a practical case study, the workshop will bring together insights on investment, market readiness and pathways to commercialisation - while highlighting lessons that can be applied across other Horizon Europe projects developing environmental technologies.

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Focus Technologies:

The workshop will concentrate on the following NYMPHE Key Exploitable Results:

• METland – nature-based electroconductive wetland technology for wastewater treatment and pollution removal.

  
  

• METland+ – advanced treatment solutions integrating polishing technologies, including bivalve biofilters, membrane bioreactors (MBR), Electro-Fenton processes and specialised bacterial systems for enhanced contaminant removal.

  
  

• IIET - Innovative Integrated Evaluation

  Tool for bioremediation efficiency assessment, decision-making and implementation planning

  Integrated assessment provides a comprehensive evaluation of bioremediation efficiency by considering not only pollutant reduction, but also overall detoxification, microbial diversity and ecosystem recovery. By supporting informed decisions on the selection and optimization of remediation technologies and providing additional information on the potential for safe reuse, recovery or further management of materials from contaminated sites, integrated assessment can contribute to more efficient use of resources and support the principles of the circular economy.

Together, these solutions contribute to circular water management, pollution prevention, resource recovery and ecosystem restoration while supporting the objectives of the Circular Economy Action Plan and the Zero Pollution ambition.

Objectives:

The workshop aims to:

• Present selected circular technologies for pollution reduction and ecosystem restoration.

• Assess their market potential, readiness and Unique Value Proposition (UVP) with investors and potential adopters.

• Identify barriers to market entry, investment and scaling across European markets.

• Gather direct feedback from investors, industry, technology adopters and public authorities.

• Strengthen commercialisation and exploitation strategies and help develop viable business and investment cases.

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AGENDA:

14:00 – 14:05 Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Giulio Zanaroli, University of Bologna (UNIBO)

  
  

14:05 – 14:20 EU Policy Perspective – Brief Policy Overview

Circular economy, clean environment and the importance of accelerating the market uptake of innovative environmental solutions.

14:20 – 14:35 Introduction to the workshop objectives

• Giulio Zanaroli, University of Bologna (UNIBO)

  Introduction to the workshop objectives and the role of circular innovations in supporting Europe's transition towards a circular economy and a clean environment. Introduction to the NYMPHE project.

  
  

14:35 – 14:55 Digital Innovation for Technology Uptake: IIET Decision Support Tool

• Robin Kyclt, ABITEC, s.r.o.

  Presentation of the IIET supporting tool and its role in facilitating technology assessment, decision-making and replication of circular environmental solutions.

14:55 – 15:15 From Research to Market: METland and METland+

• Abraham Esteve-Núñez, METfilter

  Presentation of the NYMPHE core technologies, their unique value proposition and market opportunities.

15:15- 15:20 Opinion poll

15:20 – 15:50 Interactive Panel Discussion: "Investing in Circular Solutions for a Clean Environment"

How can innovative environmental technologies successfully reach the market? What are the expectations of investors and end-users, and what partnerships are needed to scale circular solutions?

15:50 – 16:00 Closing Discussion and Next Steps

Summary of key recommendations and opportunities to strengthen the commercialisation and deployment of NYMPHE innovations.

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The European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) brings together policymakers, industry, investors, researchers and innovators working to advance Europe’s circular transition.

This event is organised under the ECESP umbrella as part of the #EUCircularTalks series, connecting stakeholders and creating space for dialogue on practical solutions for a circular Europe.