Innovate UK Fast Start project

We’re delighted to announce that we’ve applied for and been awarded an Innovate UK Fast Start grant to research and investigate ideas in carbon reporting and the circularity economy. 

The circular economy aims to reduce the amount of raw materials needed to make goods by good design choices, maximise the working life of goods by using quality, not throwaway, products and recapturing waste as raw materials to manufacture new materials and products. It encourages the use of renewable resources and aims to move away from the linear sales model of manufacture > single use > landfill.

Several trends are driving companies to look at the circular economy.

• Climate change and carbon reporting - lower carbon products are increasingly in demand.
• Resource scarcity - global resource and supply chain issues are causing supply issues.
• ESG Reporting - companies seen to be doing the right thing are performing better.

Suppliers are looking to move some of their supply chain over to circular principles. Our research suggests that forward looking B2B suppliers of capital goods - e.g., office furniture, plant, machinery, and IT equipment are starting to position for the circular economy. They are looking at product as a service and the whole lifecycle of the goods they supply.

We foresee a growing demand for tools specific to the circular economy supply chain.

I’m sure ideas will solidify as the six months goes on. At the end of the work, we aim to have a great body of research and one or more working prototypes to take forward.

We’ve been building up to this one for several months, interviewing prospective companies and gathering ideas.  We’ve had some tremendous help on the way to this application, in particular I’d like to single out.

• Louise Towler from Indigo Tree for all the help with the application
• Sarah Weller from We Are Element for your time generating ideas.
• Simon Littlewood from ESTU for the encouragement and contacts
• Plus, all the others who have given time, ideas, and thoughts to this.

Hope to do you all proud over the next 6 months. Onwards.