CircularInvest was proud to take part in ChangeNOW 2026 in Paris, from 30 March to 1 April, joining one of the world's leading gatherings dedicated to solutions for the planet. The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and innovators from around the world to explore practical approaches to tackling global environmental and social challenges.

Throughout the event, the CircularInvest team met with a number of our beneficiaries to learn more about the progress they are making in developing innovative circular economy solutions. From reusable packaging systems, to deposit-return technologies and product lifecycle management, the diversity of projects on display demonstrated the breadth of innovation taking place across Europe's circular economy ecosystem.

A particular highlight of the week was the CircularInvest Venture Spotlight side event, where eight CircularInvest beneficiaries took to the stage to present their ventures in a series of fast-paced pitches. The audience heard from:
Marin Zver (Circular Life)
Marc Melús (PORTNET)
Cristian David (ReNew Lifecycle / Klap Tech)
Mateusz Wielopolski (REVIRA)
Joshua Linn (The Ocean Package)
Julio Jimenez-Pacheco (SURLEV)
Alasdair Hood (Recirculate Systems)
Bertil Davidsson (Re:Lab)

Following the presentations, participants had the opportunity to network with investors, industry representatives and fellow innovators, creating valuable opportunities for new partnerships and future collaboration.

During the conference, the CircularInvest team also visited beneficiaries exhibiting at ChangeNOW, including The Ocean Package, whose reusable packaging systems aim to make e-commerce and logistics more sustainable, and Recirculate Systems, whose platform integrates deposit-return functionality directly into payment transactions, making circular participation easier for consumers and businesses alike.

Beyond supporting our beneficiaries, ChangeNOW provided an opportunity to engage with discussions on some of the most pressing sustainability topics of our time, including circular economy, plastic pollution, information integrity in the age of AI, and new economic models for sustainable development.

Events such as ChangeNOW play an important role in connecting innovative start-ups with investors, partners and wider ecosystems that can help bring circular solutions to market. We were delighted to see our beneficiaries showcasing their work on an international stage and look forward to supporting their continued growth. We look forward to continuing these conversations and to seeing even more circular innovations making a positive impact across Europe.