GETTING STARTED
Practical tools that you can start doing business with immediately.
Circular entrepreneurship is not only good for the environment it is also smart business. You save on costs and raw materials, discover new business models and respond to the growing demand for sustainable products and services. The good news? You don't have to do everything at once, and with the right tools and insights, you can get started right away. Whether you want to produce less waste, buy smarter or organise processes more efficiently, here you will find concrete steps, practical tools to get you started.
Circular entrepreneurship
Start step by step
You don't have to immediately change your entire business operations or revenue model to become a circular entrepreneur. You can start small and gradually build further. The R-ladder helps you do this. This model shows how you can work more and more circularly in six steps, from smart reuse to energy recovery.
The R-ladder: six strategies for circularity
R1. Rethink: rethink your approach
Ask yourself what is really needed. Can you organise products or processes differently to use fewer resources or apply sustainable alternatives? Example: Sharing platforms for cars or tools, or clothing brands that rent out clothes instead of selling them.
R2. Reduce: reduce consumption
Work more efficiently, use fewer materials and avoid waste. Less consumption means lower costs and less impact. Example: 'Light as a service': the customer pays for light, while the manufacturer retains ownership of the lamp. This encourages economical and sustainable solutions.
R3. Re-use: reuse products
Give products a second life, such as refurbished electronics, furniture or packaging. Example: Second-hand clothes or restaurants taking in reusable meal packaging.
R4. Repair: repair and restore
Extend the life of your products by repairing instead of replacing. Or reuse parts in new products. Example: electronics shops offering repairs for smartphones and laptops instead of replacements.
R5. Recycle: reprocess raw materials
Ensure that used materials can be reused as raw materials, preferably at equivalent levels. Consider recycling wood or textiles. Example: Worm hotels in Amsterdam convert GFT waste into compost.
R6. Recover: reclaim energy
When reuse and recycling are no longer possible, you can recover energy from residual waste. This is the least desirable step within the circular economy. Example: The waste-to-energy plant in Dordrecht burns residual streams and uses the heat for district heating and electricity.
What's going on in Almere?
- The Municipality of Almere supports sustainable entrepreneurs and encourages cooperation in the region.
- Almere 2.0: Almere is making a conscious effort to promote the circular economy. Circular economy contributes to a positive image for the city. In addition, it is a good starting point for the establishment of circular businesses.
- Do you have a shop and is your door still open? Close it and save energy. The free 'Welcome' sign shows that you are open without wasting heat. Request the sign by e-mail.
- For entrepreneurs and businesses in Almere, there is the Business Energy Desk. Here you can find information about energy saving and sustainability per sector, laws and regulations and subsidies and loans for sustainability measures.
- PRICE thinks and works with entrepreneurs in Almere and Flevoland who want to innovate and build future-proof businesses. Check also PRICE knowledge base.
- Grondstoffen Collectief Almere (GCA) has been creating value from waste by reusing it as a raw material for new products since 2017.
- Circuleather rescues discarded leather from incineration and makes it available again as a circular raw material for designers and makers, in collaboration with partners from across the chain.
- Circuloco is developing a permanent circular hub, built with reused materials, where entrepreneurship, making and knowledge sharing come together to accelerate the circular transition.
- The Upcyclecentrum Almere is a circular manufacturing site where waste is transformed into new products.
- Grants and help for businesses with a full power grid.
What's going on in the region?
- HIP Circular & Digital is one of the national High Impact Public-Private Partnerships (HIP) in which education, government and entrepreneurs join hands with the aim of building a future-proof economy together. The municipality of Almere is also a member.
- Horizon Flevoland supports companies and initiatives in Flevoland with circular subsidies and schemes to promote sustainability and circular economy. Business developer Matthijs Meijer of Horizon Flevoland will be happy to help you get started. Mail to: info@horizonflevoland.nl
- Energie Expertisecentrum Flevoland (EEF) helps and finances the development and realisation of sustainable energy and energy saving projects in Flevoland. They support entrepreneurs, non-profit organisations and energy cooperatives quickly, easily accessible and without commercial interest.
- Do you have a construction company? Join the Circular Deal Secondary Building Materials (MRA). Governments, companies and knowledge institutions are working together to reuse building materials more often. Almere is participating by harvesting usable materials during demolition and reusing them. Would you like to participate? Mail Jelle Buikema.
What's going on nationwide?
- Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) offers information on circular entrepreneurship, subsidy schemes and practical support. Also check the raw materials scanner to gain insight into the raw materials you use.
- MVO Nederland Circulair Ondernemen provides tips, tools and explanations on circular principles.
- The Difference Makers: Circular stories and practical tools and tips. Also check out the knowledge cards overview on the circular economy.
- Circo Tracks, an initiative that helps companies (re)design their product, service or business model in a circular way.
- Versnellingshuis, a platform on network partners, financing and laws and regulations regarding circular entrepreneurship
- The Week of the Circular Economy: The largest national inspiration and networking event for circular entrepreneurs organised by the Versnellingshuis annually in March.
- EDIH Digital Hub Noordwest is a European-backed digital innovation hub that helps SMEs digitise by providing training, advice, testing facilities and investment support to enable them to effectively deploy digital technologies such as AI, data and automation.
- Circular Manufacturing offers practical tools that help companies take steps towards circular design, production and business.
- Grants and help for businesses with a full power grid.
Entrepreneur desk for all your questions
Want to know more about circular entrepreneurship? Would you like to conduct a circular scan as a company to assess your business where opportunities and challenges lie? For questions, please visit the Entrepreneurs' Desk at the Ondernemersplein in the Almere City Hall.
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