Top 10 Circular Economy Startups in Europe Transforming Waste into Wealth

The circular economy is revolutionizing the way Europe manages its resources, emphasizing sustainability, waste reduction, and innovative reuse. Circular economy startups are at the forefront of this transformation, turning waste into valuable products and services, creating green jobs, and inspiring a new sustainable business landscape.

Europe, with its ambitious climate goals and robust environmental policies, has become a hub for startups leading the transition from linear “take-make-dispose” models to regenerative systems. This article explores the top 10 circular economy startups in Europe that are pioneering innovative solutions—ranging from waste management, e-waste recycling, food waste reduction, to sustainable packaging—that transform waste into wealth.

1. Grover (Germany)

Grover is revolutionizing electronics consumption with its subscription-based rental model. Instead of buying and discarding technology, consumers can rent electronics for flexible periods, reducing e-waste significantly. Grover promotes the reuse of devices, extending product lifecycle and minimizing environmental impact.

Keywords: circular electronics, sustainable tech rental, e-waste reduction Germanystorm4

2. TooGoodToGo (Denmark)

As one of Europe’s largest food waste reduction platforms, TooGoodToGo connects consumers with restaurants and stores to purchase surplus food at reduced prices. By preventing millions of meals from going to waste each year, it saves resources and carbon emissions, embodying circularity in the food supply chain.

Keywords: food waste circular economy, sustainable food startups Europestorm4

3. Refurbed (Austria)

Refurbed offers a marketplace for refurbished electronics, encouraging consumers to choose devices that are repaired and tested instead of new ones. This approach significantly reduces electronic waste and carbon footprint while creating a viable circular economy around tech products.

Keywords: refurbished electronics Europe, circular tech marketplacestorm4

4. GeoFluxus (Netherlands)

GeoFluxus develops open-source software for resource mapping and analytics to help businesses and governments eliminate waste conceptually. Their digital solutions enable improved materials tracking—fundamental for advancing circularity in complex supply chains.

Keywords: resource mapping software, circular supply chainsstorm4

5. Atelier Riforma (Italy)

Focused on circular fashion, Atelier Riforma collects secondhand garments, catalogs them with AI technology, and directs items toward reuse, recycling, or upcycling. Tackling fashion waste, one of the most polluting industries, this startup blends technology with sustainability.

Keywords: circular fashion startups Europe, textile waste solutionseu-startups

6. Verkor (France)

Verkor is building one of Europe’s largest gigafactories to produce low-carbon batteries essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The startup also prioritizes recycling production scraps, contributing to a circular economy in battery manufacturing.

Keywords: circular battery manufacturing, green energy startups Europenetzeroinsights

7. Picnic (Netherlands)

An online grocery shopping platform that reduces food waste through AI-driven demand prediction, Picnic optimizes stock levels and delivery routes using electric vehicles. Their deposit-return system also incentivizes packaging reuse and recycling.

Keywords: AI food waste reduction, circular packaging Europenetzeroinsights

8. Carbios (France)

Carbios pioneers enzymatic recycling technology to break down plastics like PET into their base components, enabling the production of new plastics from waste. This innovation tackles plastic pollution effectively, enhancing recyclability.

Keywords: enzymatic plastic recycling, sustainable plastics Europesustainability-news

9. Brightmark (USA but active in Europe)

Brightmark provides chemical recycling solutions that convert plastic waste into fuels and new chemicals, supporting waste diversion from landfills into circular economic value chains. Their technologies are already contributing to circular plastic solutions in Europe.

Keywords: chemical plastic recycling, waste to fuel innovationsustainability-news

10. FabBRICK (UK)

FabBRICK weaves waste materials such as textiles and plastics into eco-friendly construction bricks and panels, preventing landfill waste while addressing sustainable building material demands—a perfect example of turning waste into wealth.

Keywords: circular construction materials, sustainable building materials Europeforbes

Why Circular Economy Startups Matter

These startups do more than just reduce waste; they innovate business models centered on reuse, repair, and recycling. By doing so, they:

Create sustainable economic opportunities
Reduce environmental footprint and pollution
Promote green jobs and skills development
Support EU’s climate neutrality targets and sustainable development goals
Inspire behavior change toward more responsible consumption and production

Europe’s legislative frameworks like the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan provide critical momentum and funding opportunities—such as the LIFE program’s €600 million call for circular innovation—that enable these startups to scale effectively.zabala+1

Implications for Nepal and Beyond

As Nepal advances its sustainability goals, studying these European pioneers offers valuable lessons for fostering circular economy startups locally. Investing in green tech, promoting circular business models, and supporting vocational training in recycling and refurbishing can catalyze Nepal’s green transition.

Startups can drive innovation ecosystems that transform waste management from a challenge into an economic opportunity, helping Green Smith Nepal champion a cleaner, greener future.

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