Building circular business ecosystems: Lessons from Viet Nam and Global South

11 Aug 2026

Building circular business ecosystems: Lessons from Viet Nam and Global South

17 Sep 2026 at 13:00–15:30 (UTC+5:30)

The Mahatma Mandir Convention&Exhibition Centre, Seminar Hall 3, Gandhinagar, India

Session type: In person in Gandhinagar and online

Focus: Bioeconomy, Business, Finance, Governance, Industry, Africa, Asia

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Organiser(s): United Development Programme in Viet Nam & International Water Management Institute

This session shares examples, tools and financing approaches from Viet Nam, Africa and other low- and middle-income countries. It also explores how partnerships, enabling policies, innovation ecosystems, tools and financing mechanisms can unlock scalable circular investment opportunities.

Building and financing circular value chains: Live cases from India and the Nordics

11 Aug 2026

Building and financing circular value chains: Live cases from India and the Nordics

17 Sep 2026 at 17:30–19:00 (UTC+5:30)

Online, Helsinki, Finland

Session type: Online only

Focus: Business, Finance, Industry, Materials, Africa, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Organiser(s): Nordic Innovation, Stride Ventures, Nordic Circular Investments

This interactive online session moves beyond theory to live demonstration: real cases from the Nordics and India present how cross-value chain collaboration works in practice, how risk is distributed between innovators and established companies, and how capital is structured to fund circular networks.

Borderless circular manufacturing and Industry 5.0

11 Aug 2026

Borderless circular manufacturing and Industry 5.0

18 Sep 2026 at 15:30 – 17 Sep 2026 at 17:00 (UTC-3:00)

online, Goiania, Brazil

Session type: Online only

Focus: Business, Data and AI, Industry, Resilience, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Organiser(s): BIOCERR – Biodegradáveis Cerrado

Discover how decentralised manufacturing networks can accelerate the circular economy through Industry 5.0 principles.
Learn how modular production systems reduce waste, strengthen local economies and create resilient industrial ecosystems for a regenerative future.

A gender lens on circularity

11 Aug 2026

A gender lens on circularity

18 Sep 2026 at 12:00–13:30 (UTC+5:30)

To be confirmed with other GIZ sessions, Gandhinagar, India

Session type: In person only in Gandhinagar

Focus: Business, Finance, Governance, People, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America

Related Sustainable Development Goals

Organiser(s): Ministry of Finance of Brazil, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH,
Instituto Elas na Economia Circular

What does it take for women to lead the circular transition? In this South-South panel, women leaders from Brazil and India share their experiences and exchange lessons across two of the world’s largest emerging economies. Be ready for an open, practical conversation on gender, leadership and more.

Catalysts of change: Youth leadership and innovations in the circular economy

03 Aug 2026

Catalysts of change: Youth leadership and innovations in the circular economy

16 Sep 2026 at 16:00–17:00 (UTC+5:30)

Session type: Plenary

Focus: Business, Education, People, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America

Related UN Sustainable Development Goals

This session explores how young leaders are driving behavioural and systemic change by developing innovative circular solutions, challenging conventional approaches and building the businesses of the future.

As the circular economy creates new opportunities for entrepreneurship, skills development and employment, empowering the next generation will be essential for accelerating the global transition.

The session will showcase inspiring youth-led innovations, success stories and international collaboration, demonstrating how young people are shaping a more circular, resilient and inclusive economy.

Organiser(s): Sitra the Finnish Innovation Fund, Central Pollution Control Board of India (CPCB)

Governance framework for the circular economy

03 Aug 2026

Governance framework for the circular economy

15 Sep 2026 at 16:30–17:30 (UTC+5:30)

Session type: Plenary

Focus: Business, Design, Governance, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America

Related UN Sustainable Development Goals

This session explores the governance frameworks, policy instruments and regulatory approaches that enable the transition to a circular economy.

Effective governance is essential for creating the conditions that drive circular business models, sustainable product design, secondary material markets and investment, while ensuring implementation across national, state and local levels.

The session will showcase how policy frameworks such as circular economy road maps, extended producer responsibility, ecodesign regulations, fiscal incentives and digital compliance mechanisms can accelerate the transition from ambition to action.

Organiser(s): Sitra the Finnish Innovation Fund, Central Pollution Control Board of India (CPCB)

Start-up ecosystems for the circular economy

03 Aug 2026

Start-up ecosystems for the circular economy

16 Sep 2026 at 14:30–15:30 (UTC+5:30)

Session type: Parallel

Track: Growth

Focus: Business, Finance, Industry, Resilience, Africa, Asia

Related UN Sustainable Development Goals

This session will explore how innovative financing mechanisms and risk-mitigation approaches can accelerate the growth of circular economy start-ups in emerging markets. The conversation will then spotlight practical examples of value chain partnerships that have enabled circular businesses to scale.

Participants will leave with an understanding of what makes circular ventures investable, how next-gen blended finance and guarantees can crowd in private capital, and what role large corporates can play in creating demand and market certainty.

Organiser(s): World Economic Forum

Ecodesign for sustainable products and a circular economy

03 Aug 2026

Ecodesign for sustainable products and a circular economy

16 Sep 2026 at 11:30–12:30 (UTC+5:30)

Session type: Parallel

Track: Governance

Focus: Business, Design, Governance, System change, Asia, Europe, North America

Related UN Sustainable Development Goals

This session explores how policy frameworks and regulatory approaches can advance circular and sustainable products while remaining practical and inclusive across global value chains.

Bringing together perspectives from India, the European Union and other regions, the discussion will examine how ecodesign policies can shape markets, drive innovation and improve product sustainability while responding to emerging requirements on durability, repairability, resource efficiency and recyclability and addressing the challenges related to compliance costs, testing and certification infrastructure, access to technology, finance and technical skills.

The session highlights how proportionate requirements, transition finance, capacity-building, shared infrastructure and international cooperation can help organisations participate competitively in circular markets.

Organiser(s): Chatham House, Sitra the Finnish Innovation Fund, UNEP PAGE India – Partnership for Action on Green Economy

Financing circular growth: Mobilising private capital

03 Aug 2026

Financing circular growth: Mobilising private capital

15 Sep 2026 at 15:00–16:00 (UTC+5:30)

Session type: Parallel

Track: Growth

Focus: Business, Finance, System change, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia / Australasia / Oceania, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America

Related UN Sustainable Development Goals

Circularity is increasingly recognised not only as an environmental priority but as an economic necessity. While policy frameworks and taxonomies have laid the groundwork, the next challenge is to turn these foundations into scalable financial flows and practical implementation.

This session demonstrates how unlocking circular economy finance will require complementary funding instruments and coordinated action by public and private actors across the value chain, leaving the participants with a clearer understanding of the drivers and tools for this.

Organiser(s): UNEP Finance Initiative, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), World Bank Group

Application of AI: Next-gen tech for a circular economy

03 Aug 2026

Application of AI: Next-gen tech for a circular economy

15 Sep 2026 at 12:00–13:00 (UTC+5:30)

Session type: Parallel

Track: Growth

Focus: Business, Data and AI, System change, Asia, Europe, North America

Related UN Sustainable Development Goals

Artificial intelligence is emerging as the connective tissue of the circular economy, adding the visibility, prediction and optimisation needed to fragmented lifecycle data to make circular business models competitive.

This session examines how AI can shift the economics in favor of circularity, using the automotive sector as the proving ground and India as the geography.

Discussions will explore practical applications across modular vehicle eco-design, component remanufacturing, EV battery second-life optimisation, and automated End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) dismantling and recycling.

Organiser(s): World Economic Forum, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)

Global call for Studio applications is open—Apply by 28 August!