All-Island Circular Venture Awards to support circular economy in Ireland

CIRCULÉIRE is pleased to announce the inaugural All-Island Circular Venture Awards. Open to late-stage start-ups and ventures across the island of Ireland, the award is designed to recognise those pioneering the emergence of the circular economy sector by enabling or demonstrating a circular value proposition.
The All-Island Circular Venture Awards invites late-stage start-up driving innovation in the circular economy to submit their proposal by 30th October. The call is aimed at ventures with high potential to reshape how materials, components and products are used, reused, remanufactured and regenerated.

All-Island Circular Venture Awards

The Awards, designed and led by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and funded by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE), are a new and prestigious initiative that will see shortlisted companies pitch to a high-profile audience of investors, industry leaders, policy makers, and media on 27th November 2025.  Finalists will compete for a total prize pool of €10,000, plus 1-to-1 coaching sessions with international experts in entrepreneurship and circular economy.
Referring to the awards announcement, Dr Geraldine Brennan, Director of Circular Economy Innovation at Irish Manufacturing Research, said: “Ireland’s transition?to a circular economy is not just an environmental imperative—it’s a strategic opportunity to unlock innovation, create green jobs, build resilient economies and enable communities to thrive. Pioneering circular ventures represent the bold thinking and collaborative spirit needed to redesign production and consumption system for a regenerative future.”
Inspired by this potential, CIRCULÉIRE and Irish Manufacturing Research welcome applications from ventures that meet the eligibility criteria.  The Awards are an excellent opportunity to pitch to investors and potential partners aligned with the ventures circular mission.
The All-Island Circular Venture Awards will take place at ESB Head Office (F27), 27 Fitzwilliam Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02 KT92 on 27th November 2025 at 2-7pm.

Additionally, all shortlisted ventures will receive promotional support from IMR’s Circular Economy Innovation Unit and will have the opportunity to feature as a case study on CIRCULÉIRE’s website and social media channels. The All-Island Circular Venture Awards will be an occasion for networking with like-minded businesses, all-island government representatives and the CIRCULÉIRE’s network members.
Late-stage start-ups and ventures should submit their applications via Awards Platform (https://circulei.awardsplatform.com/) by 30th October 2025. The eligibility criteria is available on the Awards site: (https://circulei.awardsplatform.com/) by 30th October 2025. The eligibility criteria is available on the Awards site: https://www.circuleire.ie/all-island-circular-venture-award-2025.  and will be asked to provide evidence of compliance with the eligibility criteria by 10th November 2025.  Any enquiries about the application process can be emailed to circuleire@imr.ie.

About Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR)
IMR partners with industry to demystify emerging technologies, derisk adoption, and deliver real-world impact – helping businesses scale and innovate with confidence. We bridge the gap between technology and business, ensuring companies can harness the latest advancements to drive efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.

About CIRCULÉIRE

CIRCULÉIRE, Ireland’s First Circular Innovation Network, is led by Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and funded by the Department of Environment, Climate, and Communications (DECC). It is a dynamic, cross-sectoral public-private network dedicated to advancing circularity in Ireland. Our mission is to demystify, de-risk, and drive circular business model innovation by unlocking the potential of an Irish circular economy. Established in 2020, CIRCULÉIRE has evolved into a multi-million-euro, industry-led national innovation platform. Our network includes over 50 cross sectoral members, ranging from start-ups and micro-enterprises to SMEs and MNCs.

See more breaking stories here.