Resource, the specialized event for the so-called circular economy professionals, is announcing a new initiative for UK start ups as well as established small and medium B2B businesses offering sustainable technologies, processes and platforms — the ‘Launch Pad’. Ten best selected candidates will be offered spots at the Resource conference and exhibition in London in March 2015 and before the conference throughout the year to have a chance to pitch their services to 11,000 professionals looking to develop profitable business model with a circular economy approach in mind.

Circular economy is a term that defines a self-sustained system where the end product is not disposed but re-used, re-purposed or re-cycled to become a source for new products.  The Resouce event supported by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the primary proponent of the circular economy in the UK, aim to bring together global brands and start ups to help them make the smooth transition to the circular economy. Currently there are over 70 companies who signed up for the foundation’s ‘Circular Economy 100’ programme, including big names such as Coca-Cola, BT, IKEA, Renault, Philips and Vodafone.

Resource director, Stephen Gee, says that, although SME are “the lifeblood of Europe’s economy,” the lack of available finance and knowledge prevents about 50% of them from adopting a circular economic policy. That’s what the Resource conference and their ‘Launch Pad’ initiative are all about — to let small businesses earn money and exchange knowledge.

So far, there are two UK companies who confirmed participation in the ‘Launch Pad’: WARPit, developers of a resource reuse network that allows staff to share surplus physical resources within their organisation, and Bag:ReBorn, a specialist packaging design company motivated by reuse and prevention.

View the video from this year’s Resource conference with Rob Holdway, Chair of Resource, speaking below.