Catalonia Trade & Investment identifies the 100 most innovative circular economy solutions in Catalonia

Catalonia Trade & Investment -the Catalan Government’s agency for business competitiveness- has presented the Leading Circular Economy Solutions in Catalonia, a catalogue showcasing the top 100 most innovative practices on circular economy made in Catalonia. The CEO of Catalonia Trade & Investment, Joan Romero, presented the digital catalogue during the event A Taste of Circular Economy Hotspot Catalonia, a preliminary session about the Circular Economy Hotspot, the main event in this field in Europe that will be hold in Barcelona in 2021.

During his speech, the CEO of Catalonia Trade & Investment, Joan Romero, said that “this catalog includes more than 100 innovative solutions in the circular economy developed in Catalonia, initiatives with applications in the leading industrial sectors and related to water, energy, new materials and waste management”. This is a first approach to the solutions available in Catalonia, a document that will be updated with new initiatives in areas such as food, chemistry, health and life sciences, sustainable mobility, industry 4.0, packaging and design industries or research and education. According to Romero, in this way it is clear that “Catalonia is an industrial and diversified economy, with different strategic sectors and, precisely, the catalog includes solutions in many of them; it's a good example of the important ecosystem we have".

He also said that “sustainable companies are more efficient, have a differential proposal based on innovation and a better positioning in global markets". Circular economy is also “key in the current transformation of the industrial model because it offers a sustainable, repairing and regenerative model, based on the use of renewable energies, energy efficiency and an efficient and responsible use of resources”.

According to Catalonia Trade & Investment’s data, there are currently about 400 companies in Catalonia that offer solutions in the field of circular economy, which have a combined turnover of 11,038 million euros (more than 4,090 million of which are directly linked to circular economy) and employ 70,419 people. Most of them are SMEs (91%) and more than half are exporters. In addition to companies, the circular economy ecosystem in Catalonia also includes clusters, startups, technology and research centers and other entities.