On September 21-24 2026, partners of ECIV convened in Glasgow, Scotland, for the project's fifth in-person consortium meeting. The meeting was hosted by ECIV partners Scottish Enterprise and the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre. These meetings take place every six months in a different participating country. They give the consortium a space to evaluate progress, reflect on lessons learned, and align on priorities for the road ahead, while also engaging with the host region's circular economy landscape.
The first day focused on Regional Action Plans, with partners exploring how regions are applying circular economy principles in practice, based on their own industries and needs. Partner updates and a co-creation session gave participants the chance to learn from one another's approaches.
The day also included pitches from two innovators. SilviBio aims to eliminate peat use in professional glasshouse growing by developing peat-free growing media from locally available raw materials. carbogenics has developed low-carbon technology that converts difficult-to-recycle, low-value paper waste, such as disposable cups and paper towels, into high-value products for bioprocesses and horticulture. Partners also heard from carbogenics, which has developed low-carbon technology to convert difficult-to-recycle, low-value paper waste — think disposable cups and paper towels — into high-value products for bioprocesses and horticulture. It was truly inspiring to see circular innovation in action.
On the second day, the consortium travelled to the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster, at the heart of Scottish industrial power, to learn more about the Cluster, its objectives and circularity goals.
Partners also got to meet two circular innovators based on-site. MiAlgae is transforming the livestock and pet feed industries by producing microalgae rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as a fishmeal replacement. Celtic Renewables uses patented technology to convert low-value byproducts, residues, and waste into high-value green chemicals.
Partners also heard a pitch from Vaste, a B2B climate-tech company running a digital trading and compliance platform for biomass feedstock and waste markets in the UK. The day closed with sessions on funding, on building space for collaboration (a "dance floor" for circular innovation), and on effective project communication.
The final day turned to replication, ensuring that ECIV's learnings are shared beyond the consortium. It also included a project management overview and a session on setting objectives for the next phase of the project.
The next consortium meeting will take place in Wallonia in April 2027.
