Ten climate tech start-ups have presented innovative circular economy solutions at the Launchpad’s showcase event, which was hosted in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Economy by the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA). This event marked the latest Circular Economy Cycle aimed at promoting sustainable practices.

The UICCA Launchpad is designed to accelerate the growth of climate tech start-ups, providing them with access to funding, market opportunities, mentorship, and policy guidance. Each cycle focuses on a critical area of climate action, with this edition dedicated to enhancing circular economy solutions that aim to eliminate or repurpose waste across essential sectors such as food, water, energy, and infrastructure.

The ten participating companies were chosen from more than 150 global applicants based on the potential impact of their climate technologies. Their solutions featured decentralised composting, textile upcycling, critical minerals recovery, industrial reuse, food waste management, and circular desalination. The showcase represented the culmination of an intensive three-month accelerator program, during which participants received expert mentorship, training, and opportunities for stakeholder engagement to help scale their solutions in the UAE.

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UICCA, emphasized the need for a fundamental rethink of economic design to achieve true circularity. She stated that the UICCA Launchpad supports innovators who are making this vision a reality, transforming industries while creating a sustainable future.

Her Excellency Maria Hanif Alqassim, Assistant Undersecretary for the Policies and Economic Studies Sector at the Ministry of Economy, expressed pride in the Ministry’s role as the official government partner of the UICCA Circular Economy Launchpad Programme. She highlighted the initiative’s alignment with values of cross-sector collaboration, scalable innovation, and the development of sustainable economic models.

The finalists of the Circular Economy Cycle included Altera, Cauli, Circa Biotech, Desolenator, Excess Material Exchange, Food with Benefits, Novasensa, Terrax, The Waste Lab, and Yellow Octopus: Circular Solutions. These companies delivered live presentations to an audience of investors, policy stakeholders, and sustainability leaders from across the UAE.

The UICCA Launchpad plans to continue with future cycles focused on carbon solutions and climate adaptation, further supporting the UAE’s ambition to become a global hub for climate innovation.