Startups bring a breath of fresh air to the circular economy
The Reverse Logistics Accelerator by Circular Valley and startport highlights the regional cooperation between Wuppertal and Duisburg and serves as an indicator for strengthening North Rhine-Westphalia as a business location. The startups were supported in close cooperation to make reverse logistics more sustainable and efficient.
Duisburg, November 25, 2025 – After three months of workshops, pitch training, and networking events, one thing is certain: the startups of the Reverse Logistics Accelerator – initiated by Circular Valley and startport – are bringing a breath of fresh air to the circular economy. Thirteen startups successfully completed the accelerator at the Demo Day in the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal.
New momentum for reverse logistics
All participants of the Reverse Logistics Accelerator share the goal of making reverse logistics more sustainable, efficient, and digital. With BooxIT, Circular Logistics, xpack green logistics, The Ocean Package, and Palprint, several teams are working on innovative packaging and reusable solutions. Sacred Valley Tech, koorvi, and Urbix Hub are developing digital tools and platforms to make return processes more transparent and efficient. EDEENenergy, Maxmove, and wempyre contribute sustainable energy and transport solutions, while designdirektive and recarbished provide new momentum with circular design and recycling approaches.
The intensive workshop, coaching, and networking phase successfully concludes the first Reverse Logistics Accelerator by Circular Valley and startport. “The startups have shown how much innovative power lies in the combination of logistics and the circular economy,” says Dr. Carsten Gerhardt, Chairman of the Circular Valley Foundation. “With the Reverse Logistics Accelerator, we have succeeded in creating a program that produces concrete solutions for the transformation toward a circular economy.”
Networking and exchange at duisport connect
An important part of the program was the duisport connect networking event in early October, where the participating startups presented their business models to representatives from industry, science, and politics. “The participating startups have made impressive progress in the short time of the program – professionally, strategically, and personally,” says Johannes Franke, Managing Director of startport.
The Reverse Logistics Accelerator was launched to support young companies in making the return, reuse, and reprocessing of products more efficient and sustainable – a crucial lever for the circular economy.
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Circular Valley at a glance
Circular Valley is the international hotspot for the circular economy, based in the extended Rhine-Ruhr region. The non-profit Circular Valley Foundation brings relevant stakeholders together. Across industries and technologies, companies, startups, science, and politics work together to develop solutions for the transformation to a true circular economy. Public relations, the world’s first Circular Economy Accelerator, and policy recommendations are the foundation’s main areas of focus.
www.circular-valley.org