Lessons Learned Over 4 Years of Boosting

Swiss Circular Economy

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From 2021 to 2024, the Innosuisse Innovation Booster «Applied Circular Sustainability» has supported over 50 Swiss startups and companies in transitioning from linear to circular business models.

Through 30+ workshops with 50 pioneers, 10 key hurdles to circularity were identified, spanning regulations, material innovation, and business models. These challenges are crucial—not just for conceptualizing circularity but for implementing it effectively. While some lessons may seem obvious in hindsight, consistent execution remains the real challenge.

This report presents each hurdle, illustrates how they were tackled within the Booster’s «Campaigns» and «Challenges», and provides recommendations beyond the Innovation Booster’s scope.

We hope these lessons will inspire future circular innovations in business, policy, and society. Our sincere thanks go to all participants for their openness and contributions.

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