Innovation for the Circular Economy: insights from new business models

1. Innovation for the Circular Economy:
insights from new business models
Dr. Dario Cottafava - researcher, lecturer and social entrepreneur
PostDoc researcher at University of Turin
Ph.D. in «Innovation for the Circular Economy», M.Sc. In «Physics of Complex Systems»

2. Source: Cottafava, D., Ascione, G. S., & Allori, I. (2022). CIRCULAR ECONOMY: NEW PARADIGM OR JUST RELABELLING? A
QUANTITATIVE TEXT AND SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS ON WIKIPEDIA WEBPAGES

3. Cradle to Cradle (McDonough, 2010): eco-effectiveness vs eco-efficiency, rifiuti = risorsa
Regenerative Design (Lyle, 1996): autosufficienza di un ecosistema
Performance economy (Stahel, 2010): closing/slowing the loops, product as a service
Industrial Ecology (Ayres, 1994): simbiosi industriale
Biomimicry (Benyus, 1997): «imparare» dalla Natura versus «estrarre» dalla Natura
ECONOMIA CIRCOLARE NON SIGNIFICA SOLO
RICICLO!
Source: Cottafava, D., Ascione, G. S., & Allori, I. (2022). CIRCULAR ECONOMY: NEW PARADIGM OR JUST RELABELLING? A
QUANTITATIVE TEXT AND SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS ON WIKIPEDIA WEBPAGES

5. Un'economia circolare è un approccio sistemico […]
rigenerativo «by design» e mira a disaccoppiare la
crescita economica dal consumo di risorse finite

6. Regenerative VS degenerative

7. Linear Economy VS Circular Economy

8. SLOW
NARROW
CLOSE
REGENE
RATE
INFORM
Use less materials
and energy during
design
Use products,
components and
materials longer
Use wasted products,
components and
materials again
Use non-toxic organic
materials & renewable
energy
Use information
technology to narrow,
slow and close the loops

9. NARROW THE LOOP
Modular, Flexible, and Design for disassembly
Esempi: https://www.fairphone.com/it/

10. Esempi: https://en.youbumerang.com/ - https://aroundrs.it/
Source: CM Consulting (2019). Deposits System for one way beverage containers: global overview. Technical report
SLOW THE LOOP

11. SLOW THE LOOP
Sharing Economy
Pay-per-lux
Pay-per-wash
Sharing economy, Product as a service and regeneration
Remanufacturing

12. CLOSE THE LOOPS
Upcycling, Downcycling, Repurpose

13. REGENERATE
Regenerative Finance, impact investing, crypto and blockchain
Esempi: https://www.reseed.farm/ - https://giveth.io/projects - https://goparity.com/es - https://fishcoin.co/

14. INFORM
Marketplace, Bill of Materials, Right to repair
Esempi: https://excessmaterialsexchange.com/en_us/ - https://materialenmarktplaats.nl/ - https://madaster.com/ -
https://www.cirdax.com/ - https://www.reusematerials.nl/ - https://it.wallapop.com/ - https://www.ebay.it/

15. A systemic vision: beyond the slogan
VS
Source: Edwards, C., Fry, J.M., 2011. Life cycle assessment of supermarket carrier bags: a review of the bags available in 2006. Technical
Report SC030148. Isinella, V., Albizzati, P.F., Astrup, T.F., Damgaard, A., 2018. Life cycle assessment of grocery carrier bags

16. A systemic vision: beyond the slogan
VS
Source: Cottafava, Dario, et al. "Assessment of the environmental break-even point for deposit return systems through an LCA analysis of
single-use and reusable cups." Sustainable Production and Consumption 27 (2021): 228-241.

17. A systemic vision: beyond the slogan
Source: Cottafava, Dario, et al. "Assessment of the environmental break-even point for deposit return systems through an LCA analysis of
single-use and reusable cups." Sustainable Production and Consumption 27 (2021): 228-241.

18. A systemic vision: beyond the slogan
Source: Cottafava, Dario, et al. "Assessment of the environmental break-even point for deposit return systems through an LCA analysis of
single-use and reusable cups." Sustainable Production and Consumption 27 (2021): 228-241.

19. Nature runs on sunlight.
Nature uses only the energy it needs.
Nature fits form to function.
Nature recycles everything.
Nature rewards cooperation.
Nature banks on diversity.
Nature demands local expertise.
Nature curbs excesses from within.
Nature taps the power of limits.
Janine M. Benyus
Another world is possible.
Join the regenerative revolution
Thank you for the
attention
Dario.cottafava@unito.it