DBU Circular Economy Initiative (#DBUcirconomy)

Enriched Foundation · Found: 2026-03-11 11:10

DBU dedicated funding initiative for circular economy. Recognizes enormous potential of circular economy for sustainable transformation of economy and society. Project submission primarily open to SMEs and research institutions. Rolling submissions accepted.

Source: https://dbu.de/themen/foerderinitiativen/circular-economy

Funding Details

Funder

Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)

Funding Goal

Support the transformation from a linear to a circular economy by funding innovative projects in circular economy principles, resource efficiency, and sustainable business models — primarily targeting SMEs and research institutions in Germany.

Funding Amount

Not specified on the program page; amounts follow DBU's general project funding guidelines.

Deadline

Rolling submissions (Rolling)

How to Apply

Rolling submissions via DBU's standard project funding portal. Full application details and forms available at dbu.de/foerderung. Applicants should review the current Förderleitlinien before applying.

Target Region

Germany (primary); some international cooperation possible

Contact

Dr. Maximilian Hempel — DBU Environmental Research, Department Head: +49 541 9633-300 Dr. Volker Berding — DBU Environmental Research, Circular Economy & Resources: +49 541 9633-310 Dr. Melanie Kröger — DBU Environmental Research, Circular Economy & Resources: +49 541 9633-312 Dr. Michael Schwake — DBU Environmental Technology, Environmentally Friendly Processes & Products: +49 541 9633-212

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:18

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be an SME or a research institution (primary eligibility); NGOs and non-profits are not the primary target audience
• Collaboration between SMEs and research institutions is explicitly encouraged and preferred

Project Scope

• Project must address circular economy principles: resource loop closure, R-strategies, or transition from linear to circular models
• Sub-initiative applicants (textiles or healthcare) must fit the specific sector focus of the respective call

Required Documents

• Project must align with DBU's current Förderleitlinien (funding guidelines) — review the latest version before applying
• Application submitted via DBU's online project funding portal with standard DBU documentation requirements

Constraints

• Large companies may only participate as additional partners, not as lead applicants
• Projects primarily expected to have German-based activities; international scope may be limited

Summary

The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) has established the #DBUcirconomy initiative — "Initiative for the Economy and Society of the Future" — as a dedicated funding thrust within its broader project grant program. The initiative recognizes the circular economy as a fundamental paradigm shift away from the linear "take, make, waste" model, aiming to decouple economic development from resource consumption through R-strategies (reduce, reuse, recycle, and related approaches). The program accepts rolling project submissions primarily from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and research institutions. Collaboration projects between SMEs and research institutions are explicitly encouraged, and participation of larger companies as additional partners is permitted. The initiative operates under DBU's general funding guidelines and is supported by a doctoral scholarship track focused on circular economy transformation research. Within #DBUcirconomy, two specific sub-initiatives are currently highlighted: "Cross-Company Solutions for Textile Cycles" (continued from 2022), targeting innovative technical and economic approaches to close resource loops in the textile sector; and "CirculAid — Circular Economy in Healthcare," targeting climate-neutral and resource-efficient healthcare solutions across hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and medical device companies. Beyond these sub-initiatives, the broader circular economy funding scope covers a wide range of sectors and applications — including plastic recycling, sustainable packaging, energy-material efficiency, digitalization for circular models, sharing economy approaches, and repair/reuse systems — making it a versatile entry point for organizations working on resource circularity in Germany.

Historical Context

The textile sub-initiative "Cross-Company Solutions for Textile Cycles" was originally launched in 2022 and has been continued under #DBUcirconomy. The broader DBU project funding program has supported numerous circular economy projects, including Green Start-ups such as Cirplus (recycled plastics marketplace) and circular.fashion (textile design software), demonstrating a track record across both plastics and materials sectors.

Why it was added

German/EU foundation CE/plastic program

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