John Lewis Partnership and Hubbub launch £1mln Circular Future Fund

UK fund seeks to develop new business model around the circular economy.

UK Retail operator the John Lewis Partnership and environmental organisation Hubbub, UK, have joined forces to launch a £1mln fund aimed at accelerating the transition towards a circular economy.  

The Circular Future Fund will provide grants of between £150,000 to £300,000 for projects that re-think waste, shift consumer mindsets or develop new business models.

The fund seeks new thinking in textiles, food and household products, technology and services and is open to charities, Community Interest Companies, social enterprises, academic bodies and start-ups under five years old. Collaborative applications are being encouraged from organisations willing to openly share their approach and findings.

Marija Rompani, director of ethics and sustainability at the John Lewis Partnership, explains, 'By creating this fund, we’re hoping to unearth some of the world’s leading innovators, who have built their business models, products and services around the concept of circularity. We live in a world of finite materials and we need to start protecting them before it’s too late. This is why we’re particularly looking for projects that are regenerative and can eliminate waste or pollution from the design stage, and ultimately protect nature.'