Luxinnovation, supported by the Ministry of the Economy, has launched the third edition of the Circular by Design Challenge, an initiative aimed at fostering the development of new design solutions and innovative business models aligned with the principles of the circular economy.

The conclusion of this process is marked by a ceremony where 8 selected projects, out of a total of 30 candidates, participated in a rigorous 12-week coaching program. These projects involved startups and established companies, guided by 17 coaches, with the goal of developing their ventures and ensuring economic viability. In addition, this third edition of the initiative involves the participation of five public partners. The event identified four main challenges:

1. Finding sustainable solutions that contribute to development cooperation and humanitarian aid, in collaboration with the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

2. Discovering innovative solutions that reduce the carbon footprint of business events and promote eco-responsibility, in collaboration with the Directorate General for Tourism of the Ministry of the Economy.

3. Seeking innovative, circular, and sustainable solutions for multifunctional urban furniture that minimize the ecological footprint, in collaboration with Luxembourg Urban Garden 2025 (LUGA) and the organizers of the Luxembourg national pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.

4. Designing and developing products that represent Luxembourg and embody the principles of the circular economy, in collaboration with the Luxembourg Collection team of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

During the opening speech, Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot emphasized that sustainability awareness is expanding across various fields, including architecture, agriculture, defense, life sciences, and mobility. The Circular by Design Challenge represents a concrete contribution to the government's pursuit of a more sustainable economy and society.

 

photo and cover: Sophie Margue (Luxinnovation)

 

At the award ceremony held at the Philharmonie, the following winners were recognized:

  • Angelika Bocian-Jaworska (Äerd Lab) in the multifunctional urban furniture category, for her project "Eggshell Wonders," which involves 3D printing urban furniture using a blend of eggshells, clay, and other 100% natural materials.

 

  • Cheryl Ury and Kevin Behaegel (Luloop) in the sustainable business events category, for their project "Luloop," which establishes an international reuse ecosystem that is practical, affordable, and accessible to support the hospitality sector's transition away from single-use plastics.

 

  • Martin Dieterle (Carrerouge) in the LuXembourg Collection category, for his project "Quattromania" that creates a board game entirely made from recycled plastics in Luxembourg, collaborating with social partners like Autisme Luxembourg.

 

  • Dean Kauffmann (Amsol) in the development cooperation and humanitarian aid category, for his project "3DField Printer," which provides a robust and deployable 3D printing solution for humanitarian aid organizations, designed to withstand the challenging environments caused by natural disasters or other catastrophes worldwide.

 

  • Loise Wandera and Oscar Rombo (Metricsat) received the Jury's Favourite Award for their project "TopFodder," aiming to promote regenerative agriculture among small-scale farmers in Rwanda.

source: Luxinnovation

Äerd Lab's founder with the Minister of Economy, Franz Fayot

 

photo: Sophie Margue (Luxinnovation)
Congrats to all the winners and participants!