Brussels, October 14, 2025 — The InvestCEC project concluded its activities with a high-level event at the European Parliament, held during the European Week of Regions and Cities 2025.
The event brought together 50 participants, including EU and local policymakers, investors, and businesses, to discuss how to accelerate investment in circular economy initiatives, promote green public procurement, and foster public-private partnerships. Several key stakeholders active in the field of circular economy were present in the room, such as the European Investment Bank, Climate-KIC, European Environmental Bureau, the Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy, Concular GmbH, and Una Terra Early Growth Fund.
As part of the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI), InvestCEC has worked to connect local action with EU ambition, helping circular entrepreneurs become investment-ready and laying the groundwork for a venture capital fund centered around its pilot city, Klagenfurt.
Opening remarks were delivered by Lucie Blondel (DG Research & Innovation) and Davide Delaiti (European Research Executive Agency), who highlighted the CCRI’s vision for scaling circular solutions across Europe’s cities and regions.
A lively panel discussion, moderated by Andrea Accorigi (CCRI Coordination and Support Office), brought together Maya Poncelet (Una Terra Early Growth Fund), Kathrina Rieger (Concular GmbH), René Cerne (City Councelor of Klagenfurt). The discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities of public procurement and private-public partnerships in advancing circular economy projects at the local level.
During the panel, Sandro Gozi (Member of the European Parliament, Renew Europe) joined with an inspiring contribution on the role of public procurement in the circular transition.Gozi emphasized the role of public procurement in strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy and driving the green and digital transitions, calling for simpler, smarter, and fairer processes that deliver value for citizens and protect SMEs from unfair competition.
As the project concludes, its legacy moves forward. InvestCEC parners have been workind with Stadtwerke Klagenfurt to put public-private partnerships into action. As recently noted in a Forbes article, the message for investors, policymakers, and urban innovators is clear: with structured partnerships, bankable pilots, and replicable models, the circular economy is becoming a scalable and profitable pathway to building sustainable cities.
