Circularity, Rewired: Making Plastics Investable from Molecule to Market

​Teaser
Circularity is everywhere—pitch decks, policy, corporate commitments. But investors don’t fund narratives, they fund returns. In plastics, we are trying to close the loop on materials that were never designed for it—while pouring capital into increasingly complex recycling systems. This session combines an investor lens with a technology reality check to ask: what would it take to make circular plastics truly work—and investable?

​Why is this topic relevant
Circularity has moved from niche to mainstream, driven by regulation, corporate net-zero targets, and investor pressure. Yet plastics remain one of the hardest sectors to crack. Many recycling-based approaches struggle with feedstock quality, economics, and end-market demand, while next-generation materials promise true circularity but face scaling challenges.

To navigate this, we need more than vision—we need a consistent way to evaluate what works. Applying a practical framework across five lenses—feedstock, conversion economics, green premium, offtake, and competition with virgin materials—helps distinguish scalable models from structural dead ends, while also highlighting where technology and system design must evolve.

At the same time, global dynamics are shifting. Europe is shaping ambitious regulatory frameworks but risks falling behind the US and China on scale, speed, and cost competitiveness. Understanding how technology, economics, and regulation interact is critical to turning circularity from ambition into a viable industrial system.

 The session will take place on the MATERIA Planet at VENTURE SPRIND 2026, held at Futurium in Berlin. You will need a VENTURE SPRIND ticket to enter the venue and attend the session.
If you don’t have one yet but are an active investor, just drop us a line at [email protected] - there’s a good chance we can sort you out with a ticket. Availability is limited.