Circular City Labs Shkodra: Accelerating Circular Economy Solutions for Livable Cities

Applications for the Circular City Labs Shkodra are open from 26th of August to 29th of September 2024.

What is Circular Economy? 

The Circular Economy is an economic model designed to minimize waste and maximize resource use by keeping products, materials, and resources in circulation for as long as possible. Unlike the traditional linear model, which follows a “buy, use, dispose” approach, the circular economy emphasizes durability, reusability, repairability, and recyclability. This approach is essential for managing the increasing volume of global waste, as it promotes reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. By extending product lifecycles and cutting down on raw material extraction, the circular economy helps conserve resources and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

What is Circular City Labs Shkodra?

Circular City Labs (CCL) is an innovative accelerator program aimed at tackling urban waste issues by fostering circular economy solutions. Following the success of Circular City Labs – Tirana, we are excited to announce the launch of Circular City Labs – Shkodra (CCL Shkodra). This initiative focuses on developing sustainable solutions for Organic Waste, Packaging Waste, and Textile & Garment Waste, with a special emphasis on creating livable cities.

CCL Shkodra is a program designed to find new and effective ways to manage waste and promote sustainability in cities. It is an accelerator program meaning it helps businesses and projects grow faster by giving them the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed. This program focuses primarily on three main types of waste: organic waste (like food scraps), packaging waste (like plastic and cardboard), and textile and garment waste (like old clothes). However, circular economy solutions for other waste types are also welcome. The goal is to create better, cleaner, and more livable cities by finding ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle these kinds of waste.

The CCL Shkodra program is part of a broader initiative to transform Albanian cities into innovation-driven, circular, and knowledge-based economies. This program is supported by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the EU 4 Circular Economy and Livable Cities (EU4CELC) and EU4Innovation (EU4I) programs. CCL forms part of the BMZ Initiative for Climate and Environmental Protection (IKU) and runs from 01/2023 to 12/2025.

The CCL Shkodra program is implemented by Yunus Social Business Balkans (YSB Balkans), under the umbrella of its “Growpreneur Accelerator Programme”, in cooperation with DEEP Ecosystems and ARKA. The initiative aims to empower local actors in the Shkodra region to design, prototype, test and pilot viable circular economy solutions that have the potential to scale, replicate and generate positive environmental and social impact. Four entities presenting the most effective solutions will be selected to be piloted in the market and will each receive an award of EUR 50,000 in the form of grants.

Who Should Join? Circular City Labs – Shkodra is designed for businesses, startups, and individuals across various sectors and industries, seeking to develop circular economy solutions falling in any of the following four main categories: (i) Food and Agriculture Waste Solutions; (ii) Packaging Waste Solutions; (iii) Textile Waste Solutions, and (iv) Flexible Circular Economy Solutions.

The applicants may come from various sector or industries, such as, but not limited to:

    • HORECA (Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafes)

    • Retail & Grocery

    • E-commerce & IT (focused on solutions for waste management)

    • Logistics & Event Management (with an emphasis on sustainable practices)

    • City Administration (working on urban waste solutions)

    • Academia & Researchers (studying waste reduction and circular economy)

    • Civil Society (involved in sustainability and environmental initiatives)

    • Food Processing & Manufacturing

    • Agriculture & Farming

    • Packaging Industry

    • Fashion & Textile Industry

    • Waste Management & Recycling Services

    • Consumer Goods

    • Health & Beauty

    • Hospitality & Tourism

    • Education & Training Providers

The program encourages especially encourage female founders and women-led businesses to apply, aligning with its commitment to gender development policies.

For more details about the programme check the program’s webpage and its detailed application guidelines or contact the programme team directly.

Bees & Trees Bio Cosmetics break-through in the EU market

Bees & Trees Bio Cosmetics is an Albanian organic skincare brand, first established and produced in Albania, but as the brand has grown, the production has moved to Italy (all products are produced based on the EU Regulation for cosmetics and can be sold anywhere in Europe physically and online worldwide). The core belief of Bees & Trees is in the simplicity of loving yourself and your environment – loving where your soul lives and where your body lives. They show this through clean and organic products, recycled packaging, and the spirit of our social media. Bees & Trees has started very spontaneously, not intended to be a business, which makes it very unique. Their main markets currently are Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and sporadically EU, USA, and Canada. Their five-year mission is to expand in Europe, towards which they have started working hard.

At Bees & Trees, there exist two core beliefs: 

“Everything we do should complement 

1. Loving ourselves.

2. Loving our planet.”

Being this the base of their business, what Bees and Trees has done until now has helped raise awareness about sustainable living, the importance of self-appreciation and love through healthy living, and taking care of our bodies.

Simply put, they create new skincare products from scratch with the aim to target specific skin needs and while doing this, giving a sense of self-comfort. Most of all, everything is done while loving nature, the provider of our ingredients. They do this for all those who appreciate self-care, clean living, and eco-living.

 

What was the challenge?

Rona, the founder, has been rock climbing since high school and mountains have a special place in her heart. Back in 2011 when she was frequently going in the mountains for rock climbing, she really needed an organic sunscreen to use while climbing and couldn’t find one. She used to be very decisive to not use chemical sunscreen (what couldn’t be found in the market back then), she tried to create one herself at the lab of the University. A lot of friends started asking her to make one for them also, and the circle of people that wanted it grew very fast. After the sunscreen, she made a natural moisturizer and that’s when she realized, she could start a business out of this. She created an account on Instagram / Facebook where she started sharing her passion and experimented with formulations until graduation. In 2016 Bees & Trees was officially registered as a business.
Until 2017, when they opened their first shop at a shopping center in Tirana.

What is the solution?

Currently, Bees and Trees has ten EU-registered products and are in the process of launching three new ones (one of which is in the process of being patented). Their expertise is in face care products and have been solely focused on developing face care products. They don’t plan to expand on other areas until they feel to have successfully completed this one.

Nothing would be possible without the team in Italy and their experience in face care formulations, production, and business development. They think moving the production to Italy has been the smartest move they’ve done. Currently, they sell in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia (sporadically in the EU, USA, and Canada). This year they opened their first studio of Facial Treatments with Bees & Trees products in Tirana but saw the need to bring it to Pristina and Skopje too. 

This article was first posted by AlbanianTech

The venture capital market in Albania is experiencing significant growth and development in coming years

According to “Statista Market Insights”, the Venture Capital market in Albania is experiencing significant growth and development in recent years.

Customer preferences: Albanian entrepreneurs are increasingly seeking venture capital funding to fuel their business ideas and innovations. They are attracted to the benefits that venture capital provides, such as access to capital, expertise, and networks. This trend is driven by a growing entrepreneurial spirit in the country and a desire to scale up businesses quickly.

Trends in the market: One of the key trends in the Albanian Venture Capital market is the emergence of local venture capital funds. These funds are specifically focused on investing in Albanian startups and are playing a crucial role in providing early-stage funding to promising entrepreneurs. This trend is driven by the recognition of the untapped potential in the Albanian market and the desire to support local innovation. Another trend in the market is the increasing interest from international venture capital firms in the Albanian market. These firms are attracted by the country’s growing startup ecosystem and the potential for high returns on investment. This trend is driven by the positive economic growth and stability in Albania, as well as the government’s efforts to create a favorable business environment.

Local special circumstances: Albania’s small market size and limited access to capital have historically been challenges for entrepreneurs seeking funding. However, the emergence of local venture capital funds and the interest from international firms are addressing these challenges and providing much-needed capital to Albanian startups. Additionally, the government has implemented policies to support entrepreneurship and attract foreign investment, further stimulating the growth of the Venture Capital market.

Underlying macroeconomic factors: The Albanian economy has been experiencing steady economic growth and stability in recent years. This has created a favorable environment for startups and venture capital investment. The country’s young and dynamic population, coupled with a growing middle class, provides a strong consumer base for innovative products and services. Furthermore, Albania’s strategic location and its efforts to integrate with European markets make it an attractive destination for foreign investors. In conclusion, the Venture Capital market in Albania is witnessing significant growth and development, driven by the increasing interest from local and international investors. The country’s growing startup ecosystem, supportive government policies, and favorable macroeconomic factors are contributing to the rise of venture capital funding in Albania. This trend is expected to continue as more entrepreneurs recognize the benefits of venture capital and seek funding to scale up their businesses.

This information was collected from “Statista Market Insights” analysis and published in Statista’s webpage (as updated in March 2024)