Circular Coffee Break for Leaders, Innovators, and Practitioners

After three years and over eighty conversations, The Circular Coffee Break comes to a close. This final solo episode is not a recap but a reflection on why the podcast existed, what was learned, and why it feels right to end it now.Host Michael Hanf shares the origins of the podcast, which began in early 2023 with a simple intention: to slow down the conversation around circularity and sustainability. At the time, much of the public discussion felt fragmented, fast, and overly focused on frameworks and targets. The Circular Coffee Break was created as a space for long-form conversations with people working on circularity in practice, across business, policy, research, and entrepreneurship. The metaphor of a coffee break was intentional—a moment to pause, think out loud, explore trade-offs, and sit with uncertainty rather than presenting circularity as a linear journey from problem to solution.Over the course of these conversations, several patterns became clear:Circularity is rarely a technical problem. The technologies exist, the models are known, and the data is improving. The harder challenges lie in governance, incentives, organizational boundaries, and decision-making.Circularity is a team sport. Progress depends on coordination, trust, and shared direction across many actors, each playing different but critical roles.Progress is uneven but not absent. Meaningful advances are happening, often quietly and in specific contexts, while inertia persists at scale.Context matters. What works in one sector or region does not automatically translate elsewhere. Circularity is not a blueprint but a direction of travel that looks different depending on where you start.Circularity is increasingly strategic. Conversations often touched on resilience, supply risks, competitiveness, and long-term value creation, not just environmental concerns.So why end The Circular Coffee Break now? The simplest answer is that this format has done what it set out to do. It created a body of conversations that captured a specific moment in how circular economy and sustainability were being understood and practiced. Continuing the podcast would either lead to repetition or require a shift that no longer fits its original purpose. Ending deliberately is a form of focus and discipline.This is not a pause, nor a rebranding. It is a clean ending. The archive will remain available, and it is hoped that it continues to be useful as a record of conversations that tried to engage honestly with complexity rather than simplifying it.Michael’s work continues through a separate podcast called Matters of Consequence, which takes a broader lens on the systems change needed in a never-normal world to make companies, institutions, and organizations future-ready.Before closing, Michael expresses his gratitude to the guests who trusted the space enough to think out loud, to the listeners who stayed with the long conversations and nuances, and to everyone who shared episodes, challenged ideas, or carried the conversations forward in their own work.For The Circular Coffee Break, this episode marks a clear and intentional ending.Keywords: circular economy, sustainability, reflection, purpose, Circular Coffee Break, Michael Hanf, Matters of Consequence, podcast, circularity, strategic circularity, progress, context, governance, decision-making

What does it take to build a circular business in practice? In this final interview episode of The Circular Coffee Break, we welcome back Jaakko Nauha, CEO of Tracegrow, who was the very first guest on the podcast in early 2023. Almost three years later, Jaakko returns to reflect on Tracegrow’s journey from a battery recycling innovator to a broader clean technology company, and what it really means to scale circular solutions in the real world.Jaakko shares how Tracegrow has evolved from recovering micronutrients like zinc and manganese from used alkaline batteries to processing industrial side streams, such as manganese sludge from zinc smelters. He discusses the company’s expansion into seed treatment, which has shown remarkable results in improving crop resilience and yield, as well as the development of battery-grade manganese sulfate for electric vehicles and industrial energy storage systems. The conversation also explores the challenges of finding product-market fit in agriculture, entering the European battery ecosystem, and scaling under regulatory, logistical, and cost constraints.Why listen?Discover how Tracegrow has expanded from battery recycling to processing broader industrial side streams.Learn about the company’s move into seed treatment and the impact on crop resilience and yield.Explore the development of battery-grade manganese sulfate and its role in electric vehicles and energy storage.Understand the challenges of scaling circular solutions under real-world constraints, from regulation to logistics.Gain insights into Jaakko’s journey from business development to CEO and what it takes to lead a circular business.Whether you are an entrepreneur, a sustainability leader, or simply curious about the realities of building and scaling circular businesses, this episode offers practical insights and inspiring reflections from the frontlines of circular innovation.Keywords: circular economy, Tracegrow, Jaakko Nauha, circular business, battery recycling, industrial side streams, seed treatment, battery-grade manganese, electric vehicles, energy storage, scaling circularity, product-market fit, regulatory challenges, logistics, leadership

What does it take to move circularity from ambition to action? In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, we welcome Filipe Camaño Garcia, Lead of the Global Circularity Protocol (GCP) at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Filipe shares the story behind the GCP, a groundbreaking framework designed to do for resources what the Greenhouse Gas Protocol did for emissions: provide a globally aligned, science-based approach to measure, manage, and communicate circular performance.Filipe dives into the journey of creating the GCP, from its origins at Stockholm+50 to its launch at COP30 in Brazil. He discusses the challenges of balancing a holistic, cross-sectoral approach with the need for industry-specific relevance, and how the protocol empowers companies to move from fragmented pilots to scalable, comparable circular strategies. The conversation also explores the role of the GCP in reframing circularity as a strategic lever for competitiveness, resilience, and long-term value creation, and what success looks like as the protocol evolves.Why listen?Discover the story behind the Global Circularity Protocol and why it was created to address the fragmentation in circular economy efforts.Learn how the GCP provides a common language and framework for companies to measure, manage, and communicate circular performance.Explore the challenges of balancing a cross-sectoral approach with industry-specific needs and how the GCP addresses them.Understand how the GCP reframes circularity as a strategic tool for de-risking supply chains and driving business value.Gain insights into the future of the GCP, its potential impact, and how it can help scale circularity from ambition to action.Whether you are a business leader, a sustainability professional, or simply curious about how to turn circular ambition into measurable impact, this episode offers practical insights and inspiring stories from the frontlines of global circularity efforts.Keywords: circular economy, Global Circularity Protocol, Filipe Camaño Garcia, WBCSD, circular performance, circular metrics, cross-sectoral collaboration, strategic circularity, supply chain resilience, COP30, circular framework, circular impact, circular measurement

This short episode shares an update on the future of The Circular Coffee Break.Host Michael Hanf explains the decision to bring the podcast to a close in February 2026, what listeners can expect from the remaining episodes, and what will happen to the existing archive.

What if circularity could make Christmas more meaningful? In this special Christmas edition of The Circular Coffee Break, we explore how circular thinking can enhance the holiday season by reducing stress, minimizing waste, and strengthening connections. From gift-giving to traditions, we dive into how small, intentional choices can align with the values of care, stewardship, and continuity that define both Christmas and circularity.Host Michael Hanf shares reflections on how circularity can support what many of us want more of at Christmas: less stress, more meaning, better use of resources, and stronger connections. Along the way, you’ll hear perspectives from leaders in circularity:Madeleine Brun Landmark (TOMRA Collection) on reducing waste during the holidays and choosing recyclable or reusable gift wrap.Dan Dicker (Circular&Co) on trends in sustainable gift-giving, the value of second-hand gifts, and the principles of circular design.Björn Schultz (WWF Germany) on how families are integrating circular practices into their Christmas traditions, from gift swaps to shared experiences.Why listen?Discover how small, intentional choices can reduce waste and enhance the meaning of Christmas.Learn about the trends in sustainable gift-giving and how circular design principles can guide your holiday purchases.Explore how families and communities are adopting circular practices, often without even labeling them as sustainability.Gain insights into how circularity can support the magic of Christmas by fostering connection, reducing clutter, and promoting thoughtful traditions.Whether you are looking for ways to make your holiday season more sustainable or simply curious about how circularity can align with Christmas traditions, this episode offers practical insights and heartwarming stories to inspire a more thoughtful and joyful celebration.Keywords: circular economy, Christmas, sustainable traditions, thoughtful gifting, TOMRA, Circular&Co, WWF Germany, gift wrap, second-hand gifts, circular design, holiday waste, meaningful traditions, connection, resource efficiency

What does it take to finance the transition to a circular economy? In this episode of The Circular Coffee Break, we welcome Costas Papaikonomou, co-founder of Una Terra, a 200-million-euro early growth venture capital fund driving the transition toward a circular economy. With a mission to deliver measurable impact—from reducing 2 gigatons of CO2 emissions to preventing 1 million tons of plastic waste by 2030—Una Terra invests in market-ready innovations that balance environmental restoration with financial performance.Costas shares his journey from engineering and innovation consulting to impact investing, emphasizing the importance of commercial viability in circular solutions. He dives into the challenges of scaling circular innovations, the need for patience and pragmatism, and the role of technical sales in bridging the gap between startups and large organizations. The conversation also explores the future of circular investing, the perfect storm driving circularity forward, and why the transition to a circular economy is a century-scale journey.Why listen?Discover how Una Terra is accelerating the transition to a circular economy through early growth venture capital.Learn about the importance of commercial viability and why desirability comes before impact in circular solutions.Explore the challenges of scaling circular innovations and the need for patience and pragmatism in industrial adoption.Understand the role of technical sales in bridging the gap between startups and large organizations.Gain insights into the future of circular investing and the forces driving circularity forward.Whether you are an entrepreneur, an investor, or simply curious about the future of circular innovation, this episode offers practical insights and inspiring stories from the frontlines of impact investing.Keywords: circular economy, Una Terra, Costas Papaikonomou, circular economy investing, commercial viability, scaling circular innovations, technical sales, industrial adoption, impact investing, circular transition, environmental restoration, financial performance

What happens when circularity moves from niche experiments to commercially viable solutions? In this special episode of The Circular Coffee Break, recorded live at Slush 2025 in Helsinki, we explore how founders and innovators are turning circular ideas into scalable, market-ready businesses. With over 13,000 participants from 90+ countries and 25,000 meetings, Slush 2025 showcased a new maturity in circular thinking—where solutions are not just visionary but grounded in real-world demand.Host Michael Hanf sits down with founders from across industries to uncover how they are unlocking hidden value, designing for circularity, and turning unusual resources into scalable solutions. In this episode, you’ll hear from:Gwenael Kervajan (Re-Lion Factory) on giving second life to batteries and consolidating the value chain in Europe.Lucas Fuhrmann (Revoltech) on creating plastic-free, bio-based leather alternatives at industrial scale.Olivier Dufour (BeeAlp) on rethinking smartphone design, use, and reuse through circular business models.Valérie Itey (CLIC Recycle) on turning human hair into regenerative materials for agriculture and marine protection.Abhinav Singh (Ecorbio) on producing bio-polyols from waste streams to replace fossil-based chemicals.Augustin Coreth (CeraSleeve) on making paper products fully recyclable by replacing harmful coatings.Clément Profit (Ascend Beyond Space) on ensuring satellites can safely de-orbit or become inert at the end of their missions.Why listen?Discover how Re-Lion Factory is unlocking hidden value in used batteries and consolidating the circular value chain.Learn about Revoltech’s plastic-free, bio-based leather alternative and its industrial-scale production.Explore how BeeAlp is redesigning smartphones for circularity through rental models and repairability.Understand how CLIC Recycle turns human hair into regenerative materials with IoT-enabled sensors.Gain insights into Ecorbio’s bio-polyols and their role in replacing fossil-based chemicals in manufacturing.Learn how CeraSleeve is making paper products fully recyclable by replacing synthetic coatings.Explore how Ascend Beyond Space is applying circular principles to satellite end-of-life management.Whether you are an entrepreneur, an investor, or simply curious about the future of circular innovation, this episode offers practical insights and inspiring stories from the frontlines of Slush 2025.Keywords: circular economy, Slush 2025, circular innovation, Re-Lion Factory, Revoltech, BeeAlp, CLIC Recycle, Ecorbio, CeraSleeve, Ascend Beyond Space, battery recycling, bio-based materials, circular design, smartphone circularity, regenerative materials, bio-polyols, recyclable paper, satellite circularity, scalable solutions

What does it take to turn circularity from vision into action? In this special episode of The Circular Coffee Break, recorded live at the Circular Valley Forum 2025 in Wuppertal, Germany, we explore how leaders across industry, science, startups, and public institutions are driving the circular economy forward. From policy and research to business models and societal engagement, these conversations reveal that circularity is no longer an abstract ambition, it’s a fast-growing field of industrial modernization, entrepreneurial innovation, and systemic change.Host Michael Hanf sits down with a diverse group of leaders to uncover the challenges, opportunities, and collaborations shaping the future of circularity. In this episode, you’ll hear from:Tim Janßen (Cradle to Cradle NGO) on the importance of holistic circularity and the role of platforms in keeping the conversation alive.Prof. Dr. Manfred Renner (Fraunhofer UMSICHT) on the intersection of technology, business models, and societal engagement in circular innovation.Rolf Bayersdörfer (Henkel Consumer Brands) on how circularity is reshaping product development and collaboration in fast-moving consumer goods.Adrian Blum (Evonik) on maintaining momentum for circularity in a global environment with competing priorities.Björn Hoffmann (BASF) on the differences in scaling circular solutions between regions like Europe, the US, and Asia.Inge Neven (VITO) on turning scientific insight into practical circular action through demonstration and collaboration.Steffen Knodt (German Aerospace Centre / UN Ocean Decade) on the global connections between circularity, oceans, and value chains.Marc Diefenbach (rhinopaq) on replacing single-use packaging with reusable systems for B2B logistics.Felix May (recarbished) on securing material recovery rights for end-of-life vehicles to close the loop in mobility.Peter Johnson (LightEd) on turning plastic and electronic waste into solar-powered solutions for off-grid communities.Carsten Cramer (Borussia Dortmund) on how football can amplify circularity and sustainability to millions of fans.Why listen?Discover how circularity is shifting from vision to constraint and becoming a strategic imperative for competitiveness and resilience.Learn about the systemic challenges of circularity and why collaboration across unlikely partners is essential.Explore how innovation requires demonstration at scale to build trust and mobilize investment.Understand the role of new business models, such as product-service systems, in driving circular consumption and production.Gain insights into the cultural and societal dimensions of circularity, from football to global value chains.Hear how startups and industry leaders are turning circular research into real-world action and impact.Whether you are a business leader, a policymaker, a researcher, or simply curious about the future of circularity, this episode offers a diverse and inspiring look at how circularity is being brought to life through collaboration, innovation, and persistence.Keywords: circular economy, Circular Valley Forum 2025, circularity, collaboration, innovation, systemic change, Cradle to Cradle, Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Henkel, Evonik, BASF, VITO, German Aerospace Centre, UN Ocean Decade, rhinopaq, recarbished, LightEd, Borussia Dortmund, circular innovation, business models, societal engagement, demonstration, circular research