Welcome to the project

CIRCONOMY® Hub

 

Sustainable production, sustainable consumption and a circular economy require systemic and technological solutions, which are created in innovation networks. Fraunhofer proposes building a network of CIRCONOMY® Hubs across Germany: These hubs are a new, agile instrument for cooperation on the basis of a shared mission and a reliable data space. They create added value regionally, nationally and internationally. In each hub, Fraunhofer institutes work with their partners in industry, science, politics and society on a mission not just to contribute to the circular economy, but to develop innovations for sovereign value cycles, climate neutrality, circularity and bioeconomy.

On this page you can read about how circularity is created out of shared values, cooperation and projects.

CIRCONOMY® is the Fraunhofer brand for solutions, capacities and expertise for the circular economy. This brand represents shared values, strategies, target visions and, above all, innovation projects that put the great mission of “transformation to the circular economy” into practice.

Our offer

 

Services

Web services can be tested directly on a website. Techno-consulting helps keep innovation projects on track and successful.

 

CIRCONOMY® Hubs

The concepts for the first CIRCONOMY® Hubs are already being created, and circular ecosystems are forming. Be there as CIRCONOMY® Hubs shape the transformation.

News

02.06.2025

AI: A game changer for plastic packaging

In the KIOptiPack innovation lab, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV are working with 51 partners from in-dustry and the research sector to develop innovative AI-driven optimization tools and a data space that connects all of the stakeholders in the packaging industry and their data. The goal is to use AI tools to recycle plastic packaging in the future.

14.05.2025

Steel mill slag for solar energy

The new STARS research project started with a kick-off in March with the aim of making steel mill slag usable as a raw material for the production of high-quality end products for solar thermal processes over the next three years. The project partners German Aerospace Center (DLR) (lead), thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems GmbH and LWK-PlasmaCeramic GmbH are researching sustainable solutions for a green circular economy. Fraunhofer UMSICHT is evaluating the new products and processes to be developed from an ecological perspective. The project is funded by the EU and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

10.04.2025

High-performance elastomers and plasma polymer coatings to replace fluoropolymers in technical applications

Users of poly- and perfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals", are under pressure due to regulatory proposals from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This also affects the use of fluoroelastomers, whose economic significance is enormous. Fraunhofer experts initiated the "HATE-Fluor" project at the beginning of February. Together, they want to develop high-performance elastomer compounds to replace fluoropolymers in certain technical applications.  

08.04.2025

Sustainable plastics containing flame retardants for use in closed-loop applications

The development of high-quality, halogen-free flame retardants (hffr) for recycled plastics to meet increasing recycling quotas is a major challenge. The Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF is looking for partners for the new project "hffr-Up2Cycle".