June 17, 2026 · The Philippine Government and the European Union (EU) launched their joint partnership program, Circulab: Seeding the Future of Sustainable Innovation, in Davao City. The program falls under the European Union-Philippines Green Economy Partnership (EU-GEPP), which received a EUR 60 million (3.67 billion PHP) grant from the European Union (EU) to “accelerate the nation’s green transition.”
Held from June 2–5 at the Aria Hotel and Residences in Davao City, the launch garnered a massive network of co-implementors from various academic, government, and technical institutions to work alongside startups and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Circulab aims to “transform circular economyCircular Design & EconomyCircular EconomyAn economic system designed so materials stay in use — repaired, reused, remanufactured, recycled — instead of flowing from extraction to disposal.Read more in the Glossary → ideas into scalable, investable businesses across Mindanao,” a region becoming increasingly popular for nature-based projects because of its rich environment and land, which contributes to an estimated 40% of the country’s agricultural output.
It hinges on the idea that supporting a circular economy by recycling agricultural byproducts, food waste, plastics, and other materials can help these enterprises gain revenue while contributing to environmental sustainability.
Upgrade Innolab Inc. President Richard R. Day stated that Circulab is about “shifting from sustainability as a concept to sustainability as an operational reality.”
Seven early-stage circular economy start-ups and MSMEs were selected to be a part of Circulab’s first cohort of subgrantees: Anitu Forest Chocolates, Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc., Espoir School of Life, Agrinex, Lesstics, GreenTayo, and Lilamaya. Throughout the 9-month program, each organization will receive venture-building support, financial subgrants, and capacity-building tracks to prepare them for regional market scaling.
The official launch also held a memorandum of agreement signing, formalizing the shared commitment to advancing circular economy solutions and green entrepreneurship across Mindanao. Academic, government, and technical powerhouse co-implementers include Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) XI, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) XI, E3 Hubs Malaysia, the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), Central Mindanao State University (CMSU/CMU), the Municipality of Del Carmen, the Association of Circular Economy Business Actors (ACEBA), Sustina, and Quest Ventures.
Sustina is an institutional partner of Circulab.
