Exhibited and presented at “SDGs Week EXPO 2024: Circular Partnership EXPO”

Harch Inc.(hereafter, Harch), which operates the circular economy-focused startup support program “CIRCULAR STARTUP TOKYO” in collaboration with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, participated in the “SDGs Week EXPO 2024 (EcoPro)” held from Wednesday, December 4, to Friday, December 6, at Tokyo Big Sight. As part of this event, Harch presented its initiatives at the “Circular Partnership EXPO.”

Additionally, on Thursday, December 5, Harch’s CEO, Yu Kato, delivered a presentation during the exhibitor presentation stage session titled “Processes and Corporate Collaboration for Transitioning to Circular Cities,” held from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Later, from 3:00 PM to 3:50 PM, the “Circular Economy Frontlines: Advanced European Examples and Domestic Circular Startup Pitches” session, hosted by Harch, featured Hirokazu Kitahara, partner at Archetype Ventures and a mentor for CIRCULAR STARTUP TOKYO, along with four participants from the program.

About the Circular Partnership EXPO

“SDGs Week EXPO,” centered around the comprehensive environmental exhibition “EcoPro,” marked its 26th edition this year. This large-scale event, held at Tokyo Big Sight, aims to foster a sustainable society and is expected to attract approximately 68,000 visitors this year. Among its exhibitions, the “Circular Partnership EXPO,” held for the first time this year, focuses on positioning circular businesses as a new growth engine for Japan’s economy.

The “Circular Partnership EXPO” hosted approximately 60 exhibitors, including members of the “Circular Partners” initiative launched by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in September 2023. The event provided a platform for diverse stakeholders to exchange ideas and collaborate on advancing the social implementation of the circular economy.

◉ Official SDGs Week EXPO website: https://messe.nikkei.co.jp/sb/ (in Japanese)

Booth Exhibition

Harch in collaboration with Archetype Ventures, co-exhibited at the “Circular Partnership EXPO”, showcasing various circular economy initiatives undertaken to date.

Showcased initiatives

• Prototypes from CIRCULAR STARTUP TOKYO: A collaborative startup support program with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, specializing in the circular economy sector.
  • YTRO DESIGN INSTITUTE: Building ecosystems in craftsmanship through paints derived from waste materials and natural resources.
  • Ripples: Initiatives utilizing involving plastic containers suitable for horizontal recycling.
  • Oki Circular Design Lab: Fieldwork academy promoting resource circulation through travel experiences.
  • Shibuya Fertilizer: Transforming Shibuya from a “consumption endpoint” to a “starting point for new cycles.”
  • Naoseru: A platform that prices broken smartphones based on buyer demand.
  • Helsieni: Home mushroom-growing kits made from coffee grounds (“Helsinki Mushrooms”).
  • *Listed in Japanese alphabetical order.
• “Circular City Transition Guide” jointly published with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank (details).
• “Gamagori Data Explorer” released in partnership with Gamagori City and Circle Economy (details).
• “Sustainable City Guidebook” produced by Harch’s Europe-based team (details).
• IDEAS FOR GOOD’s first original short documentary, “The Repair Cafe” (trailer) (details (in Japanese)).

Presentation Sessions at the Circular Partnership EXPO

The following sessions featured speakers from the CIRCULAR STARTUP TOKYO program and Harch team :

December 5 (Thu) 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: “Processes and Corporate Collaboration for Transitioning to Circular Cities”

This session centered on the “Circular City Transition Guide” exploring steps and processes for municipalities to promote circular economies, including key strategies for building consensus within local governments. The session underscored the importance of private sector involvement in circular city initiatives, presenting real-world examples of municipalities actively implementing these strategies.

Yu Kato, CEO of Harch, joined Hiroya Tanaka, professor at Keio University’s Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, and Shinsuke Konaka, senior manager of the Technology-Based Finance Team at the Sustainability Management Division of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, as panelists. Both Tanaka and Konaka also serve as mentors and advisors for the CIRCULAR STARTUP TOKYO program.

December 5 (Thu) 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM: “Circular Economy Frontlines: Advanced European Examples and Domestic Circular Startup Pitches”

Part 1: Cutting-Edge Circular Economy Practices in Europe

Europe has been a pioneer in adopting circular economy policies and transitioning toward a sustainable society. This session presented emerging business models, growing awareness among businesses and citizens, and on-the-ground transformations observed in Europe.
Harch team members, including IDEAS FOR GOOD co-editor-in-chief Erika Tomiyama and Harch Europe representative Megumi Ito, introduced notable case studies and trends from the region.

Part 2: Circular Startups at the Forefront in Tokyo

The second part of the session featured Hirokazu Kitahara, partner at Archetype Ventures, who outlined the objectives and achievements of the CIRCULAR STARTUP TOKYO incubation program. Following this introduction, entrepreneurs participating in the program delivered pitches showcasing their innovative solutions aimed at realizing a circular future.