We are looking for the most innovative Green Tech champions

Are you part of a startup or SME working on recycling of critical raw materials or end-of-life management of industrial components? Knorr-Bremse, supported by CIRCULAR REPUBLIC, is looking for the most innovative Green Tech solutions within two impact categories addressing circularity for industrial components.

The Circular Entrepreneurship Award addresses one of the most important growth areas for our economy. Currently, only a fraction of industrial and electronic products in Europe are recycled. Rare earths and other critical materials come almost entirely from mines in Asia and the Global South. Automated dismantling and recycling technology are not only the key to a resilient economy. They are also the source of technological leadership in the coming decades. Just as automation technology for manufacturing unlocked vast amounts of prosperity 100 years ago and became an export hit for Germany, dismantling technology also has this potential today. European start-ups are global leaders, and nowhere else is as much growth capital flowing into this area as in Europe. 

We are thrilled to see technological leadership in urban mining rising. Innovative startups and courageous industry players who understand the potential of dismantling automation and recycling critical raw materials are willing to invest in it. Knorr-Bremse is taking a visionary lead in that area with its Circular Entrepreneurship Award. As a global player, Knorr-Bremse stands for innovative developments and solutions for tomorrow’s mobility and transportation technologies. These competencies provide the perfect basis for designing supply chains where products become urban mines at the end of their life. Together with UnternehmerTUM, the aim is to lead German industry into the future.

With prize money of four times €25,000 and a budget of up to €150,000 twice for a proof-of-concept project, the award is one of the most attractive start-up awards around. It brings together Europe's best start-ups in this field and aims to inspire further attention and investment in this key topic for the future. Industrial companies are explicitly called upon to get involved. The jury already includes prominent figures such as Dr. Erik Eschen, CEO of Vakuumschmelze, Roland Gauss, Director of EIT Raw Materials, and Philipp Rösler, former Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economics of the Federal Republic of Germany. 

Dr Matthias Ballweg

Oliver Klug, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, Knorr-Bremse

Green technologies are a particularly promising business area for Knorr-Bremse. With the Circular Entrepreneurship Award, Knorr-Bremse is specifically looking for the most innovative green tech solutions in the areas of automated disassembly and critical raw material recovery in order to automatically dismantle high-tech components and recover the raw materials.

Matthias Ballweg, Co-Founder, CIRCULAR REPUBLIC

Founders who create new circular solutions are crucial for the future of our economy. That is why Knorr-Bremse and CIRCULAR REPUBLIC honor the best among them at the upcoming Circular Entrepreneurship Award. As a part of UnternehmerTUM, we offer founders the opportunity to increase their visibility and strategically expand their network. The award ceremony at the IFAT allows startups and SMEs to make new contacts and be present with the decision makers of  Knorr-Bremse -  the global market and technology leader for braking systems and a leading supplier of other rail and commercial vehicle systems. 

Your innovation is an award candidate, if it tackles one of the two impact categories

1. Critical Raw Materials Recovery

In this category we are looking for startups or SMEs focusing on the recovering process of critical materials from products and infrastructure, or the sorting and pre-treatment of secondary material streams.

  • Mechanical Recycling: Physical reprocessing of collected waste (e.g., plastics, metals, glass) through washing, shredding, pelletizing, and remelting into secondary raw materials

  • Metallurgical Recycling: Recovers ferrous (e.g., steel) / non-
    ferrous (e.g., copper) metals and critical raw materials (e.g., REE, lithium) using hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical methods

  • Chemical Recycling: Uses processes like pyrolysis, depolymerization, and solvolysis to break down plastics and other materials into monomers, fuels, or oils

2. Automated Disassembly

For the category "Automated Disassembly" we are looking for startups or SMEs, which employ robotics and automation to disassemble complex products into recoverable components safely. We are particularly seeking solutions targeting electronics, batteries, EV motors, and renewable energy (specifically wind turbines and solar panels).

  • Robotics and automation to disassemble complex products into recoverable components 

  • Applies AI-powered vision systems and robotic arms to pick and place specific materials from mixed waste or industrial scrap

  • Automated material separation and preparation for recycling

  • Repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing

  • Take-back and reverse logistics for industrial components

Have a look at the use cases of Knorr-Bremse to double-check your innovation fit 

Brake pads close up protecs knorr bremse truckservices 16x9 1280w

Brake Pads

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Wellenbremsscheibe knorr bremse rail 16x9 1280w

Steel Brake Disks 

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Cast Iron Brake Disks

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Alu Brake Disks 

Brake Control 

Door Systems

Startups and SMEs that meet the following requirements can apply

  • Already established startups or SMEs (entry in the commercial register)

  • Stage between new founding and Series B

  • Assignment to one of the defined categories Automated Disassembly or Critical Raw Materials Recovery

  • The startup or SME offers circular solutions for industrial goods or is willing to develop them

 

We are looking for the top 4 innovations from both categories, which we will invite as finalists to the IFAT in Munich.

The winning startup or SME of each category will be announced as part of a ceremonial award presentation. The companies to be recognized are those that offer groundbreaking and innovative solutions while also being pioneers in the field of sustainable and circular business. Based on a set of criteria, the most groundbreaking and sustainable solutions among the applications will be selected.

Evaluation Criterias 

The startups or SMEs are evaluated based on the following criterias:

  • Impact Pioneer: The product and/or business model must promote positive social and ecological changes.

  • Innovation & Market Potential: Startups or SMEs should have the ability to develop genuinely new ideas and make them marketable.

  • Market Resonance & Maturity: There should already be positive reactions and acceptance from customers for the start-up’s product or service.

  • Strong Team: The founding team should demonstrate high competence, collaboration, and goal orientation.

  • Industry Fit: Ability to conduct Proof of Concept for an industry product.

Procedure

  • Applications are submitted via the online form, which you can find here.
  • The following materials are required for a complete application:
    • Data & facts
    • Completed questionnaire
    • Pitch deck in PDF format
    • Application period:  January 22 - March 02, 2026

Selection of finalists

  • In the first step, startups and SMEs are evaluated within their category by a highly skilled team of experts from UnternehmerTUM and Knorr-Bremse based on the defined criteria, which can be found on the award website.

  • Finalists of both impact categories will be announced on April 20, 2026.

  • Till the end of April, the jury will decide on the winners of the Circular Entrepreneurship Award. 

  • The award winners will be announced and presented in a live ceremony at the IFAT on May 6, 2026, 05:30 PM, in Munich.

Our Jury

An Nuyttens 1

An Nuyttens

CEO, Solvay

Linkedin
06 Prof Reuter lowres

Christina Reuter

Chair of Sustainable Production Systems, Technical University of Munich
Dr Erik Eschen

Dr. Erik Eschen

CEO, Vacuumschmelze

Linkedin
Lanza Gisela gross Cropped rdax 230x322s

Gisela Lanza

Head of Institution Production Systems, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Prof schuh 600 600

Günther Schuh

Chair of Production Engineering, RWTH Aachen University

Julia Thiele-Schürhoff

Heinz Hermann Thiele Familienstiftung
7 XL4132 a Marc Llistosella2022

Marc Llistosella

CEO, Knorr-Bremse

Linkedin
Dr Matthias Ballweg

Dr. Matthias Ballweg

Co-Founder, CIRCULAR REPUBLIC

Linkedin
Dr Niclas Alexander Mauss

Dr. Niclas-Alexander Mauss

Co-Founder, CIRCULAR REPUBLIC

Linkedin
Dr Philipp Rosler

Dr. Philipp Rösler

Ex-Vice Chancellor

Linkedin
Roland Gauss

Roland Gauß

Director, EIT Raw Materials

Linkedin

Award Partner

Knorr bremse logo screen
Circular Republic Logo Web color pos 300dpi
Unternehmer TUM Logo
Knorr bremse logo screen
Circular Republic Logo Web color pos 300dpi
Unternehmer TUM Logo

Why is it worth applying?

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  • Visibility & Reach: Generate attention for your startup or SME by receiving media coverage of the award, which will be promoted in the social media channels of CIRCULAR REPUBLIC and Knorr-Bremse. At the same time, the solutions of all finalists are presented here on the website in the form of a short profile.

  • Networking: Meet relevant industry contacts and present your startup or SME to the high-caliber jury of CIRCULAR REPUBLIC, UnternehmerTUM and Knorr-Bremse.

  • Award: Get honored and receive a trophy and certificate as part of the award ceremony at the Circular Entrepreneurship Award. The winners may refer to themselves as 'Circular Entrepreneurship Award 2025' and use the title in their communications.

  • Collaboration: As a winner, you will be able to work together with Knorr-Bremse on a proof of concept.

FAQ

  • Co-organized by Knorr-Bremse and UnternehmerTUM, supported by the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC team, the Circular Entrepreneurship Award is combining entrepreneurial support with German industry leadership to accelerate circular innovation in industrial recycling and automated disassembly.

  • Startups and SMEs (Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises) that are legally established (registered in a commercial register) and operating in the field of industrial circular solutions — particularly addressing automated disassembly or critical raw materials recovery — are eligible to apply.

  • For this award, a startup or SME is an enterprise beyond initial ideation that has a business registration and some market presence, typically up to Series B funding stage — meaning not a pre-idea or student project but an entity with operational progress.

  • There is no application fee for submitting your candidacy — the award is designed to support and spotlight circular tech innovators without upfront cost. Only travel and accommodation costs for the Award Ceremony at IFAT in Munich won't be covered.

  • Yes, the application is open to relevant startups and SMEs globally. But the focus of this award is on European startups and SMEs

    • Completed online application form
    • A pitch deck (PDF) outlining your solution and business model
    • Any relevant supporting materials, such as technology descriptions or customer traction insights
    • Description of how a Proof-of-Concept for Knorr-Bremse products could look like

  • For the upcoming cycle, the application window runs from January 22 to March 02, 2026. Finalists are announced around April 20, 2026, and winners will be revealed during the award ceremony at IFAT trade fair in Munich on May 6, 2026.

  • Applications are reviewed based on criteria including:

    • Impact potential (environmental, circular, and financial benefit)
    • Innovation & market potential
    • Market traction or maturity
    • Strength of the founding team
    • Industry Fit

    Evaluations are conducted by a jury of industry experts (e.g., leaders from Knorr-Bremse, UnternehmerTUM, EIT RawMaterials, and other partners - check the jury here on the website)

  • Once submitted, your application will be reviewed internally by a team of experts from Knorr-Bremse and UnternehmerTUM. The finalists are expected to be announced on April 20. 

  • Finalists gain significant visibility within the communities of the award partners like CIRCULAR REPUBLIC and Knorr-Bremse. In addition they will benefit from international visibility and networking opportunities with industrial leaders joining IFAT 2026. Winners will receive a prize money as well as a potential proof-of-concept collaboration with Knorr-Bremse.

  • Yes - if you have multiple solutions or product concepts related to the award categories, applicants are welcome to submit separate entries for each circular solution. 

  • By applying, you consent to application processing and communications for award purposes. The terms and conditions linked on the application form describe how applicant data is managed.

  • The award includes four times €25,000 prizes and a budget up to €150,000 twice for a Proof of Concept project with Knorr-Bremse, allocated to help winners scale their solutions.

Apply now

Terms & Conditions

Contact Person

About the company

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Which of the two award categories is your company active in? 
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Challenge 1: Automated disassembly and component recognition of industrial products for recycling

Describe how your company is able to automatically analyze, recognize, and/or disassemble industrial products so that individual components or assemblies can be identified, classified (graded), sorted, and prepared for reuse or further processing.

In particular, solutions based on sensor technology, pattern recognition, AI-based image processing, data analysis, sorting or assistance systems can be addressed – even without building complete disassembly robots yourself.

Not a mandatory criterion: If your solution is likely to be compatible with the Knorr-Bremse products described in a future expansion stage, outline the specific potential for further development in existing approaches.

In addition, the following should be presented:

  • which technological components (e.g., sensor technology, software, algorithms, automation modules) are used,
  • which interfaces to upstream and downstream industrial processes are necessary,
  • and how a proof of concept (PoC) would be set up in concrete terms (e.g., use case, pilot plant, demonstrator, cooperation partners, scaling persp
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Challenge 2: Recovery of critical raw materials* from complex material mixtures for recycling

materials are addressed (e.g., metals, rare earths, functional materials) and which technological approaches are used to recover them (e.g., physical, chemical, sensor-based, data-driven). You should demonstrate how a raw material quality suitable for industrial reuse is achieved (e.g., purity, form, specification). In addition, you should describe which industrial components can be taken into account in the recycling process with regard to the Knorr-Bremse products described above. Describe the latter as precisely as possible.

In addition, the following should be presented:

  • which interfaces to upstream and downstream industrial processes are necessary,
  • and how a proof of concept (PoC) would be set up in concrete terms (e.g., use case, pilot plant, demonstrator, cooperation partners, scaling perspective).

* EU-Definition: substance in processed or unprocessed state used as an input for the manufacturing of intermediate or final products, excluding substances predominantly used as food, feed or combustion fuel

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Business Model

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What's the status of your solution?
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Team

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Founders

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