Award Package

The award package

The winners of the Make it Circular will be selected by an international jury of leading experts in design, climate action and social impact. Next to a prize fund of €10.000 each, the centrepiece of the award package is a global development programme designed to support the winning teams in further strengthening and scaling up their projects.

PUBLICITY ON THE WORLD STAGE

Each winner will get the chance to present their projects to a global audience during one of the WDCD events or activities on design and innovation. Besides gaining access to our extensive network of change-makers, winning teams will also receive valuable press coverage and media exposure through WDCD’s channels and those of our partners.

€10,000 in funding
A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME CO-CREATED WITH IMPACT HUB
PUBLICITY VIA ALL WDCD PLATFORMS & PARTNERS

what previous winners say

“Winning the challenge and being part of the WDCD programme was one of the best thing that happened to the project. It allowed us to go to the next level and opened many doors for us. Being able to spend a week sharing with other projects and learning from the best specialists in each topic gave us the tools we needed to continue growing and improving the project in very practical, concrete and possible ways. It also inspired us and made us value ourselves more by seeing how others saw our project. It was one of the best experiences both professionally and personally.”

Camila Naveira – Reparar

“The development programme was an eye-opening experience that showed us how we can integrate design into our work to solve social problems efficiently. We learned how to use design as a tool to tell captivating stories and communicate our vision in the fight against climate change and environmental degradation. Moreso, the challenge winners join a community of fellow trailblazers who understand the challenges of the entrepreneurship journey, and deep friendships are formed.”

Melvin Kizito – Leafy Life

“Being one of the What Design Can Do No Waste Challenge participants was a wonderful gift. I often compare the program to a sculpting class. You have this wonderful idea, that in your mind may be already close to finished. But then one of the experts from the industry rotates your ‘statue’, gives you a different perspective, and all of a sudden you can tweak and fine tune some more. Plus, it is wonderful to meet such a fantastic group of like minded people from all over the world! They are a very valuable network for life.”

Nichon glerum – clothing loop

The development program

THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

We’re proud to announce that WDCD has teamed up with Impact Hub Amsterdam to design the Make it Circular Challenge global development programme. WDCD and Impact Hub share the same mission: to create a circular economy by designing out waste and reducing CO2 emissions. As part of the global Impact Hub network — with more than 16,000 members in over 100 cities — Impact Hub also brings more than a decade of experience in helping creative entrepreneurs to start, grow and scale their businesses.

By combining research and design (WDCD) with training and entrepreneurship (Impact Hub), our programme will provide unique support for the thinkers, doers and makers of the new circular economy.

WHAT CAN WINNERS EXPECT?

The Make it Circular development programme covers a period of one year and consists of four phases designed to support both early-stage and growth-stage projects within different cohorts which reflect their different goals and needs. From the kick off until the end of 2023, winners can expect a high-intensity programme that will focus mostly on elevating their business model and strategy. The whole programme starts with a bootcamp where all winners will have the chance to connect and learn about each other’s innovative design solutions and how they will bring us closer towards a circular society.

THE BOOTCAMP in Amsterdam (5 days)

The WDCD bootcamp is the perfect event to get to know each other in person before we dive into the programme developed by Impact Hub and WDCD. Two representatives from each winning team will gather in Amsterdam for this unique opportunity. Throughout the five-day programme, they will have the opportunity to meet mentors and previous winners, get masterclasses from selected experts in Branding & Storytelling, Circular Business Models, Certification-Patenting and Pitching, and hear each other’s vision for a better future.

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The development programme will split into two different pathways after the bootcamp, each one tailored to a different stage of development. For the early-stage cohort, the content of the programme will focus more on business shaping and building strategy, while the growth-stage cohort will focus more on impact strategy and partnership building.

Incubator – For The Early-Stage Design Solutions

Phase 2 – Online Training (3 months)

Fresh off the bootcamp, the early-stage cohort will be trained in nine different modules such as Impact Roadmap Design, Business Model Canvas, Marketing, Pricing, and more.

Phase 3 – 100 days plan – Impact Roadmap

The next phase is all about prototyping. The incubator group will get three months to bring their design solutions to the next level according to their 100-day plan, which consists of monthly check-ins with the Impact Hub team and one-to-one mentorship meetings with experts.

Phase 4 – 100 days plan – Monthly Check-in

Phase 4 is the last hands-on phase of the incubation programme. The participants will work on their design solutions according to their 100-day plan, which consists of monthly check-ins with the Impact Hub team and monthly mentorship meetings with experts.

Accelerator – Growth-Stage Design Solutions

Phase 2 – Online Masterclasses (3 months)

Fresh off the bootcamp, the growth-stage cohort will be trained in a handful of intensive modules, including Impact Roadmap, Team Strategy and Culture, and Due Diligence.

Phase 3 – 100 days plan – Masterclasses with Experts

The next phase is all about building partnerships. : The growth group will get three months to map out the most influential connections who will help them to grow their businesses according to their 100-day plan, which consists of monthly check-ins and one-to-one mentorship meetings with experts.