Circular Valley Convention 2026, which will take place on 11 and 12 March 2026 at the Areal Böhler site in Düsseldorf, is again set to become an international venue for discussions on the circular economy as a key element of a resilient economy. The event combines a trade fair, specialist conference and networking meetings in a single format, bringing together representatives from politics, business, academia and civil society. Following its successful launch in 2025, Circular Valley Convention, a joint initiative of Circular Valley, Messe Düsseldorf and Fraunhofer, is positioning itself as a central cross-industry platform for the circular economy. The guiding theme of the 2026 edition, "Uniting Industries for a Circular Tomorrow", highlights the focus on concrete products, practical solutions, technological innovations and new business models covering the entire product life cycle.
A format combining trade fair, conference and networking
In March 2026, Circular Valley Convention will once again bring together three key elements in one place. First, a conference is planned with keynote speeches, panel discussions and deep dive sessions dedicated to selected aspects of the circular economy. Second, the accompanying trade fair is intended to act as a marketplace for circular solutions, technologies and business models from various industries. Third, specially designed networking formats are to facilitate direct exchange of experience and the initiation of new forms of cooperation between participants.
The organisers announce the participation of key actors from industry, politics, science and the startup ecosystem. In line with its concept, Circular Valley Convention is intended to be a venue where strategic discussions on the transition to a circular economy are combined with the presentation of concrete solutions and the establishment of business relations. Involvement of a broad spectrum of sectors is expected to enable the exchange of experience along the whole value chain, from the development of materials and products, through processing technologies, to systems for collection, recycling and reuse.
The role of co-hosts and partner network
The co-hosts of Circular Valley Convention are four global chemical and industrial corporations and a company from the consumer goods sector: BASF, Bayer, Evonik, Henkel and Vorwerk. According to the organisers, the involvement of these companies in shaping the programme on stage and in the exhibition area is intended to send a clear signal in favour of cooperation along the value chain and the shared responsibility of industry for implementing circular solutions.
Numerous institutional and technology partners have also been invited to participate in the event and to contribute both to the conference content and to the trade fair exhibition. In this way, Circular Valley Convention 2026 aims to strengthen its position as a platform that brings together different sectors around the practical aspects of the transition to a circular economy.
Speakers from politics, business and science
Among the announced speakers are representatives of the German federal and state governments. Participants will include Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, Deputy Minister-President and Minister for Economic Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia Mona Neubaur, North Rhine-Westphalia Minister for the Environment Oliver Krischer and North Rhine-Westphalia Minister for Home Affairs, Local Government, Building and Digitalization Ina Scharrenbach. CEOs and board members of international companies such as Henkel, BASF, Komatsu, Bayer, Evonik and Vorwerk will also be present on stage.
The scientific community will also be strongly represented. Confirmed participants at Circular Valley Convention 2026 include Prof. Christoph Schmidt, President of the research institute RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, Prof. Dr Manfred Renner from Fraunhofer CCPE and Prof. Dr Regina Palkióvits from RWTH Aachen University. Prof. Dr Michael Braungart, developer of the cradle-to-cradle concept, and Reiner Hoffmann, Chairman of the German Council for Sustainable Development, have also confirmed their attendance. Prof. Channing Rex Robertson from Stanford University in Silicon Valley will also travel to Düsseldorf.
Exhibition area and presentation of circular solutions
The exhibition area of Circular Valley Convention 2026 is addressed to companies, research institutions, initiatives and startups that wish to present their solutions supporting the circular economy. The organisers emphasise that the exhibition is intended not only to showcase new technologies and products, but also to facilitate the exchange of experience on implementing circular models in industrial practice.
The thematic scope includes, among other topics, recycling technologies, solutions for designing products with a view to reuse and material recirculation, innovative business concepts and tools that support cross-sector cooperation. In this way, the convention is intended to serve as a meeting place for stakeholders who not only discuss the circular economy, but also implement it within concrete projects and investments.
Circular Valley as a hub for the circular economy
Circular Valley, headquartered in the Rhine-Ruhr region, is described as an international hub focused on the circular economy. The independent, non-profit Circular Valley Foundation brings together stakeholders representing companies, startups, academia and policy-makers from different industries and technology fields. Their common goal is to develop solutions that support the transformation towards a circular economy at a systemic level.
The foundation's key areas of activity include public information and education, operation of an accelerator programme recognised as the world's first accelerator fully dedicated to the circular economy, as well as the preparation of recommendations for policy-makers. Circular Valley Convention is one of the central events in the initiative's calendar, enabling the presentation of results achieved by partners and the initiation of new projects and coalitions.
The photo shows: Wolfram Diener, Managing Director Messe Düsseldorf, Dr Carsten Gerhardt, Chairman of the Circular Valley Foundation, and Prof. Dr Manfred Renner of Fraunhofer CCPE. Photo: Jan Turek/Circular Valley
