2025: Completing the loop: Helping small businesses contribute to the circular economy - Small Business Champions Winners

Winners

NetZero Pallet

NetZero Pallet transforms agricultural waste into cost-effective and sustainable pallet solutions, reducing deforestation, CO₂ emissions and waste. NetZero pallets are used by global corporations and offer an eco-friendly alternative to traditional wooden and plastic pallets, promoting inclusive trade by integrating smallholder communities and waste collectors into global value chains.

• Project description: Expand sustainable logistics solutions through the circular economy by upcycling agricultural waste and discarded pallets. The closed-loop system entails end-of-life pallet recycling into new products, minimizing landfill waste.

NetZero Pallet plans to:

• expand into five new markets in 2025
• increase production to 300,000 pallets annually, upcycling 6,000 tons of agricultural waste (each pallet accounts for 20kg)
• reduce 10,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually
• establish long-term contracts with global exporters and logistics firms
• create 200+ new jobs in waste collection, processing and manufacturing
• enhance R&D to develop next-generation durable pallets for high-performance and outdoor use.

SilaiWali

SilaiWali is a social enterprise based in New Delhi, India, that helps women artisans develop sustainable livelihoods. It upcycles waste fabric from garment factories into handcrafted home décor and lifestyle products. Combining eco-conscious practices with traditional craftsmanship, SilaiWali promotes dignified employment, creativity and economic independence for marginalized women. It has been endorsed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Ministry of Textiles - Government of India, and –the World Fair Trade Organisation.

• Project description: Upcycle textile waste into handcrafted products made by Afghan refugees, thereby reducing landfill use and promoting sustainable consumption.

SilaiWali plans to:

• expand training programmes for women in rural India and Afghan women refugees in New Delhi
• increase upcycling capacity
• develop new product lines from textile waste
• collaborate with more fashion brands to source surplus fabric and scale its impact
• create more sustainable jobs
• identify new Fair Trade vendors and customers
• foster a circular, inclusive economy that empowers women.

Runners-up

Green Tech Africa

Green Tech Africa has developed an innovative business model based on a patented invention called KUKIA, a 100% biological substance capable of absorbing up to 17 times its weight in oil. Green Tech Africa harvests invasive water hyacinth from coastal communities and transforms the plant fibres into KUKIA. The business model generates revenue from industrial customers who pay Green Tech Africa for a pollution management service.

• Project description: Manage invasive aquatic plants and dispose of petroleum-based industrial waste. Green Tech Africa operates in coastal communities where there is a complex interaction between the ocean, lakes and river systems. These regions have fragile ecosystems, including mangroves and fisheries, which are undermined by the presence of water hyacinths and industrial pollution. This project will adopt a circular economy approach by developing an integrated, zero-waste production system and add value to every resource. After use, the fibre is extracted from the oil and recycled as an alternative fuel for cement plants. This reduces waste and reuses resources efficiently.

Green Tech Africa plans to:

• develop and sell absorbents and intervention kits
• provide tailored solutions to industrial companies to effectively manage leaks
• provide bio-remediation services including ecological cleaning of contaminated areas to restore the environment
• train staff in best practices for managing environmental incidents
• reduce risks by helping companies to react quickly and effectively in the event of a leak.

Excuela

Excuela is a mobile-first learning platform that empowers frontline workers and vulnerable populations through accessible, data-driven education. Excuela transforms content into active learning experiences, equipping small businesses with knowledge on sustainability, the circular economy and workforce upskilling. By leveraging low-bandwidth technology and real-time data insights, Excuela drives behavioural change, enabling SMEs to adopt sustainable and circular practices efficiently.

• Project description: Excuela plans to drive circular economy adoption by training workers in key industries - mining, agriculture, fishing, energy, and more - while leveraging corporate partnerships to extend impact across entire ecosystems. Through mobile-first learning, Excuela equips workers, their families, suppliers, customers and communities with skills to minimize waste, optimize resources and integrate sustainable practices, fostering systemic change.

Excuela plans to:

• expand its reach in Peru, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and the United States, with long-term expansion in Latin America, Asia and Africa
• onboard 35 new corporate partners across industries such as mining, agriculture and energy
• enhance the platform with AI-driven learning and localized content while scaling up user engagement strategies
• leverage corporate ecosystems to drive circular economy adoption and workforce upskilling.