CircuLaunchpad: Empowering Changemakers for a Plastic Pollution-Free Future

Photo: Vivita Philippines

Achieving a future where no plastic ends up in nature requires bold ideas, and building pathways for innovators to succeed and thrive is critical for us to get there. Plastic Reboot Philippines is excited to collaborate with Circle Works by Vivita Philippines in guiding circular economy entrepreneurs as they turn their big ideas into viable impact-driven enterprises. 

Our shared goal of building a future free of plastic pollution led us to co-organize CircuLaunchpad, a five-day incubation camp in Baguio City that brought together 35 startups, social enterprises, and nonprofits across the Cordillera, Metro Manila, Bulacan, and Cebu. Throughout the week, we witnessed diverse circular solutions, spanning refilling stations, reuse models, alternative materials, digital monitoring systems, and behavior change interventions. 

Building Circular Mindsets

Photo: Vivita Philippines

From July 22 to 26, 88 attendees were engaged in entrepreneurial talks, interactive workshops, and networking activities with Circle Works, Plastic Reboot, seasoned social entrepreneurs such as Jerrison Tiong, Agnes Tan, and Chef Waya Araos-Wijangco, and industry partners such as Nutri-Asia, Inc. and Sentinel Upcycling Co. 

Equipped with deeper circular economy knowledge, systems-thinking frameworks, and practical entrepreneurial skills, participants honed their value propositions, mastered customer discovery strategies, and refined their action plans. 

Among the attendees was Leane Duran from the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Guiguinto, Bulacan. Her team at the local Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) helps run the Refill Revolution, a popular one-day event where residents can bring reusable containers to purchase household cleaning and cooking products at a lower price. Through the bootcamp, her team sought to turn this annual event into a year-round reuse and refill grocery store. 

“Small actions can build changes,” shared Leane. “By helping people refill instead of buying sachets, we can reduce plastic waste.”

For Rose Jemelyn Tayao, CFO of Laya Creative Hub, an organization creating livelihoods for marginalized communities such as persons deprived of liberty, the camp reframed how waste applied to their own operations:

“My favorite [lesson] is the concept of waste leakage… It’s all about the process flow. Even though we are in learning or consulting, we identified that we generate a lot of waste, too. With this, we can risk-manage it better so we don’t have to be exposed to that waste. That was very insightful and impactful to me.”

Witnessing Circularity in Practice

Photo: PCX Solutions

Learning extended far beyond the classroom. Participants visited Mt. Camisong Forest Park, an ecopark in Benguet, where they observed hands-on sustainability practices firsthand, while engaging in outdoor teambuilding activities. 

Back at the camp, entrepreneurs also received direct coaching and feedback from business leaders from Baguio Business Club and Ideaspace, as well as regional representatives from the DENR, DOST, and DTI. The day ended with a farm-to-table dinner centered on slow food principles, specially prepared by Chef Waya. 

A major highlight was an inspiring Fireside Chat with Senator Bam Aquino, who discussed building an enabling environment for MSMEs and navigating government support. Drawing from his 20-year journey as a social entrepreneur starting in 2006–when the concept was unfamiliar to most–he illustrated how businesses can evolve and operate with a triple bottom line for people, planet, and profit.

A Community of Practice and Trust for Innovators

Above all, the five-day incubation camp served as a space for genuine collaboration. Strong partnerships are essential to making circular enterprises work–a key takeaway for Rosa Javier, Founder of Laya Creative Hub. 

“It’s finding the right partners who trust you and believe in you,” Rosa said.

Having a community of practice is also vital when tackling a challenge as complex as plastic pollution. For Rafael Dionisio of Make a Difference (MAD) Philippines, an organization long focused on upstream waste reduction, CircuLaunchpad provided a rare opportunity to connect with peers sharing the exact same mission and goals.

“It makes me hopeful because to be honest, a lot of the existing customers who participate with us at cleanups and they see all the trash, some of them struggle finding hope,” recalled Rafael. “This event–this community–is one where we can generate that.”

We extend our sincerest gratitude to Circle Works / Vivita Philippines for co-organizing this milestone event with us. We leave CircuLaunchPad deeply energized by the solutions showcased and look forward to supporting these social entrepreneurs as we build a future without plastic pollution together.

CircuLaunchpad is part of Plastic Reboot Philippines’ initiatives to mobilize finance for upstream plastic innovation. In the coming months, we will launch new initiatives and financing opportunities to build the capacity of circularity-focused enterprises.

Hear More from Our Innovators

---

About Plastic Reboot Philippines

Plastic Reboot, also known as Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution, aims to build systems that keep plastic out of nature, transforming how the food and the beverage (F&B) industry uses plastic. It is the first initiative of its kind to address plastic pollution through upstream and midstream circular solutions. It is a Global Environment Facility-funded global program spanning 15 countries that is co-led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and WWF and implemented in partnership with the UNDP and the UNIDO. In the Philippines, the program is implemented by UNIDO and DENR, with PCX Solutions as the third-party executing entity. 

💡 Learn more about Plastic Reboot Philippines. 

About Vivita Philippines and Circle Works

Vivita Philippines is a creativity accelerator whose mission is to empower youth with the skills, toolset, and mindset to become changemakers. Under the EU Green Economy Partnership in the Philippines (GEPP) implemented by Expertise France and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Vivita launched Circle Works, an 18-month accelerator program for youth innovators and social entrepreneurs in the Cordillera region with circular economy solutions that tackle plastic pollution upstream and promote sustainable production. 

💡 Learn more about Circle Works. 

For partnership opportunities, please reach out to us at plasticreboot@pcxsolutions.org.