How do you turn the circular economy from a nice idea into an investable business model?
But how do we translate these impressive figures into an on-the-ground revolution in manufacturing, consumption, and recycling? Jamie Butterworth, former chief executive of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and now a founding partner at Circularity Capital, believes the answer lies in investors stepping up to enable small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to enter the nascent marketplace.
He explained finance markets are traditionally very good at looking backwards and projecting future returns based on the past performance of, but there was a real need for specialist circular economy investors to demonstrate the kind of returns circular business models could offer in the future. “I became utterly convinced there was an opportunity to create a fund, to firstly support the European SME ecosystem by actually raising money… but secondly to act as a catalyst to other investors to demonstrate exactly how much value the circular economy is creating in the market,” he said.
While big corporates may have the backing of a hefty balance sheet to finance investment in circular projects, smaller firms tend to need more investor support to deliver a step change in how they operate. And alongside broad SME needs such as access to capital and industry knowledge, circular economy SMEs also tend to need specialist investment advice, according to Butterworth. For example, if their model is based on extending the life cycle of a product, an investor needs to be experienced in valuing goods for re-use and refurbishment – not something usually taken into account by the traditional investor.
Investors and SMEs in this space also need to be familiar with a broad scope of emerging regulatory, legal, and financial implications. For example, if a company is moving from turning a product into a service – such as Philips, which is moving from selling LEDs to providing lighting as a service at Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport – it needs to consider the legal and financial implications this would have on the business model. “These businesses go from selling a product and getting the cash for that product immediately, to having to finance very significant asset value on their balance sheet,” Butterworth said.
But for investors that are tempted by the potential of the circular economy, Butterworth highlighted some key ways circular business models can drive value – and ultimately investor returns.
One core value opportunity lies in increasing the utilisation of an asset – how much of the time it is deployed in value creation. For example, the average car spends 97 per cent of its life parked on the street or in a parking spot. But apps such as Uber and Zipcar allow multiple people to access a single asset (a car) when and where they need it, meaning that it remains in use and delivering value for longer than a vehicle with just a single owner. “We’ve seen an explosion in these business models recently,” Butterworth said. “It’s about unlocking more of that value, and simply smartphones and knowing the real time location and demand patterns of products is increasing that very significantly across the economy, not just in the business-to-consumer sector, but also in the business-to-business sector.”
Secondly, firms are starting to be able to take an asset – a material, component or product – and give it a second lease of life. Butterworth highlighted the case of Renault, which now remanufactures its vehicles’ drive trains, engines, and gearboxes into the same condition as a new product. “When they do that they use 80 per cent less energy, 70 per cent of the original materials, and it’s the most profitable part of Renault,” Butterworth said.
Finally, Butterworth said there is also a clear opportunity to harness nature to develop effective circular economy models. “[Living systems can] take inputs, create those into a biological product, and then use that to create value in the economy either as feedstock, anaerobic digestion, or cascaded over a series of uses.”
Using these opportunities, Butterworth suggested companies can improve customer relationships, provide solid, stable earnings projections, reduce supply chain risk, and boost a firm’s overall valuation. “For investors, it’s creating a real investable opportunity,” he concluded.
If the circular economy is to move out of the confines of enthusiastic think tanks and a few pioneering businesses, it needs the backing of the investor community to make it happen. For a brave investor willing to take a leap of faith, it seems lucrative opportunities await.
Source: Businessgreen.com
