Programme – Circular Economy Hotspot Budapest 2026

Day 1. – 05 October 2026

Opening reception

Kimpton BEM Hotel Budapest

09:00 – 17:00

An evening event held at the Kimpton BEM Hotel to kick-off the Circular Economy Hotspot Budapest. The Opening Reception will allow delegates to network and meet fellow delegates, speakers and partners in an informal setting and experience local food, drink, and entertainment, highlighting the culture of Hungary and enjoying sweeping views of Budapest. Delegates will be welcomed to hear the announcement of the 2028 European Hotspot hosts. The 2026 Tulip Award, established by the Dutch Embassy, will also be ceremonially presented on this occasion.

Day 2. – 06 October 2026

Conference

WELCOME SPEECHES, POLICY, STRATEGIES

9:00–10:00

Time	Organization	Speaker
09:00	BCSDH	Attila Chikan Jr. (President)
09:05	Hungarian Ministry
09:10	Hungarian Central Bank	Levente dr. Sipos-Tompa (Deputy Governor)
09:15	WBCSD	Quentin Drewell (Senior Director)
09:30	UNEP International Resource Panel	Janez Potocnik (Co-Chair)
09:40	OECD Environment Directorate	Peter Borkey (Circular Economy Lead)
09:50	European Commission	Speaker to be confirmed

SUCCESS STORIES, COLLABORATIONS

10:00–10:20

Time	Organization	Speaker
10:00	TerraCycle	Tom Szaky (CEO)

10:20–10:50 BREAK

Panel discussion on collaboration and circular innovation

10:50–11:30

Organization	Speaker
Holland Circular Hotspot	Freek van Eijk (CEO)
Master Good Kft.	Péter Bárány (Owner) (pending confirmation)
SOENECS	dr. David Greenfield (Founder and CEO) (pending confirmation)

CIRCULAR FINANCE

11:30–12:15 – Roundtable discussion on financing the circular economy

Participants:

Organization	Speaker
European Investment Bank	Elina Roine (Deputy Director General) (pending confirmation)
European Bank for Regional Development	Ksenia Brockmann (Director, Green Financial Systems) (pending confirmation)
Hungarian Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (HuSIF)	Gábor Gyura (Director)

12:15–13:15 – LUNCH BREAK

AFTERNOON THEMATIC SESSIONS I.

13:15 – 14:35

SESSION 1

1. The whole picture: the circular transition as a climate tool

Efforts to mitigate climate change predominantly focus on the decarbonisation of energy systems – an approach that is akin to viewing only half of the picture. A significant share of global emissions is linked to material‑intensive economic activities, including raw material extraction, industrial processing, product consumption, and end‑of‑life treatment. The prevailing, fundamentally linear economic model therefore locks economies into a structurally high emissions trajectory. This session introduces how the circular economy contributes to climate change mitigation by reducing absolute material use. The focus is on system‑level solutions that go beyond efficiency improvements, including lifetime extension, reuse and remanufacturing, the redesign of value chains, and the reduction of material‑intensive consumption.

Session lead: Irén Márta, Managing Director, BCSDH

Participants:

Organization	Speaker
IPCC	Diána Ürge-Vorsatz Prof Dr., (Vice-Chair)
Cambridge Econometrics	Dóra Fazekas (Managing Director)
ALTEO Circular	Anita Simon (Managing Director)

SESSION 2

2. “Refuse & Reduce First? The Hard Truth About Using Less vs. Recycling More”

Is recycling really the solution or are we focusing on the wrong end of the problem? This session challenges one of the core assumptions of the circular economy: that better recycling is enough. Through real-world examples and diverse perspectives, we explore whether true impact lies in refusing unnecessary resource use and reducing material consumption in the first place. Join us to unpack the trade-offs, business realities, and systemic barriers behind one of the most critical dilemmas of circularity.

Session lead: Gábor Arató, Managing Director, Manupackaging International Kft.

Participants:

Organization	Speaker
Budapest Corvinus University	Alexandra Köves Dr. (Associate Professor)
MOHU Zrt.	Tivadar Runtág (Operations Director)
Edortech Kft. / Bay Zoltán Research Institute	Ádám Vida Dr. (Managing Director/ Manager)
Jász-Plasztik Kft.	Dóra Kasza (Director)

SESSION 3

3. From Concept to Loop: Intentional Design for a Regenerative Future

This session examines design as the fundamental blueprint for a regenerative economy where circularity is embedded from the first sketch. Bringing together academic pioneers, global industry leaders, and innovative disruptors, will analyze how strategic design choices dictate the entire lifecycle and environmental footprint of a product. The conversation will navigate the critical intersection of creative responsibility and industrial scalability, showcasing how circular design innovations can decouple economic growth from resource consumption. From rethinking material flows to implementing modularity at scale, our panel will explore the immense potential of design to drive systemic change and redefine the value of products in a circular world.

Session lead: Dalma Berkovics, Sharing economy expert

Participants:

Organization	Speaker
Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME)	Dániel Barcza (Head of Sustainability and Professor)
IKEA	Barbora Kotoun* (Global Sustainability Leader for Circularity)
Respray	Gergely Zámbó (Managing Director)

14:35 – 14:00 – BREAK

AFTERNOON THEMATIC SESSIONS II.

15:00 – 16:20

SESSION 4

4. DIGITAL SOLUTIONS IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

How can data turn waste into value? What if products could “tell their story” across their entire lifecycle? And how can AI help us move from managing waste to managing resources more intelligently? In this session, you can explore how digitalization is reshaping the circular economy through the real-life solutions of leading companies. From smart sensors and IoT platforms to AI-driven analytics, you will see how data can optimize resource use, improve waste collection and sorting, as well as bring transparency into complex supply chains. Follow the journey of materials and products as they move through circular systems, supported by digital twins, product passports, and predictive technologies. Along the way, you can discover how these tools not only make processes more efficient, but also open the door to entirely new business models based on reuse, repair, and shared value. If you are interested in how technology can make circularity tangible, scalable, and measurable, this session offers practical insights and inspiring examples from those already building it.

Session lead: Viktória Bodnár Dr., Managing Director, IFUA Horváth&Partners Kft.

Participants:

Organization	Speaker
Sensoneo	Martin Basila (Head of Sustainability and Professor)

SESSION 5

5. FOOD AND BIOMASS CIRCULARITY

Do you know how Hungary can (b)eat food waste? Are you interested in upcycling solutions for byproducts in the food industry? You might find your answers in this section, where you can explore the organic loop via the stories of 4 companies. You can follow the steps of the food chain and collect ideas for food waste refuse, repurpose, and recycling through various solutions.

Session lead: György Fekete Dr., Director of Centre for Circular Economy Analysis, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE)

Participants:

Organization	Speaker
National Food Chain Safety Office (NÉBIH)	Dr. Gyula Kasza (Coordinator of WASTELESS, the national food waste prevention programme of Hungary) (pending confirmation)
Profikomp	László Aleksza (Founder & CEO)
Grapoila	Marianna Pinczés (CEO)
Nestlé Hungária Kft.	Péter Noszek (Managing Director)
Munch	Albert Wettstein (Founder) (pending confirmation)

SESSION 6

6. Build Less and Smart: Circularity in Tomorrow’s Built Environment

This session will focus on circularity in the built environment, including concepts to minimise construction by utilising already occupied space and existing buildings, as well as to adapt circularity into construction methods. Policy and technological solutions, such as urban regeneration, functional adaptapbility assessments to extend the lifetime of buildings, reuse and recycling of building materials, are reviewed, together with life-cycle thinking, carbon budgets, digital twins, and BIM-based material tracking, and the role of modular construction techniques and alternative materials in reducing lifecycle impacts and achieving circularity.

Session lead: Bálint Bartha-Horváth Dr., Senior Sustainability Consultant, CBRE Hungary

Professional partner: Hungarian Green Building Council (HuGBC)

Participants:

Organization	Speaker
Budapest by Viador Atrium, KOHO Project	Gergely Sándor (Project Leader)
BuildEXT	Csaba Livják (CEO)
Graphisoft Park SE	János Kocsány (Board Member)
NaturARCH	Ádám Bihari (Founder) (pending confirmation)
Modulwood	András Katona (CEO)

Closing reception

Lámfalussy Conference Center (Hungarian Central Bank) Budapest

17:00 – 19:00

Immediately following the conference day, an informal closing reception will be held, offering a final opportunity for delegates to gather, reflect, and hear closing remarks to inspire action going forward.

Day 3. – 07 October 2026

Field visits

Recycle

ALTEO Circular site visit – Kistarcsa

Visit the recently inaugurated ALTEO Circular site and discover industrial-scale circular economy solutions in action. The company is capable of covering all services in the waste management industry and is working to enable the recycling of additional types of waste. Participants gain first-hand insight into state-of-the-art sorting and material recovery technologies, while exploring how industrial symbiosis works in practice. The site offers a tangible example of how waste is transformed into valuable secondary raw materials, and how innovative solutions contribute to greater resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

Circular Design and reuse

From Design to Reuse: Circular Transformation at IKEA

A behind-the-scenes look at IKEA, where a circular approach can be traced throughout the entire lifecycle of furniture. Participants will gain insight into how principles such as repairability, modularity, and reusability are embedded already at the design stage, and how these are reflected in manufacturing. Behind the showroom begins the “Second Life of Furniture”, demonstrating how the company promotes reuse, the partners it engages, and how it can inspire other companies to adopt similar solutions.

Circularity in the City – Walking Tour

Circular City Treasure Hunt – Budapest

Discover Budapest through a playful, team-based treasure hunt across the city. Following a carefully designed route, participants uncover local treasures from design studios and community spaces to markets and repurposed buildings, where circular thinking appears in different forms. Working in small teams, participants move through the city on foot, by public transport, and through shared mobility options. This is not a traditional “green tour.” It does not offer ready-made answers, but opens up questions, while passing through some of the city’s iconic landmarks. Along the way, participants encounter different expressions of circularity, where design extends lifecycles, objects gain new meaning, repair remains a living practice, ownership shifts toward use, and urban spaces are continuously reimagined. Blending exploration, light challenges, and reflection, the experience invites participants to see the city as a living system in constant transformation, and to rethink what circularity means in practice, where value is created, preserved, or quietly lost. The journey concludes with a well-earned reward at the Zwack Unicum Factory és Museum, an authentic taste of Hungarian tradition.

Circular Biomass and Food

ProfiKomp® & MATE – Biological circularity

Have an insight into the practical functioning of biological circularity through visits to the MATE’s composting facility and the ProfiKomp® Group in Gödöllő. With decades of expertise, ProfiKomp® is among Europe’s leading providers of waste management engineering solutions, focusing on the aerobic treatment of biodegradable materials. The visit continues at MATE’s Bioeconomy Demonstration Center site, demonstrating how biological waste can be fully recovered on-site, providing a compelling example of a closed and efficiently operating biological loop.

Biodiversity

Feel the nature in the city – Graphisoft / HelloVelo / Pünkösdfürdő

We invite you to an inspiring site visit where sustainability, innovation and nature-based urban development come together. At Graphisoft Park, participants discover how a brownfield investment can evolve into a vibrant, green business environment. With HelloVelo’s e-bike fleet, the journey continues in a carbon-conscious way, highlighting the role of e-mobility. The programme concludes at Pünkösdfürdő Park, showcasing how nature-based solutions, climate adaptation and biodiversity can shape future urban spaces—an engaging journey along the boundary of business and nature.