Programme – Circular Economy Hotspot Budapest 2026

Opening Reception

5 October 2026 – 17:00 – 19:00

Take the unique opportunity to meet fellow delegates, speakers, and partners in an informal setting while experiencing Hungarian food, drinks, and entertainment amidst sweeping views of Budapest.

The evening offers an opportunity to engage with the international circular economy community, ahead of the main programme.

During the reception:
→ the next European Circular Economy Hotspot host (2028) will be announced
→ the Sustainable Tulip Award, established by the Dutch Embassy, will be presented

Venue: Kimpton BEM Hotel (1027 Budapest, Bem József tér 3.)

Conference Day

6 October 2026 – 9:00 – 17:00

Throughout the conference day, we will give participants high-level policy and strategic insights from international and European leaders, complemented by business success stories, a finance roundtable on circular investment, and selected corporate case studies showcasing scalable circular solutions.

Venue: Hungarian Central Bank, Lámfalussy Congress Center, (1012 Budapest, Krisztina körút 55.)

8:00 – 9:00

ARRIVAL, REGISTRATION

9:00 – 10:00 Opening Session

THE RULES OF THE GAME ARE CHANGING

Who shapes the economy of tomorrow – and who gets left behind?

The era of the linear economy is over. The question is no longer whether circular solutions are needed, but who can adapt fast enough. In this opening session, leading voices from policy and business share where the world is heading, what forces are reshaping the operating environment, and where the real inflection points lie.

Welcome speeches:

Attila CHIKÁN Jr., President, BCSDH
dr. Levente SIPOS-TOMPA, Deputy Governor, Hungarian Central Bank

Speakers:

Quentin DREWELL, Senior Director, World Business Council for sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Janez POTOCNIK, Co-Chair, UNEP International Resource Panel
Peter BÖRKEY, Circular Economy Lead, OECD Environment Directorate

10:00 – 10:20

WHO HAS ALREADY MADE IT WORK – AND GAINED THE EDGE

Tom SZAKY, The “rockstar” of circular Economy

He is a global pioneer of circular innovation. His work with TerraCycle proves that circularity can scale and deliver real business value.

10:20 – 10:50 COFFEE BREAK

10:50 – 11:30

NO CIRCULARITY ALONE – Panel discussion

Collaboration as a strategic advantage

The biggest breakthroughs don’t happen in isolation. They happen through the right partnerships. This panel explores what makes collaboration truly effective, how to unlock system-level change, and how to turn cooperation into a strategic capability – not just an intention.

Participants:

Freek VAN EIJK, CEO, Holland Circular Hotspot
Péter BÁRÁNY*, Owner, Master Good Kft.
dr. David GREENFIELD*, Founder and CEO, SOENECS

11:30 – 12:15

PROJECT WANTED FOR FINANCING – Panel discussion

Does it really depend on money? It won’t happen, if it’s not financeable?

The circular transition is not only about ambition – it’s about capital. This discussion focuses on how the financial system is responding: what investors are looking for, how risks are assessed, and what it takes for circular solutions to become truly bankable.

Participants:

Krisztina BOGDÁN, CEO, ING Bank Hungary
Ksenia BROCKMANN*, Director, Green Financial Systems, European Bank for Regional Development
Gábor GYURA, Director, Hungarian Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (HuSIF)
Elina ROINE*, Deputy Director General, European Investment Bank

12:15 – 13:15 – LUNCH BREAK

13:15 – 17:00

WHERE IT GETS REAL – BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Deep dives into solutions that work

In the afternoon breakout sessions, big ideas turn into practical insights. Participants can explore key focus areas in depth, gaining a clearer understanding of how circular principles can be applied across industries – from strategy to implementation.

13:15 – 14:35 Breakout Session I., II., III.

SESSION 1

The Whole Picture: Can the Circular Transition Work as a Climate Tool?

Climate strategies still focus primarily on energy and decarbonization. But a significant share of global emissions comes from how we extract, produce, use and dispose of materials. This is the missing half of the picture.

This session explores how circular economy can act as a climate tool — by reducing material use at its source.

The focus is on system-level solutions, including:
→ extending product lifetimes
→ reuse and remanufacturing
→ redesigning value chains
→ reducing material-intensive consumption

Because without addressing material flows, climate targets remain out of reach.

Session lead: Irén MÁRTA, Managing Director, BCSDH

Participants:

Dr. Dóra FAZEKAS, Managing Director, Cambridge Econometrics
Anita SIMON, Managing Director, ALTEO Circular
Prof. Dr. Diána ÜRGE-VORSATZ, Vice-Chair, International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
László VADAS, CEO, Cyclosteel

SESSION 2

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

Is recycling enough or are we solving the wrong problem?

This session challenges a core assumption of circular economy: that improving recycling alone can deliver real impact. Instead, the focus shifts upstream to refusing unnecessary resource use and reducing material consumption at the source.

Through real-world examples and diverse perspectives, we explore:
→ the trade-offs between reduction and recycling
→ the business realities behind material use
→ the systemic barriers to using less

Because the real question is not how to recycle better,but how to need less in the first place.

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

Participants:

Dóra KASZA, Director, Jász-Plasztik Kft.
Dr. Alexandra KÖVES, Associate Professor, Budapest Corvinus University
Tivadar RUNTÁG, Operations Director, MOHU Zrt.
Dr. Ádám VIDA, Managing Director/ Manager, Edortech Kft. / Bay Zoltán Research Institute

SESSION 3

From Concept to Loop: Intentional Design for a Regenerative Future

The materials we choose, the way products are built, and how they are used, all determine whether a system becomes circular or remains linear.

This session explores how intentional design can enable a regenerative economy, embedding circularity from the very beginning.

Key topics include:
→ redesigning material flows
→ extending product lifecycles through modularity and reuse
→ balancing creativity with industrial scalability
→ decoupling growth from resource consumption

Because circular economy does not start at end-of-life.
It starts at the drawing board.

Session lead: Dalma BERKOVICS, Sharing economy expert

Participants:

Dániel BARCZA, Head of Sustainability and Professor, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME)
Barbora KOTOUN* (Global Sustainability Leader for Circularity), IKEA
Gergely ZÁMBÓ, Managing Director, Respray

14:35 – 15:00 COFFEE BREAK

15:00 – 16:20 Breakout Session IV., V., VI.

SESSION 4

Digital Enables Circularity – From Data to Decision

What if materials could be tracked, optimized and kept in circulation, in real time? Digital technologies are transforming how circular systems work, turning data into a key driver of efficiency, transparency and value creation.

This session explores how digital solutions support circular economy in practice.

Key topics include:
→ tracking material flows across value chains
→ improving waste collection, sorting and resource efficiency
→ enabling transparency through digital product passports
→ using AI and data analytics to optimize circular systems

Because circularity at scale requires more than intent.
It requires data.

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

Participants:

Martin BASILA, Head of Sustainability and Professor, Sensoneo
Ádám DÁLNOKI, CEO, BauApp Kft.
Árpád GOSZTÁK, Managing Director, Siemens-Energy Kft.

SESSION 5

Closing the organic loop – 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?Food systems are among the most resource-intensive, and waste-intensive, parts of the economy. Circular approaches offer a way to retain value across the entire food chain.

This session explores how circularity can be applied to food and biomass systems in practice.

Through real-world examples, participants will gain insight into:
→ reducing food waste at source
→ upcycling byproducts into new value streams
→ closing biological loops through reuse and recycling
→ rethinking the role of biomass in circular systems

Because in a circular economy, waste is not the end of the chain, but the beginning of a new cycle.

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

Participants:

László ALEKSZA, Founder & CEO, Profikomp
Balázs CSEH, Founder & President, Hungarian Food Bank Association (Élelmiszerbank)
Dr. Gyula KASZA*, Coordinator, WASTELESS, the national food waste prevention programme of Hungary
Péter NOSZEK, Managing Director, Nestlé Hungária Kft.
Marianna PINCZÉS, CEO, Grapoila
Albert WETTSTEIN*, Founder, Munch

SESSION 6

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

The built environment is one of the largest drivers of material use and emissions. Circular approaches offer a way to reduce impact, not only by building differently, but by building less.

This session explores how circularity can be applied across the lifecycle of buildings.

Key topics include:
→ reusing existing buildings and optimizing space use
→ extending building lifetimes through adaptability
→ circular construction methods and material reuse
→ lifecycle thinking, carbon budgets and digital tracking
→ modular design and alternative materials

Because the most sustainable building is often the one that already exists.

Session lead: Dr. Bálint BARTHA-HORVÁTH, Senior Sustainability Consultant, CBRE Hungary

Professional partner: Hungarian Green Building Council (HuGBC)

Participants:

Ádám BIHARI, Founder, NaturARCH
András KATONA*, CEO, Modulwood
János KOCSÁNY, Board Member, Graphisoft Park SE
Csaba LIVJÁK, CEO, BuildEXT Kft.
Gergely SÁNDOR, Project Leader, Budapest by Viador Atrium, KOHO Project

*to be confirmed

Closing Reception

6 October 2026 – 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.

Site Visits

7 October 2026, 9:00 – 13:00

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.

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.

IMPORTANT: We are looking for participants who can ride a bike.

We reserve the right to change the agenda.