What Circular Brain does

Circular Brain is a Brazilian circular-economy technology company founded in December 2019 by Marcus Oliveira and Marcello Fornari (with Fernando Perfeito as co-founder), headquartered in Jundiaí, São Paulo. The company operates the Circulare platform (rebranded from Think Circular in August 2023), a SaaS solution positioned as the first and only ABNT NBR 16156-certified digital platform in Brazil to integrate the entire chain of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The platform provides end-to-end traceability — from collection through transport (via MTRs — Waste Transport Manifests) to final disposal (via CDFs — Final Destination Certificates) — combined with ESG dashboards, compliance reporting, and certified data wiping through an official Blancco reseller integration. Through the platform and a partner ecosystem of 38+ certified recyclers and operators, plus logistics tie-ups with Kangu and JadLog (15,500+ collection points), Circular Brain has built a nationwide footprint covering 14,000+ voluntary delivery points (PEVs) and processed 54,000+ tons of electronic waste in 2024.

The company generates revenue across five streams: subscription/SaaS fees for platform access, managed reverse logistics services, custom circular-economy consulting and trade-in program management (e.g., Recicla PC with Intel), and Blancco software resale. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales targeting manufacturers, importers, and distributors obligated under Brazil's PNRS and Decree 10.240/2020 reverse-logistics regulations, a self-service Circulare portal for mid-market corporate disposal, and community-led environmental campaigns that drive both consumer awareness and enterprise leads. Named enterprise customers include Whirlpool (Brazil's first individual reverse-logistics contract, 2023), Intel, Huawei, GE, Gree, TecToy, Ventisol, Hytera, Wanke, and others. Cumulative disclosed funding is modest (~R$3M seed in 2021 from BR Angels/Barn plus an undisclosed 2019 angel from Vectra), with a new 2025 investment from Lorene providing growth capital; the company was formally promoted from startup to Scale-Up in August 2023. Recognition includes listing as the only Brazilian startup in the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Circular Startup Index (2023) and UN recognition as one of four global digital solutions for electronics (2021).

Name

Circular Brain

Legal name

Circular Brain

Website

https://circularbrain.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Circular Brain operates the Circulare platform, Brazil's first ABNT NBR 16156-certified SaaS for electronic-waste reverse logistics, serving manufacturers, importers, and enterprises with traceability, compliance documentation, and certified data wiping across a nationwide network of 17,000+ collection points and 38+ recyclers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reverse Logistics Platform

NAICS

Waste Collection (5621), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562211), Other Waste Collection (562119)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

E-waste Collection, Aggregation & Reverse Logistics (BPALAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC), Asset Recovery, Surplus & Decommissioning Services (EUAIANAD), Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA) (EUAIANAH)

Keywords

• Reverse logistics platform
• Electronic waste management
• Circular economy solutions
• WEEE traceability software
• Sustainability compliance software

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Platform Subscription and SaaS Fees: Subscription-based access to the Circulare platform for manufacturers, importers, and companies requiring reverse logistics management. Clients pay for platform access, compliance documentation, and operational tools.
2. Managed Reverse Logistics Services: End-to-end management of individual reverse logistics systems for electronics, including collection coordination, recycler network management, compliance reporting, and ongoing operational support.
3. Custom Circular Economy Projects: Consulting and implementation services for companies seeking to integrate circular economy principles, including feasibility studies, operational design, and project execution support.
4. Blancco Software Resale: Revenue from resale of Blancco data wiping software licenses as an official reseller, including software sales and certification services.
5. Trade-in Program Management: Comprehensive trade-in program design and operation for manufacturers, importers, retailers, and distributors, covering feasibility analysis, strategy, technology integration, logistics, processing, and marketing support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Circular Brain operates the Circulare platform, the first integrated digital solution in Brazil that manages the entire Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) chain — from collection through certified recycling and final disposal — providing traceability, compliance documentation (MTRs and CDFs), ESG reporting, and reverse logistics management for electronics manufacturers, importers, distributors, and corporate clients. In addition to its SaaS platform, the company delivers managed reverse logistics services, customized circular economy projects, trade-in program design and operation (e.g., Recicla PC with Intel), and Blancco-certified data wiping for secure disposal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Plataforma Circulare: The first digital platform in Brazil that integrates the entire chain of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), certified by ABNT NBR 16.156. It provides complete management and traceability of electronic waste.

Products and services

• Plataforma Circulare First integrated digital platform in Brazil for the entire WEEE chain, providing complete management and traceability of electronic waste from collection to final destination, generating MTRs and CDFs, and offering real-time ESG dashboards. Certified by ABNT NBR 16.156.
• Descarte Corporativo de Eletrônicos (Corporate Electronic Disposal) Service for companies and organizations to properly dispose of end-of-life electronic equipment (computers, printers, monitors, cell phones, servers, cables) with secure data wiping, compliance documentation, and ESG reporting.
• Coleta Domiciliar (Home Collection Service) Door-to-door collection service for large electronics exceeding 30kg, coordinated through the Circulare platform and executed by logistics partners Kangu and JadLog for nationwide coverage.
• Eletroponto Circulare Branded collection box solution deployed in businesses and offices to enable convenient drop-off of small electronic waste as part of the Circulare ecosystem.
• Trade-in Programs (e.g., Recicla PC with Intel) Comprehensive trade-in program design and operation for manufacturers, importers, retailers, and distributors, covering feasibility analysis, strategy, technology integration, logistics, processing, and marketing support.
• Projetos Personalizados (Custom Circular Economy Projects) Consulting and implementation services for companies seeking to integrate circular economy principles, including feasibility studies, operational design, and project execution support tailored to client objectives.
• Circularidade como Serviço (Circularity as a Service) Complete circular economy solutions packaged as a service offering for enterprises, encompassing end-to-end reverse logistics management and circularity operations.
• Privacidade e Proteção de Dados (Blancco Data Wiping) Official Blancco reseller offering certified data erasure software (Blancco Drive Eraser, Blancco Mobile Diagnostics & Eraser) for secure destruction of sensitive information, compliant with LGPD, GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• 54,000+ tons of electronic waste processed through the platform in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Scale-Up EndeavorminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2023Acceleration program for high-growth companies selected for scale-up stage in 2023.
• WhirlpoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023First Individual Reverse Logistics contract in Brazil signed with Whirlpool for managing corporate electronic disposal.
• HuaweicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Large electronics manufacturer working with Circular Brain in the electronic waste logistics ecosystem for reverse logistics and recycling management in Brazil.
• GEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Large manufacturer partnering with Circular Brain for electronic waste management and reverse logistics ecosystem development.
• IntelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Partnership for the Recicla PC trade-in program, enabling electronics trade-in and responsible disposal in partnership with Intel.
• RN+ Limpo Campaign PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021Environmental education campaign partnership in Rio Grande do Norte state, focused on electronic waste collection and awareness.
• Braskem Labs - IgnitionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2021Acceleration program focused on chemistry and circular economy solutions with high social and environmental impact.
• Plug and Play Brazil - Batch 4minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2021Global innovation platform batch program connecting startups with corporations, Circular Brain selected for Batch 4 in 2021.
• Green SampaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2020Environmental innovation program by São Paulo city government that selected Circular Brain for participation in 2020.
• BlanccocoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial Blancco reseller providing certified data wiping software (Blancco Drive Eraser, Blancco Mobile Diagnostics & Eraser) for secure data destruction compliant with LGPD, GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.
• Instituto ReverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for packaging management system complementing the electronics reverse logistics solutions.
• KangucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLogistics partner providing 15,500+ collection points for small electronics throughout Brazil, integrated with the Circulare platform.
• JadLogcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLogistics partner providing nationwide coverage for electronics collection, working with 15,500+ collection points.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reverse Logistics Group (RLG): European SaaS-led platform that manages Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and reverse logistics compliance for electronics, packaging, and other regulated streams. Closely comparable technology-and-services business model targeting manufacturers/importers across multiple geographies.
• Sims Lifecycle Services: Operates IT asset disposition and e-waste processing services globally, providing data destruction, refurbishment, and downstream recycling for enterprise electronics - same end-customer base and core service stack as Circular Brain's Circulare platform.
• Landbell Group: European EPR/compliance and circular economy services company covering electronics, packaging, and batteries - directly comparable on regulatory-driven reverse logistics and reuse/recommerce operations.
• ERI (Electronic Recyclers International): One of the largest e-waste recyclers in North America, serving enterprise IT asset disposition clients with documented downstream processing - analogous to Circulare's recycler-network + traceability stack for electronics.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Environmental Services: Global waste management and circular economy services giant with hazardous waste, recycling, and EPR compliance offerings across many waste streams. Overlaps in e-waste and regulated waste services but does not specialize in Brazil-focused WEEE software.
• Stericycle: Large regulated waste and compliance services company focused on hazardous waste, document destruction, and ESG/compliance reporting. Has overlapping enterprise compliance and waste-tracking capabilities with a much broader scope.

Emerging players

• Rubicon Technologies: Waste and recycling technology platform serving haulers and enterprises with routing, dispatch, and sustainability analytics. Comparable as a software-led waste/recycling platform, though primarily serving North American municipal/haulers rather than Brazilian WEEE EPR.
• EcoATM: Consumer-facing electronics buyback and recommerce platform (US-focused). Comparable as a downstream channel for device trade-in and reuse/resale rather than as a direct B2B EPR compliance peer.

Regional players

• Greentec Brasil: Brazilian e-waste and IT asset disposition company operating collection and recycling services domestically. Comparable in geography and core activity (electronic waste collection/recycling) but with a service-led rather than pure-SaaS model.
• Recicladora e Recyclebras (Brazilian e-waste operators): Network of Brazilian e-waste collection/handling operators - represents the same operational counterparties that Circular Brain onboards onto its Circulare platform, and likely alternative direct-service providers to enterprise customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0tmKeq6jYUyFNMMKuotzjg?view_as=subscriber
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/circularbrain
• Instagraminstagram.com/circulare.rede
• Facebookfacebook.com/CircularBrain

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Circular Brain