What Circulab does

Circulab is a Paris-based circular economy design studio and consulting firm founded in 2012 that helps companies, public institutions, and local authorities adapt business models, operations, and products to planetary boundaries. Operating under the legal entity SAS WIITHAA, the firm combines a proprietary systemic methodology with three core offerings: (1) the Circulab Toolbox — a free set of circular design canvases (Circular Canvas, Partner Map, Value Chain Canvas, Business Resilience Method, Product Circularity Data Sheet) localized in 10 languages; (2) Circulab Academy — a Qualiopi-certified training platform for practitioners and client teams; and (3) a global community of 80+ certified professionals across 25 countries that extends the firm's delivery capacity. Professional services — strategy consulting, co-creation workshops, prototyping (e.g., the Ecocollect station for La Poste / Nouvelle Attitude), and roadmap design — sit alongside a co-developed subscription platform, DICES, a curated database of 500+ circular economy examples built jointly with PositiveImpakt.

The business model is primarily sales-led professional services, supplemented by certified training revenue (Academy) and a small but recurring DICES subscription line. The toolbox itself is free and functions as a top-of-funnel acquisition asset, feeding downstream paid engagements via content marketing (Radio Circulab podcast, monthly newsletter, blog archive spanning 2014–2026) and event participation (Plastic-free Paris conferences since 2021, REUse Economy Expo). Customer segments span large enterprises (Olympique de Marseille, La Poste, Labeyrie, SULO, L'Oréal, Veolia, VINCI, Sodexo), public authorities (Paris City Hall, ADEME, AFD, UNESCO), and individual consultants, with engagements typically structured as multi-month transformation projects.

The firm is privately held, appears bootstrapped, and holds Qualiopi training certification and 1% for the Planet membership. Geographic footprint is centered on Paris and Nantes offices with international reach through the community network. Marquee outcome metrics cited in the data include 98.4% reduction in single-use plastic in the Paris program since 2020, 47 certified establishments, 1,500+ trained actors between 2021 and 2024, and 45 tonnes of plastic avoided during the 2024 Olympic Games.

Name

Circulab

Legal name

SAS WIITHAA

Website

https://circulab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Circulab is a Paris-based circular economy consulting studio founded in 2012, serving enterprises, public authorities, and institutions through a proprietary methodology, a free multi-language toolbox, Qualiopi-certified training programs, and a community of 80+ practitioners across 25 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Strategy Services: Direct consulting engagements with companies, institutions, and local authorities for circular economy transformation projects including strategy, design, and implementation support.
2. Training and Academy: Circulab Academy provides training programs on circular economy methodology. Training is Qualiopi certified and helps participants deploy circular economy actions quickly.
3. Toolbox Access: Free circular economy tools available in 10 languages, supporting businesses from impact awareness to business model design.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Circulab is a post-growth studio and consulting firm that helps companies, institutions, and local authorities adapt their projects to planetary boundaries through circular economy design. The firm delivers strategy consulting, systemic design engagements, and certified training, supported by a free multilingual toolbox of methodology canvases and a global community of 80+ trained practitioners in 25 countries.

Product overview

Circulab operates as a post-growth studio offering a suite of circular economy services and tools. The core portfolio includes the Circulab Toolbox (free design tools in 10 languages), Circulab Academy (training platform), and Circulab Community (global network of 80+ professionals). Professional services encompass the Business Resilience Method, Product Circularity Data Sheet (PCDS), and Collective Awareness offerings. Additionally, Circulab developed the DICES Platform — a subscription-based strategic intelligence database with 500+ circular economy examples — and produces content through Radio Circulab podcast and monthly newsletter. The company also develops product prototypes like Eclect for waste collection. Services are delivered through a studio model in Paris/Nantes and via the global community network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Circulab Academy: Training platform offering courses on circular economy and the Circulab method
• Circulab Toolbox
• Radio Circulab
• Circulab Community

Products and services

• Circulab Academy Qualiopi-certified training platform offering courses on circular economy implementation, teaching Circulab's methods, circular design, and practical deployment of actions by participants.
• Circulab Toolbox Free collection of circular economy design tools including Value Chain Canvas, Partner Map, Circular Canvas, and Business Resilience Game, available in 10 languages for applying circular economy principles to business.
• Business Resilience Method consulting Strategic consulting engagement that helps companies adapt to planetary boundaries using a systemic approach, covering economic, technical, social, and environmental impacts across the business.
• Collective Awareness consulting Collective consultation and stakeholder engagement service that maps the needs and capacities of actors within a territory to advance resource sobriety and reuse, typically delivered as multi-stakeholder programs for institutions and local authorities.
• Product Circularity Data Sheet (PCDS) consulting Consulting service implementing the Fiche de Données Circulaires des Produits (FDCP) / Product Circularity Data Sheet standardized documentation for transparent product circularity information.
• DICES Platform Subscription-based strategic intelligence platform dedicated to circular economy, providing concrete, qualified examples and inspiration for businesses and independent consultants, with 500+ reference examples accessible by subscription.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90 people from 60 organizations mobilized for Paris City Hall single-use plastics initiative
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PositiveImpaktcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of the DICES (Circular Economy Strategic Intelligence) platform. Circulab and PositiveImpakt created a joint venture to ensure commercial development, technical updates, and platform sustainability. The platform provides 500+ circular economy examples and operates on a subscription model.
• UNESCOminorOthersListed as partner/client in Circulab's portfolio, indicating collaboration on circular economy initiatives.
• AFD (French Development Agency)minorOthersListed as partner/client, indicating collaboration on development projects.
• ADEMEminorOthersListed as partner, the French Agency for Ecological Transition is a key stakeholder in circular economy ecosystem.
• CTTEI (Centre de transfert technologique en écologie industrielle)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuebec-based industrial ecology transfer center that joined the Circulab Community. Team members Jennifer Pinna and Marie-Pier Lussier were trained in Circulab method to add circular business model tools to their offerings supporting SMEs and local communities.
• La Réunion DéveloppementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Economic Development Agency for La Réunion island joined Circulab Community to foster circular and resilient solutions on the territory. Team members Véronique Stern and Véronique Leung certified in Circulab method.
• REUse Economy ExpocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCirculab is a partner of REUse Economy Expo, an international event on reuse economy held at Parc Floral de Paris. The partnership supports knowledge sharing and visibility for circular economy actors.
• dss+minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability consulting firm whose expert Anne Verniquet is Circulab certified and used Circulab tools in FAIRCHAIN project for European fruit sector circular business models.
• NEOPOLIAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial cluster representing 200 companies in Pays de la Loire region. President Philippe Le Berre is a Circulab community member using methodology for resilience workshops.
• AdaptablesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeekly newsletter partnership providing keys to anticipate 21st century risks and improve business sustainability.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Quantis: Swiss-headquartered sustainability and circular-economy consultancy advising global corporates on footprinting, strategy, and product redesign. Directly comparable to Circulab as a boutique circular-economy advisory serving multinational clients.
• Metabolic: Dutch sustainability consultancy focused on circular economy, climate, and food systems, working with companies and governments on systemic transition. Closely matches Circulab's combination of consulting, tools, and systems-thinking methodology.
• Utopies: Paris-based independent sustainability and circular-economy consultancy working with large French and European corporates on strategy, reporting, and product design. Direct French-market peer to Circulab's consulting and design work.
• Greenflex: French sustainability consulting firm supporting companies and territories on circular economy and energy transition strategies. Comparable in offering circular-economy advisory to French enterprises and public actors.
• Circle Economy: Dutch impact organization providing circular-economy advisory, tools (including the Circularity Gap Report framework), and training to governments and corporates. Highly comparable to Circulab's combined consulting, tools, and training model.

Emerging players

• SystemIQ: London-based systems-change advisory firm working on circular economy, climate, and land-use transitions with corporates and foundations. Comparable as a specialist circular-economy systems consultancy, though at larger scale and with foundation-backed funding.
• The Shift Project: French think tank working on post-growth and circular-economy transition with public-sector and corporate clients. Comparable as a French-based actor influencing circular-economy thought leadership, though structured as a non-profit rather than a commercial studio.

Broad incumbents

• Accenture Sustainability: Global strategy and consulting giant with a dedicated sustainability and circular-economy practice serving multinational corporates. Comparable as competition in the same enterprise circular-economy advisory space, but with vastly broader portfolio and scale.
• BCG Sustainability & Climate: Boston Consulting Group's global sustainability and circular-economy practice advising large corporates on strategy, transformation, and ESG. Comparable in serving enterprise circular-transformation mandates, but as part of a much larger generalist firm.
• South Pole: Global climate and sustainability solutions provider advising corporates and governments on decarbonization, nature, and circular-economy strategies. Comparable as a large-scale sustainability advisory serving similar enterprise and public-sector buyers, though focused more on climate than circular design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubesmartlinks.audiomeans.fr/l/activer-l-economie-circulaire-ae6b128b9fb9
• Xx.com/circulab_ww
• Facebookfacebook.com/circulab.ww
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wearecirculab

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Circulab