Cecolab Circular Economy

What Cecolab Circular Economy does

CECOLAB (Associação CECOLAB – Collaborative Laboratory Towards Circular Economy) is a Portuguese private non-profit research association founded in February 2020 and headquartered at the BLC3 Technology and Innovation Campus in Oliveira do Hospital, central Portugal. It is the government-designated national coordinating entity for the Portuguese National Infrastructure Network for the Circular Economy (Order No. 4157/2019) and is listed in the FCT National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures. The organization delivers circular economy consulting (environmental licensing, industrial licensing, impact assessment, circular efficiency analysis, environmental labels), Circular (Re)Design services, waste/by-product (de)classification analysis, technical-legal studies, and multidisciplinary training to companies, investors, governments, associations, NGOs, and universities.

CECOLAB's technical platform rests on three areas — Industrial Biotechnology, Sustainable Separation Processes and Green Chemistry, and Ecodesign — and is anchored by proprietary EcoDesign Tools software certified to ISO 14040/14044 standards, based on Life Cycle Assessment and Material Flow Analysis with access to the Ecoinvent database of 18,000+ life cycle inventories. The organization holds National Invention Patent No. 117908 (modular buildings from end-of-life wind turbines) and has filed International Patent PCT/IB2021/062390 (masonry system with construction/demolition waste recovery, TRL4 prototype). Research outputs span peer-reviewed publications on biomass delignification, water cycle management, urban sustainability, wood processing, and agricultural environmental sustainability.

Revenue is generated through a mix of government grants (€11M Portuguese Government commitment under the CoLAB initiative, ~€718K co-payment secured for the StartupZero project under Portugal 2020), EU and national research project funding, fee-based consulting, and training programs. Distribution is direct via consulting engagements with a horizontal segmentation approach; marketing relies heavily on event/conference positioning (notably the EU Presidency-era 'Europe: a Knowledge & Science Bridge' conference in April 2021 and the WCEF 2022 Accelerator Session) and on network collaboration through Smart Waste Portugal, the Portuguese Plastics Pact, and international partners in Brazil and Africa.

Name

Cecolab Circular Economy

Legal name

Associação CECOLAB - COLLABORATIVE LABORATORY TOWARDS CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Website

https://cecolab.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CECOLAB is a Portuguese private non-profit collaborative laboratory, government-designated as the national coordinator for the Circular Economy infrastructure network, providing LCA-based consulting, EcoDesign tools, circular (re)design, training, and patented construction-from-waste technologies to companies, governments, universities, and NGOs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability and Circular Economy Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA) (EUAIANAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL), Product Sustainability & LCA/EPD (Eco-design, PCF) (EUAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Circular economy consulting
• Life cycle assessment
• Eco-design services
• Industrial symbiosis
• Sustainability research

Headquarters

HQ city

Oliveira Do Hospital

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services in Circular Economy: Consulting services including environmental licensing, industrial licensing, environmental impact assessment, circular efficiency, analysis of economic metabolism, environmental labels and declarations, market and consumer trends.
2. Research and Innovation Projects: EU and national funded research projects including Interface Mission funding, Portugal 2020 programs, COMPETE 2030 initiatives, and various innovation projects focused on circular economy transition.
3. Training and Formation: Multidisciplinary team provides training for people and entities in transversal areas of the Circular Economy.
4. Circular (Re)Design Services: Design and redesign of eco-efficient products and services for clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CECOLAB provides applied research, consulting, and engineering services in circular economy and industrial sustainability. Its core offerings include Circular (Re)Design advisory, waste classification, life cycle assessment through its EcoDesign Tools software platform, legal and regulatory studies, training programs, and the development of patented solutions such as modular building and masonry systems.

Product overview

CECOLAB (Collaborative Laboratory Towards Circular Economy) is a private non-profit research and innovation institution that offers a portfolio of circular economy services rather than a unified software product. The portfolio includes consulting services (environmental licensing, impact assessment, circular efficiency), EcoDesign Tools with LCA software certified to ISO 14040/14044 standards, circular (re)design services, waste classification analysis, legal studies, and professional formation. The organization also develops intellectual property through patents (Modular Building and Masonry System) and produces technical/scientific publications. Core activities are organized around three technological platforms: Industrial Biotechnology, Sustainable Separation Processes and Green Chemistry, and Ecodesign. CECOLAB operates research projects (StartUp Zero, FLUI, BeirInov, TECHROAD, VineToPack, 3DP STeF, and others) and hosts international conferences to advance circular economy knowledge and market transfer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Circular Economy Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 million euro investment creating 45 direct and 60+ indirect jobs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Brazilian Circular Economy Innovation CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2021International cooperation formalized during the 'Europe: a Knowledge & Science Bridge Towards a Global Circular Economy' conference. Joint work to promote global circular economy transition through knowledge and science cooperation.
• African Circular Economy Network (ACEN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2021International cooperation formalized during the International Conference. ACEN's executive team member participates in CECOLAB-organized events. Partnership focused on circular economy knowledge exchange and cooperation.
• Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher EducationcoreOthers · 20 April 2021The Ministry invited CECOLAB to organize the International Conference within the context of Circular Economy for the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
• Association BLC3 - Technology and Innovation CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for CECOLAB headquarters. BLC3 is a technology and innovation campus that provides physical infrastructure and ecosystem for circular economy research and innovation activities.
• Smart Waste PortugalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork participation as associated member. Smart Waste Portugal focuses on waste management and circular economy solutions in Portugal.
• Portuguese Plastics PactmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional member of the Portuguese Plastics Pact, contributing to national efforts to address plastic waste and promote circular economy in the plastics sector.
• SanjotecmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in European project 'StartupZero' under Portugal 2020 program, focused on promoting circular economy through entrepreneurship support. Consortium secured nearly 718 thousand euros in co-payment.
• University of MinhocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic associate and member of the Circular Design Group. Representative in General Assembly and various governance bodies.
• Portuguese Catholic UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic associate and member of the Circular Design Group. Representative serves as President of General Assembly.
• University of CoimbracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic associate, member of the Circular Design Group. Representative serves on the Supervisory Board.
• Nova University of LisboncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic associate and member of the Circular Design Group. Representative serves as Non-Executive Board Member.
• University of AveirocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity associate whose representative serves as Vice-President of CECOLAB's Executive Board of Directors.
• University of PortocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity associate whose representative serves as a Member of the Executive Board of Directors.
• Aquitex - Acabamentos Químicos Têxteis, S.A.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial associate whose representative serves as 1st Secretary of General Assembly. Active participant in CECOLAB's innovation chains.
• OPRIMEEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry associate whose representative serves as President of the Executive Board of Directors.
• RAIZmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate whose representative serves as Non-Executive Board Member. Contributes to research forest ecosystem and circular economy research.
• TNO (Netherlands)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArdi Dortmans from TNO serves as mentor for CECOLAB. TNO is Director of Science Circular Economy and Environment.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TNO: Dutch applied research organization with a dedicated Science Circular Economy and Environment unit. Directly comparable as a publicly funded applied research lab providing LCA, eco-design, and circular innovation services to industry and government.
• EcoAct: International consultancy delivering carbon and ESG strategy, LCA, and net-zero advisory to corporates. Comparable to CECOLAB's environmental consulting, LCA, and circular efficiency services, though with a commercial (for-profit) and global operating model.
• Circle Economy: Amsterdam-based impact organization operating the Circularity Gap Reporting framework and advising governments on circular economy transition. Direct peer to CECOLAB in producing national circular economy intelligence, policy advisory, and circular metrics consulting.

Others

• BLC3 - Technology and Innovation Campus: Host institution for CECOLAB's headquarters and a core strategic partner. Not a direct competitor — provides physical infrastructure and ecosystem rather than competing consulting — but is a closely adjacent enabling organization.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer Institute: Germany's leading applied research organization with institutes covering LCA, sustainability, and circular economy. Comparable to CECOLAB in combining applied R&D, consulting, and IP generation tied to circular materials and process innovation.
• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden: Swedish state-funded research institute with sustainability and circular economy programs. Comparable as a publicly funded applied research partner delivering LCA, eco-design, and circular innovation services to Nordic industry.
• South Pole Group: Global climate solutions provider offering sustainability consulting, carbon credits, and corporate net-zero strategies. Overlaps with CECOLAB's environmental consulting, ESG reporting, and circular economy advisory work for corporate and government clients.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Global thought leader on circular economy with deep government and corporate partnerships. Comparable to CECOLAB in its role as a knowledge broker running international events, white papers, and policy engagement around the circular transition.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's national applied research organization with sustainability and circular economy research programs. Comparable to CECOLAB in mission (public-good applied research) and in LCA, industrial biotechnology, and sustainable process innovation.

Regional players

• Smart Waste Portugal: Portuguese waste and circular economy cluster in which CECOLAB is an associate member. Comparable as a Portuguese circular economy ecosystem player, though it functions as a network facilitator rather than a research provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cecolabpt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cecolabpt

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Cecolab Circular Economy