Prosperkolleg e.V.
Prosperkolleg e.V. is a Bottrop-based German non-profit research association that drives circular economy and digitalization knowledge transfer for SMEs, researchers, and citizens in North Rhine-Westphalia through the CEresearchNRW community, the Circular Digital Economy Lab, and publicly funded projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersBottrop, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Prosperkolleg e.V. does
Prosperkolleg e.V. is a German non-profit research association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2018 and headquartered in Bottrop, North Rhine-Westphalia. Its mission is application-oriented research and knowledge transfer for circular economy and digitalization, conducted through the Circular Digital Economy Lab (CDEL) — a demonstration facility combining a digitalized disassembly and recycling line for electronic devices with a chemical analysis laboratory for material stream characterization — and proprietary methodologies including the Circularity Matrix / CE Potential Check and the eight-step SORS (Structured Open Resource Selection) framework. The association runs the CEresearchNRW virtual community, which has delivered 52+ monthly webinars featuring 91+ speakers since 2020, and publishes three ongoing series (Prospektiven, Rethink, Aus der Praxis). It is governed jointly by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Handmann (1st Chair), Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Irrek (2nd Chair), and Nils Malzahn (Treasurer), with a 5-person staff supported by academic collaborators at Hochschule Ruhr West and Westfälische Hochschule.
The organization serves small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Emscher-Lippe / northern Ruhr region, alongside researchers, public institutions, and citizens, via direct consultation, demonstration projects, and knowledge-transfer programming. Its business model is non-commercial: activities are financed through public grants — primarily from MWIKE.NRW (the Ministry of Economic Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia), the European Union (Horizon Europe, EFRE/JTF), and Land NRW line ministries (e.g., MUNV) — applied within multi-stakeholder research projects such as the original Prosperkolleg (June 2019–March 2024), the current Circular Performer Emscher-Lippe (CirPEL) project, Transferhub, the EU Horizon Europe CircleUp consumer-behavior project coordinated with TU Riga, and Bottrop.gemeinsam.zirkulär.
Prosperkolleg embeds applied AI/ML capabilities across its research portfolio, including computer vision for e-waste object recognition and automated pre-sorting of returned industrial goods, generative AI (LLMs) for semantic systems and digital product passports, predictive analytics for condition assessment of returned products, and process automation combining robotized disassembly with RFID and blockchain-based inspection. These capabilities are project-funded and partner-executed rather than commercialized as standalone products. Distribution is regional-direct and digital: a self-serve webinar channel, open-access publication repository, LinkedIn and Instagram outreach, and direct consultation using the Circularity Matrix with prospective SME partners.
Prosperkolleg e.V. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Prosperkolleg e.V.
- Legal name
- Prosperkolleg e.V.
- Website
- https://prosperkolleg.ruhr
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Prosperkolleg e.V. is a Bottrop-based German non-profit research association that drives circular economy and digitalization knowledge transfer for SMEs, researchers, and citizens in North Rhine-Westphalia through the CEresearchNRW community, the Circular Digital Economy Lab, and publicly funded projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Prosperkolleg e.V. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Applied Research and Knowledge Transfer in Circular Economy
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Circular Economy & Sustainable Products (Reuse, Repair, Upcycling) (BPAGALAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM)
Keywords
Where Prosperkolleg e.V. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bottrop
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Prosperkolleg e.V. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Research Funding: As a non-profit research association (gemeinnütziger Verein), Prosperkolleg e.V. operates primarily through government research grants and project funding. Major funding sources include MWIKE.NRW (Ministry for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia) and European Union funding programs such as Horizon Europe.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Prosperkolleg e.V. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Prosperkolleg e.V. is a non-profit research association that conducts applied research and knowledge transfer in circular economy, digitalization, and sustainability for SMEs, public institutions, and civil society in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its core offerings include the Circularity Matrix / CE Potential Check for SME diagnostics, the SORS methodology for structuring information collections, the Circular Digital Economy Lab (CDEL) demonstration facility, the #CEresearchNRW webinar and community platform, and the Prospektiven, Rethink, and Aus der Praxis publication series.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CEresearchNRW: Virtual Circular Economy Community for research, networking and knowledge transfer in NRW, featuring monthly webinars.
- Transferhub
- CircleUp
- Virtuelles Institut für Circular Economy NRW (CEresearchNRW)
Products and services
- Circularity Matrix / Circularity Check A four-step diagnostic tool used by Prosperkolleg to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) identify their circular-economy potential and suitable areas of action for transitioning from linear to circular value creation. It is delivered as part of funded consulting engagements with SMEs in the Emscher-Lippe region.
- SORS (Structured Open Resource Selection) An eight-step, data-driven approach developed by Prosperkolleg for systematically structuring relevant information and learning resources in large, unordered collections. It combines data analysis with human judgment to identify thematic patterns and is applied in research, publication analysis, and knowledge-base organization.
- Circular Digital Economy Lab (CDEL) A development and demonstration laboratory featuring a digitalized disassembly and recycling line for electronic devices and a modern chemical analysis laboratory for material-stream characterization. It is used to develop concrete technical-economic circular-economy solutions for medium-sized businesses and is hosted at Hochschule Ruhr West.
- #CEresearchNRW Webinar and Community Series A monthly webinar and community program that forms the Virtual Circular Economy Community for research, networking, and knowledge transfer in North Rhine-Westphalia, bringing together science, business, and civil society to advance the transition to a circular economy.
- Prospektiven, Rethink, and Aus der Praxis Publication Series Three recurring publication series that communicate Prosperkolleg research findings: Prospektiven (project results and research insights), Rethink (concise impulses on circular value creation), and Aus der Praxis (case studies of companies on their journey towards circular economy).
- Direct SME Consultation (Erstgespräch and Circularity Matrix Analysis) A direct consultation service for SMEs in the Emscher-Lippe region that begins with an initial conversation (Erstgespräch) and applies the Circularity Matrix analysis to identify circular-economy potential and action areas, delivered as part of publicly funded research projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- Transition hub supporting SMEs in northern Ruhr region through funded projects
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Prosperkolleg e.V.
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Prosperkolleg e.V. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability9 records
Feature3 records
Prosperkolleg e.V. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Westfälische HochschulecoreAcademic partner co-organizing the #CEresearchNRW webinar series. Contributes expertise in circular economy transformation, environmental technology, and related fields to the Virtuelles Institut für Circular Economy (VICE).
- Projektträger Jülich (PTJ)minorFunding agency partner providing project management support for bioeconomy and circular economy research funding programs in Germany.
- Circular Performer Emscher Lippe (CirPEL)coreMajor EU/Land NRW funded project driving Zero Carbon, Zero Waste, Zero Pollution goals through a company-driven bottom-up approach. Since April 2024, the Virtuelles Institut für Circular Economy NRW (CEresearchNRW) is funded through CirPEL.
- Verbraucherzentrale NRWcoreConsumer advice center and project partner in the EU CircleUp project, leading the German implementation with households in Bottrop and contributing to consumer engagement in circular economy.
- BEST AöR (Bottroper Entsorgung und Stadtreinigung)minorMunicipal waste management and street cleaning company of Bottrop, serving as associated project partner in the CircleUp project.
- Technische Universität RigacoreProject coordinator for the EU Horizon Europe CircleUp project, leading the international consortium across five countries investigating behavioral changes for circular economy.
- Hochschule Ruhr West (HRW)corePrimary academic partner in the Prosperkolleg project. HRW hosts the Circular Digital Economy Lab (CDEL) and contributes research expertise in circular economy, digitalization, and related technical fields. Co-organizes the #CEresearchNRW webinar series.
- WiN Emscher-Lippe GmbHcoreRegional economic development organization that partnered with Hochschule Ruhr West and other entities to create synergies between economy, science, and municipalities in the Emscher-Lippe region.
- Stadt BottropcoreCity of Bottrop as municipal partner in the Prosperkolleg project, supporting the transition to circular economy in the region and hosting the Bottrop.CEntrale circular economy hub.
- Effizienz-Agentur NRWcoreEfficiency agency of NRW providing expertise in resource efficiency and supporting SMEs in their circular economy transformation as part of the Prosperkolleg consortium.
- Transferhub NRWcoreProject funded by Land NRW and EU to strengthen knowledge transfer between science and business for digital solutions and innovative business models for sustainable circular economy.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Prosperkolleg e.V. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Global foundation driving circular economy transition through research, education, and business engagement. Comparable mission of advancing circular economy knowledge transfer to businesses and policy, though at significantly larger global scale and with foundation (rather than association) structure.
- Circle Economy: Amsterdam-based impact organization operating the Circularity Gap Reporting framework and global circular economy consulting. Comparable to Prosperkolleg as a thought-leadership and applied-research organization for circular transformation, but operates at much larger international scale.
- Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU): Germany's largest environmental foundation funding circular economy and sustainability research/initiatives. Comparable as a German funder-operator in the same thematic space as Prosperkolleg, though more established and operating as a funder rather than applied researcher.
Direct peers
- Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie: Leading German applied research institute for sustainability, climate, and circular economy. Highly comparable to Prosperkolleg as a German think-and-do tank that translates research into actionable transformation pathways for businesses and policy.
- Öko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology): Independent German applied research institute focused on environmental and sustainability research with strong policy advisory. Comparable to Prosperkolleg in applying scientific research to support circular economy and sustainable industrial transformation, with similar non-profit/association structure.
- Effizienz-Agentur NRW: NRW-based resource efficiency agency supporting SMEs in circular economy transformation. Directly comparable mission to Prosperkolleg - even collaborates as a core partner - addressing the same SME segment in NRW with practical resource efficiency consulting.
- Fraunhofer UMSICHT: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology specializing in circular economy and resource efficiency. Directly comparable to Prosperkolleg's CDEL activities in applied research, demonstration of recycling/disassembly processes, and SME-focused technology transfer.
- Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability: Independent German research institute focused on sustainability innovation, circular economy, and entrepreneurship research. Comparable in size, scope, and non-profit structure to Prosperkolleg, with similar emphasis on applied research and SME/regional transformation support.
Others
- Transferstelle für angepasste Technologien (TaTek) / VDI Zentrum Ressourceneffizienz: German resource efficiency knowledge platforms and transfer offices providing applied support to SMEs on circular economy topics. Comparable to Prosperkolleg as a public-good resource efficiency advisory infrastructure for German SMEs, serving a similar function at larger national scale.
- acatech (Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften): German Academy of Sciences with working groups on circular economy and sustainable industrial transformation. Comparable as a Germany-based research/policy advisory body supporting circular economy topics, but broader mandate across all technology fields and not specialized in applied SME transformation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Prosperkolleg e.V. social profiles
Digital presenceProsperkolleg e.V. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Prosperkolleg e.V. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Prosperkolleg e.V. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Prosperkolleg e.V. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Prosperkolleg e.V.
What does Prosperkolleg e.V. do?
Prosperkolleg e.V. is a non-profit research association that conducts applied research and knowledge transfer in circular economy, digitalization, and sustainability for SMEs, public institutions, and civil society in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its core offerings include the Circularity Matrix / CE Potential Check for SME diagnostics, the SORS methodology for structuring information collections, the Circular Digital Economy Lab (CDEL) demonstration facility, the #CEresearchNRW webinar and community platform, and the Prospektiven, Rethink, and Aus der Praxis publication series.
Is Prosperkolleg e.V. a public or private company?
Prosperkolleg e.V. is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Prosperkolleg e.V. founded?
Prosperkolleg e.V. was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Prosperkolleg e.V. based?
Prosperkolleg e.V. is headquartered in Bottrop, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Prosperkolleg e.V. make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Research Funding.
Who are Prosperkolleg e.V.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Circle Economy and Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU). Direct peers are Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie, Öko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology), Effizienz-Agentur NRW, Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability. Others are Transferstelle für angepasste Technologien (TaTek) / VDI Zentrum Ressourceneffizienz and acatech (Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften).
Does Prosperkolleg e.V. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Prosperkolleg e.V..
What industry is Prosperkolleg e.V. in?
Prosperkolleg e.V.'s product category is Applied Research and Knowledge Transfer in Circular Economy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAF, Circular Economy & Sustainable Products (Reuse, Repair, Upcycling), with a secondary code of BPADALAM, Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency. Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.