Deadline: March 3, 2026
Applications for the Circularising Scale-Up Project – Kenya 2026 are now open. Bopinc, in partnership with the Employment promotion for women for the green transformation in Africa – WE4D programme, is implementing the Circularising Scale Up project, a programme designed to support high–waste–producing businesses in Kenya to adopt circular economy practices while strengthening gender inclusion and export readiness.
WE4D programme aims to improve women‘s employment opportunities, especially in green sectors and in companies and value chains that are driving the green transformation on the African continent. It is commissioned by the German Government, and this particular initiative is co-funded by the IKEA Foundation.
Kenya generates an estimated 22,000 tons of waste daily, yet recovery and recycling remain limited, and gender gaps persist in employment and enterprise leadership. Medium to large SMEs in high waste-producing sectors face structural, technical, and financial barriers to adopting circular business models and gender-inclusive practices.
The Circularising Scale-Up Project aims to address these challenges by promoting sustainable, gender-responsive business practices among medium- to large-scale waste-producing enterprises. Guided by GIZ’s SME Loop methodology, a business development tool using training and coaching to identify strategies and improve performance, at least 25 companies will receive tailored support to develop and implement circularity and gender action plans.
Benefits
Successful applicants will receive structured support covering:
- Executive Training and Capacity Building: Targeted training on Circular Economy principles, Gender Inclusion, and core Business Fundamentals. Participating companies will engage in practical, facilitated group sessions tailored to their operating context and strategic priorities, equipping leadership and key teams with tools to integrate circularity and gender inclusion into business strategy and operations.
- Strategic 1-on-1 Coaching Support: Dedicated, intensive coaching will be provided to support companies in adopting circular business models and implementing gender-inclusive action plans. This personalized engagement will ensure alignment with technical training areas, accelerate internal buy-in, and support effective execution at scale.
- Roadmap and Action Plan Development: Companies will receive structured support to develop customized Circularity and Gender Roadmaps aligned with their growth and sustainability objectives. This includes identifying and prioritizing circular opportunities (e.g., resource efficiency, new circular products, waste reduction systems) and implementing foundational gender-inclusive policies and practices (e.g., support for working parents, GBVH prevention frameworks, and equal pay provisions).
- Certification and Standards Support: Hands-on technical guidance will be provided to enable at least 5 selected companies to achieve certification such as ISO 14001, demonstrating commitment to environmental management, strengthening export readiness, and ensuring compliance with international market requirements.
- Market Access and Financial Linkages: Participating enterprises will gain access to business development services, connections to relevant financial institutions, and linkages to local and international markets to support scaling, investment readiness, and commercialization of circular solutions.
- Peer Learning and Industry Collaboration: Businesses will participate in curated peer-learning sessions and structured peer-to-peer support during implementation, fostering knowledge exchange, cross-industry learning, and accelerated adoption of best practices.
Eligibility
- Sector Focus
- Sector Agnostic, however enterprises need to be producing high levels of waste in their production process.
- High-Waste producing Sectors such as Sustainable Agriculture & Agro-processing, Packaging, Industry, Textile, Service Industry, etc.
- Geographical Location
- Businesses must be located and legally registered in Kenya
- Business Focus
- Businesses that are currently exporting or actively preparing to enter export markets
- Revenue
- Generating at least Kes 15,000,000 (approximately USD 115,400) in annual revenues.
- Circularity Component
- Businesses in the process of or willing to adopt circular economy practices.(Eliminate waste and embrace practices where products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting. )
- Gender Inclusivity
- Women-Led Businesses or businesses with majority of women in leadership positions preferred.
- Businesses willing to incorporate gender inclusivity in leadership and management roles,recruitment and value chain mapping.
- Operational Status
- Operating and generating revenues for at least 3 years with a minimum of 50 employees
- Community Impact
- Business advancing or with high potential to advance community impact by serving low-income communities with products and services or by including low-income communities across their value chain.
Application
- All applications MUST be submitted online via the VC4A portal between 11th February 2026 to 3rd March 2026 11:59 PM EAT.
- Applicants must complete the application by answering all questions as required.
For more information, visit Circularising Scale-Up Project – Kenya.
