DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Regional innovation enabler Upgrade Innolab Inc. has officially opened its Call for Proposals for Cohort 2 of the Circulab Acceleration Program, inviting circular economy enterprises across Mindanao to compete for equity-free grant funding and business scale-up support.
The submission window, which officially opened on September 28, will run through December 31, 2026. Eligible ventures stand to receive up to €19,445 (approximately ₱1.3 million) in non-repayable grant capital to advance their sustainable solutions.
Implemented under the Green Up to Scale Up initiative, the program is managed by Expertise France as part of the European Union-Philippines Green Economy Programme (EU-GEP). The overarching €60 million (₱3.67 billion) EU-GEP framework spans from 2023 to 2028, targeting systemic circular transitions, waste reduction, and green job creation across the archipelago.
The launch of the second cohort follows the successful deployment of Circulab’s inaugural batch, which established a benchmark for waste-to-value business models in southern Philippines. Highlights from the first cohort include:
- Espoir School of Life Inc. (EcoUplift): A Siargao-based sustainable material provider converting local agricultural discards—such as baliw leaves and coconut husks—into functional, eco-friendly products to replace single-use plastics.
- Anitu Forest Food Processing: A Bukidnon-based tech startup processing local agricultural by-products into high-value secondary raw materials for regional industrial manufacturing.
- Lesstics Inc.: A green construction manufacturer upcycling discarded coconut husks into “Earth Board,” an industrial-grade sustainable alternative to traditional timber plywood.
- Lilamaya: An agri-tech social enterprise deploying native stingless bees to farms for natural biological pollination while processing bee by-products into commercial wellness goods.
- Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc.: A waste recycling pioneer intercepting hard-to-recycle soft plastics and upcycling them into durable products like school desks, building tiles, and disaster relief shelter kits.
- Agrinex Solutions OPC: An agri-tech venture using Black Soldier Fly larvae bioconversion to turn organic waste into affordable, standardized protein feed for local poultry and fish farmers.
- GreenTAYO: A community-owned initiative deploying neighborhood refill hubs to provide affordable household essentials and eliminate single-use plastic sachet consumption at the source.
Grant Structure and Scope
The non-repayable ₱1.3 million grant is structured to support five key operational deployment areas:
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Validation: Prototype iterative design, safety testing, compliance certification, and initial user interface or packaging adjustments.
- Research & Development (R&D): Material characterization studies, life cycle assessments (LCA), waste-stream valorization research, and technology integration.
- Go-to-Market Activities: Customer acquisition, branding, targeted sales outreach, trade show participation, and commercial rollout plans.
- Field Testing: Live trials conducted in partnership with local government units (LGUs), agricultural cooperatives, community organizations, or institutional buyers
- Market Expansion: Opening regional collection hubs, securing supply chain partnerships, scaling processing facilities, and expanding across Mindanao regions.
Eligibility and Selection Framework
To qualify for Cohort 2, applicant circular enterprises must satisfy the following criteria:
- Legal Status: Duly registered business entity with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), holding a valid Mayor’s Permit and BIR Registration.
- Geographic Requirement: Registered and actively operating within Mindanao (Regions 10, 11, 12, 13, or BARMM). Regional expansion solely to qualify for the grant is strictly prohibited.
- Leadership & Traction: Possess a validated MVP with an identified target customer base and at least one full-time founder actively leading operations.
- Circular Integration: Demonstrate direct application of at least 2–3 principles from the 10Rs Circular Economy framework (Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, Recycle, Recover).
Proposals will undergo a technical evaluation scoring system evaluated on Circular Economy Impact (20%), Market Opportunity (15%), Innovation and Technical Feasibility (15%), Enterprise Traction (15%), Team Composition (15%), Scalability (10%), and Use of Grant Funds (10%).
Program Timeline
The selection process includes regional info sessions, screening, pitch presentations, and due diligence:
- Application Period: September 28, 2026 – December 31, 2026
- Regional Info Sessions & Writeshops: October 27 – December 2, 2026 (spanning Regions 10, 11, 12, 13, and BARMM)
- Screening, Pitching, and Due Diligence: January 4 – February 19, 2027
- Final Selection Announcement: February 24, 2027
- Program Execution: March 2027 – September 2027
Application Guidelines: https://bit.ly/4cLsqcr
Submission Form: https://forms.gle/9rC52fFVmzrjSaq8A
Complete proposal submission including formal cover letters addressed to Upgrade Innolab President Richard R. Day, Work and Financial Plans (Annex B), Pitch Decks (Annex C), and statutory business registration permits must be submitted via the official Circulab form before the December 31 deadline.
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Funded by a P3.67 billion (€60 million) grant from the European Union, the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership is a priority programme under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative and is led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It aims to link European and Filipino partners from the private sector and local governments to accelerate the country’s transition to a greener economy while sustaining economic growth.
