CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
FOR THE COMPANIES THAT ARE PART OF ECOEMBES
What is Circular Packaging Challenge
The Circular Packaging Challenge initiative (hereinafter, the “Initiative”) is an international competition among Startups operating in the circular economy sector, aimed at identifying the most innovative and effective solutions to address the challenges (as defined in these Terms and Conditions) relating to packaging circularity.
Its main objective is to foster connections between, on the one hand, packaging companies and retailers that are already members of ECOEMBALAJES ESPAÑA, S.A. and the ECOEMBES COMERCIALES Association (hereinafter, “Ecoembes”) and that register for the Initiative (hereinafter, the “Collaborating Companies”), and, on the other hand, the most innovative Startups proposing solutions that enhance packaging sustainability.
The Initiative will also promote the development of pilot projects aimed at testing and scaling these new technologies and business models in real-life environments and verifying their potential.The third edition of this Initiative will be held in 2026, following the successful editions previously organised by Ecoembes in 2022 and 2024.
What challenges are posed in Circular Packaging Challenge 2026
The challenges under the Initiative in which the Startups will compete (hereinafter, the “Challenges”) shall be defined together with the Collaborating Companies, taking into account the needs and priorities identified by them during the registration process in relation to the Initiative’s key sectors: i) Food, ii) Beverages and Dairy Products, iii) Distribution, and iv) Non-food Products.
However, should the diversity or disparity of the solutions proposed by the Startups prevent agreement on a Challenge that uniformly addresses such needs and priorities, ECOEMBES shall objectively determine the corresponding Challenge for each sector, thereby ensuring transparency and fairness in the evaluation process.
Collaborating Companies
All companies that are already members of Ecoembes, are included in the database published on the official website (https://www.ecoembes.com/es/empresas/pones-productos-envasados-en-el-mercado/buscador-de-empresas), and are up to date with all payments arising from their legal obligations under the Punto Verde system shall be eligible to participate.
Benefits for Collaborating Companies
Companies that are members of Ecoembes and register for the Initiative may access the following benefits:
- Receive an international dossier of selected Startups, consisting of a compilation of innovative packaging circularity technologies from around the world.
- If they so wish, participate in the Startup evaluation process, both as part of the Evaluation Committee and the Final Jury.
- Participate in a final networking event with the selected Startups, featuring expert speakers. Networking meetings between Startups and Collaborating Companies will be held during the event.
- Take an active role in the open pilot projects promoted by Ecoembes and review the results obtained from their implementation.
- Lead and carry out exclusive pilot projects in collaboration with Startups, with support from Ecoembes during the ideation and agreement execution phases.
Phases of the initiative
The Initiative shall begin with the launch by Ecoembes of an international open call aimed at attracting the best Startups capable of providing solutions to the Challenges selected by the Collaborating Companies.
Through a scouting process, Ecoembes shall conduct exploration, screening and selection activities to identify the most promising Startups.
Once the Startup registration period has ended, the Collaborating Companies may participate in the following three phases:
- Evaluation of applications and selection of finalist Startups. An Evaluation Committee shall be established, composed of Collaborating Companies, invited external experts and Ecoembes staff. This Evaluation Committee shall assess the Startups registered in the Initiative based on the following evaluation criteria:
- Maturity and achievements: the maturity of the proposed solutions shall be evaluated, positively considering whether such solutions are already at a commercialisation stage, as well as the milestones achieved by the Startups demonstrating the positive evolution of their track record.
- Innovation: the level of innovation applied by the Startups in the development of their products, services or business models shall be assessed.
- Relevance to the Challenges: the effectiveness of the proposed solutions in addressing real problems related to the circular economy and falling within one of the Challenges established in the competition.
Any Collaborating Company may participate in this Evaluation Committee.
- Final networking event. The finalist Startups shall be invited to participate in the final event in order to present their solutions to the Challenges, where they may also interact with the Collaborating Companies wishing to attend the event. These companies shall form the Final Jury, which shall evaluate the profile and presentations of the finalist Startups in order to select the winners.
- Pilot projects. Following the final event, the development of pilot projects aimed at validating the solutions proposed by the Startups shall be promoted. Such projects may fall into one of the following categories:
- Open pilot projects (Ecoembes-Startups). Ecoembes shall promote and finance at least two (2) pilot projects with the Startups selected by Ecoembes. The Solutions developed through these projects may be disclosed where Ecoembes so decides, and Ecoembes shall determine in each case the scope, content and level of detail of the information to be made public, taking into account the nature of the project and the circumstances involved. In any event, the dissemination of the Solutions shall always be subject to confidentiality obligations and the intellectual and industrial property rights of the participating Startups, without prejudice to the communication and dissemination scenarios provided for in these Terms and Conditions.
- Company-Startup pilot projects. The Collaborating Companies may propose to the Startups the development of pilot projects aimed at assessing the potential of their Solutions. The financing of such projects shall be the responsibility of the Collaborating Company, which shall determine whether the results obtained are to be made public.
The implementation of the pilot projects shall be governed by the specific agreements entered into for such purpose by Ecoembes, the Collaborating Companies and the participating Startups, which shall detail, among other matters, the financing conditions, execution timelines, deliverables and the applicable intellectual and industrial property regime.
Registration and deadlines
Companies wishing to participate may access the Initiative’s website (https://challenges.gocircular.es/challenge/packaging/inscripcion-empresas) and register, indicating at the time of registration the Challenges in which they are most interested.
The following deadlines are established for each phase:
· Selection of the Challenges in collaboration with the Collaborating Companies: until 30 March 2026.
· Registration for the final event: until 12 November 2026.
· Collaboration in pilot projects: until 20 December 2026.
Ecoembes reserves the right to extend and/or modify the indicated dates, notifying participants through all Circular Packaging Challenge communication channels.
By registering, companies accept these Terms and Conditions, as well as the Circular Packaging Challenge privacy and confidentiality policy.
Promoter of the initiative
The promoter of the Initiative is Ecoembes Entidad Administradora, S.L.U., with Tax ID No. B56540040 and registered office at Calle Cardenal Marcelo Spínola, 14, 2ª planta, 28016 Madrid. The Initiative is conceived as a cross-functional initiative within the organisation involving the Innovation Department, the Companies Department and, as the managing entity, the TheCircularLab innovation centre based in Logroño.
Liability of Ecoembes
Ecoembes reserves the right to extend, modify, shorten, suspend or cancel the Initiative, which shall be duly communicated through the Circular Packaging Challenge communication channels whenever circumstances so require in Ecoembes’ opinion. Under no circumstances shall Ecoembes be held liable to participants for such modifications.
Ecoembes shall not be liable for any damages or claims arising from participation in the Initiative and/or from access to, financing of, development of or participation in the Pilot Projects.
Ecoembes shall not be liable either to the Collaborating Companies or to third parties or individuals engaging the services or purchasing products from the Startups participating in the Initiative.The terms and conditions governing the exclusive pilot projects shall be negotiated directly between the Collaborating Companies and the Startups. Ecoembes shall not be a party thereto and shall therefore assume no liability whatsoever.
Confidentiality and privacy policy
Ecoembes, acting as data controller, informs the Collaborating Companies that it shall process the personal data provided by them within the framework of the Initiative for the purposes indicated in the Initiative’s Privacy Policy. Said Privacy Policy shall be provided during the registration process and shall remain available at all times on the Initiative’s website. In accordance with such Privacy Policy, the data subject may exercise the rights recognised under applicable data protection regulations, as detailed therein.
The Collaborating Companies may consent to the use of their corporate trademarks, logos, trade names or other distinctive signs (whether registered or unregistered) (jointly, the “Distinctive Signs”) on the website, social media channels of Ecoembes and any other promotional activities or communication channels relating to the Initiative. Although the Distinctive Signs shall be used in connection with the current edition of the Initiative, Ecoembes shall not be obliged to remove publications in which such signs have appeared and may continue to use the Distinctive Signs and such publications indefinitely for archival, historical and/or media communication purposes in Ecoembes media, archives and websites linked or related to the Initiative.
For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions, “Confidential Information” shall mean all information or documentation, whether oral, written, electronic, digital or in any other format, communicated and/or exchanged between Ecoembes, the Collaborating Companies and/or the Startups within the framework of the Initiative, irrespective of whether it has been designated as confidential or restricted. In particular, “Confidential Information” shall include any information, documentation, data, materials, discoveries, findings, results or developments relating to the projects participating in the Initiative, as well as the documents, information and content of meetings held within the framework thereof, including meetings of the Evaluation Committee and meetings in which Startup information, whether confidential or otherwise, is assessed.The Collaborating Companies and Ecoembes undertake to maintain strict confidentiality regarding the Confidential Information and not to publish, under any circumstances, the conversations and messages exchanged between them, nor to share the Confidential Information with any third party or entity, all of which shall at all times remain private and confidential. Furthermore, Ecoembes guarantees that it shall not publish the personal data of the person registering for the Initiative on behalf of the Collaborating Company.
Ownership of all intellectual and industrial property rights arising from the pilot projects shall be governed by the agreements reached between Ecoembes, the Collaborating Companies and/or the Startups for each specific pilot project.
Without prejudice to the foregoing, the Collaborating Companies declare and warrant that they are the sole and exclusive owners of all materials, documentation, intellectual and industrial property assets, information and any other elements made available to the Initiative. Consequently, they shall be solely liable for any judicial or extrajudicial claims arising from any breach of the foregoing and shall assume responsibility for any payment or compensation that may become due, holding Ecoembes harmless at all times.