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Circularity.fm episodes

  • How to win colleagues for the circular economy with Vojtech Vosecky, The Circular Economist | CIRCULAZE SUMMIT
    Communication tactics for circularity professionals

    "Transforming a linear business into a circular one requires the support of many colleagues. But how do you win them over for a circular future?

    In this episode, Vojtech Vosecky, LinkedIn's Top Green Voice with more than 143k followers, gives an insight into his communication strategy. Whether for building new circular business models, circular product design or improving recycling rates, Vojtech's tips help circularity professionals with internal stakeholder communication.

    This episode is part of the CIRCULAZE Summit series from November 2024.

    People

    Vojtech Vosecky, Founder and CEO, The Circular Economist

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro
    02:18 Vojtech's personal motivation
    03:23 Stories are key
    06:22 The right format
    08:32 Arguments depend on the audience
    11:09 Trash and Cash
    14:36 Dealing with Social Media critics
    16:58 Winning colleagues
    21:07 Communication skills are essential
    23:13 Looking back at CIRCULAZE Summit
    25:00 The Launch of the Circular Economist

    About

    Vojtech Vosecky is LinkedIn's Top Green Voice.

    The Circular Economist is a live course & community for anyone wanting to master the circular economy.

    Further Links

    https://circulareconomist.org/
    https://circulaze.com/summit/

    One-page Summary

    Sign-up for the Circularity.fm Newsletter and get a summary with the take-aways of this episode. Register here: https://circularity.fm/how-to-win-colleagues-for-the-circular-economy-with-vojtech-vosecky-the-circular-economist/

    29 min
  • Everything a Board needs to know about Product-as-a-Service
    The PaaS Essentials

    What insights do board members need to know, and what decisions must they make before starting a product-as-a-service proposition?

    Product-as-a-Service may look easy but is transformative for customers and the operating company. Being aware of the requirements and pitfalls helps to succeed.

    In this episode, Mailin Jappé, formerly Director Device-as-a-Service and Patrick Hypscher look back at the fifteen episodes of PaaS Decoded and wrap it up for board members.

    This episode is the 16th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People

    Mailin Jappé, formerly Director Device-as-a-Service (XaaS) EMEA at Acer
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/mailin-japp%C3%A9/

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro
    02:51 1. Why start as-a-Service? Acer's answer
    03:42 Industry shifts and circularity as main motivators
    06:13 2. How to assess my as-a-Service readiness?
    07:08 A clear value proposition based on a suitable product is needed
    10:26 B2B propositions need a strong service advantage
    14:13 Be prepared to enhance your IT
    17:08 It's not about target audiences but use-case scenarios
    20:03 Have a product that is suitable for PaaS
    22:03 Be aware of rebound effects and measure the impact of the PaaS model
    25:18 Provide a milestone-bound learning budget
    27:00 Understand the different profitability mechanics of Product-as-a-Service
    30:03 Align sales incentives correctly
    34:07 How to assess your readiness level
    35:12 Make or Buy, but always iterative
    39:31 Innovation level and agile-readiness as leading factors
    43:03 3. What are the deliverables a board needs to provide?
    43:39 Provide long-term commitment
    45:18 Understand the financials
    46:14 An explorative culture and a Mini CEO
    48:38 Define your why and try it
    49:06 More Flexibility and Connectivity ahead

    About Mailin Jappé

    Mailin Happé studied business administration and management at the European Business School in Oestrich Winkel and Hongkong. After her degree she joined Acer, stayed for over 16 years and earned a MBA from IE Business School during that period. She was Head of Sales Operations EMEA and Director Business Operations and Transformation EMEA. Finally, she build up Acer’s Device-as-a-Service Business and served as Director Everything as a Service.

    Further Links

    https://emea-acerforbusiness.acer.com/offer-acer/device-as-a-service/

    Transcript

    See the episode page for the transcript: https://circularity.fm/everything-a-board-needs-to-know-about-product-as-a-service/

    54 min
  • TRUMPF - Be more Efficient with Equipment-as-a-Service
    Pay-Per-Part as an Industry Shift

    How can customers and operators benefit from Product-as-a-Service? By creating efficiency gains that both parties share.

    With its Pay-Per-Part model, TRUMPF developed a concept that forced the OEM to rethink major elements of its offering. In doing so, overall machine efficiency increased to a degree that customers and TRUMPF benefitted from.

    In this episode, Tom Schneider, Benedikt Braig, and Jörg-Andre Junker provide insights into efficiency gains and their requirements.

    This episode is the 15th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People

    Dr. Tom Schneider, Global Head R&D at Trumpf MT (CTO)
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-schneider-truconnect/

    Benedikt Braig, Head of R&D Management Services, Trumpf

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/benedikt-braig-293b7684/

    Jörg-Andre Junker, Lead Business Center Smart Material Flow, Trumpf

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/j%C3%B6rg-andre-junker-b11309186/

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro
    03:15 Offering Pay Per Part through the TruLaser Center 7030
    05:34 Discovering the unexpected Efficiency Gains
    10:37 The North Star Pay Per Part
    15:00 Finding new ways to improve the service
    19:32 Reducing the material consumption
    24:32 The sum is more than all of its parts
    28:06 The top efficiency drivers
    32:15 Creating closed data loops to enable efficiency gains
    35:07 Digital twins and AI as upcoming enablers
    37:26 A state-of-the-art machine as basis
    42:08 The transformation journey wrapped up in a book
    44:50 It needs the right people to drive the change
    48:09 Even more digital, more collaboration, more gamification, more robotics

    About TRUMPF, from website

    The high-technology company TRUMPF offers production solutions in the machine tool, laser and electronics sectors. The company is driving digital connectivity in manufacturing industry through consulting, platform and software offers. TRUMPF is the world technological and market leader for machine tools used in flexible sheet metal processing, and also for industrial lasers.

    Further Links

    https://www.trumpf.com/de_DE/produkte/services/services-maschinen-systeme-und-laser/pay-per-part/

    https://umdenkenasaservice.de/

    Transcript

    The transcript of this episode can be found at the episode page https://circularity.fm/trumpf-be-more-efficient-with-equipment-as-a-service/

    55 min
  • kaer - Cooling-as-a-Service and the Role of Technology
    Reducing Costs and Emissions

    When customers operate their equipment poorly, the time has come for Product-as-a-Service. The cooling of large building complexes such as shopping centres, university campuses or offices is a case in point.

    In this episode, Dave Mackerness, Director at kaer, explains how Cooling-as-a-Service work. By optimising the equipment, connecting it and operating it much more efficiently, Cooling-as-a-Service can yield cost and emission reductions.

    This episode is the 14th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People

    Dave Mackerness, Director at kaer
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-mackerness-356a86115/

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro
    02:06 Why turning building operations carbon neutral is complicated
    06:44 Benefits of Cooling-as-a-Service
    07:45 How Cooling-as-a-Service works
    10:10 Connectivity as enabler for improved Efficiency
    11:36 The role of data, forecasting and machine learning
    13:52 Adjusting the hardware and avoiding technology lock-in
    17:36 Pay per refrigerant ton hours
    19:34 Flexibility of the customer to start and stop Cooling as a Service
    21:13 Educating the first-time customer is essential
    24:55 Data as a key enabler for service efficiency
    26:48 Start with Why and use as a Service as an instrument
    29:31 More Interoperability and Personalisation ahead

    About kaer, from website

    Kaer specialises in providing cooling to commercial and industrial buildings throughout Asia.

    Further Links

    Kaer https://www.kaer.com/
    Energy Partners Africa https://energypartners.co.za/
    African container company https://www.coldhubs.com/
    SET Alliance https://set-alliance.org/

    Transcript

    See the episode page for the transcript: https://circularity.fm/kaer-cooling-as-a-service-and-the-role-of-technology/

    36 min
  • Royal Ahrend - From a Separated Startup to an Integrated Business
    Strategic Approach to Furniture-as-a-Service

    How integrated should a Product-as-a-Service proposition be in the core business? If an existing company starts a new as-a-service business, this question needs to be answered.

    In this episode, Rob Keulemans, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Ahrend, describes the organisational journey of their Furniture-as-a-Service proposition. After a separate start, significant elements of FaaS are now part of core processes and systems.

    This episode is the 13th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People:

    Rob Keulemans, Chief Commercial Officer, Royal Ahrend
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-keulemans-1438831/

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/

    Chapters:

    00:00 Intro
    01:57 The level of integration of Furniture as a Service
    03:17 FaaS Sales done by normal Sales Team
    08:53 Avoiding Cannibalizing Incentives
    09:56 Financing via a Special Purpose Vehicle
    10:51 Offering the full product range - designed for Circularity
    15:22 Refurbishment Operations as new field for and beyond FaaS
    16:24 FaaS using existing Logistics Processes
    17:03 Introducing a Circular ERP System for the whole company
    20:42 RFID Tags and QR Codes as identifier
    22:53 Gradual integration of processes
    23:57 Strategic Decision to seize the opportunity of lasting furniture
    27:23 More flexible service adjustments as the next challenge to solve
    29:32 The need for a lasting product designed for disassembly
    30:21 Professionalisation of the Refurbishment Industry

    About Royal Ahrend, from website:

    Ahrend is an international leading expert in the field of professional work environments. For almost 125 years, Ahrend designs and creates inspiring, innovative and healthy working environments. Ahrend specializes in Activity Based Working concepts, where well-being and productivity of the user are the central points of focus.

    Further Links:

    https://www.ahrend.com/en/solutions/furniture-as-a-service/

    Transcript:

    See the episode page for the transcript https://circularity.fm/royal-ahrend-from-a-separated-startup-to-an-integrated-business/

    34 min
  • Hilti - Overcoming Hidden Complexities of Circular Rental and Reuse
    Keeping Professional Products in the Loop

    A durable and long-lasting product is a promising starting point for circular activities. Yet organisational challenges remain.

    In this episode, Caroline Stern gives insights into Hilti Group's challenges when measuring and improving its circularity. It starts with logistics, spans over accounting, and includes selecting the right input data for ERP systems designed for a linear world.

    This episode is the 12th in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People

    Caroline Stern, Head of Sustainability for South Asia Pacific, Hilti Group

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinestern/

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro

    02:09 Changing the direction of an organisation
    04:09 A strong circular foundation
    05:58 Access to products as door opener for reuse
    08:31 Reuse as better than new
    09:34 How Reuse changes internal logistics
    13:24 Facing linear depreciation of circular assets
    16:06 Defining the production location of a reused product
    16:50 Reused product as (no) waste
    17:29 The organisation of reuse as the real complexity
    18:38 The role of data on resource consumption and CO2
    22:23 All products will become more sustainable
    27:58 Long last products as basis for PaaS
    29:11 Keep the offering in the center
    31:42 Open Door Climate and Southeast Asia

    About Hilti

    Hilti develops, manufactures, and markets products for the construction, building maintenance, energy and manufacturing industries, mainly to the professional end-user. About 32,000 employees work for Hilti.

    Further Links

    Hilti’s Fleet Management Service: https://www.hilti.com/content/hilti/W1/US/en/business/business/equipment/fleet.html

    Hilti’s Reuse activities https://reports.hilti.group/2022/our-stories/circularity-second-life-of-tools

    Hilti’s Circularity Measurement https://www.hilti.group/content/hilti/CP/XX/en/company/media-relations/media-releases/bcgsapcircularitystandardscircelligence.html

    Transcript

    See the episode page for the transcript: https://circularity.fm/hilti-overcoming-hidden-complexities-of-circular-rental-and-reuse/

    35 min
  • UNDRESS Circularity - Assessing the Impact of Circular Business 
Models
    Repair and Rental in the Consumer Electronics Industry

    Rental and Repair business models come with the promise of superior circularity. However, it is unclear if a specific company can deliver on this promise.

    The UNDRESS project provides a framework and practical guide to determine the impact of rental and repair business models. It is a collaborative industry project led by Circularity in collaboration with Fraunhofer IZM, Systemiq, and 12 industry partners (Assurant, circulee, Everphone, fixfirst, Foxway, Grover, Ingram Micro, rebuy, Recommerce Group, Reverse Logistics Group, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone), further supported by Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt and Deloitte.

    This episode is the eleventh in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People

    Dr. Marianne Kuhlmann, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Circularity.

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro
    02:23 The Motivation To Rent & Repair
    03:39 Does renting increase lifetime and utilisation rate?
    05:46 Shareholders and Stakeholders demand clarity about environmental impact
    08:49 A consortium of Telcos, Renting & Repair Providers, Producers & Recyclers
    10:39 Market and Company data as a basis for a framework
    12:45 Rental uptake among German private users is at 1%
    13:52 Desire to own and commercial attractiveness as barriers
    15:22 Renting is more common in the B2B market
    19:43 A company with a sustainability strategy is more likely to rent and repair
    23:00 Unveiling the actual lifetime of a device
    27:41 A basis for rental providers to compete on impact
    28:27 The full report available as of Q1 2025
    29:10 Suitable product and relevant customer needs are decisive
    30:09 Further uptake of rental, impact measurement and data collection expected

    About Circularity:

    Circularity is a do-tank that supports executives and senior professionals in business and society with circular transformation - through collaboration, consulting, training, networking and much more.

    Further Links:

    Undress Project https://www.circularity.me/undress/

    Undress Market Report https://www.circularity.me/undress-circularity-from-consumer-insight-to-circular-impact-market-report/

    Transcript

    See the episode page for the transcript: https://circularity.fm/undress-circularity-assessing-the-impact-of-circular-business-models/

    36 min
  • V-ZUG - Reporting & Accounting of a PaaS Model
    Operating a Circular Business Model

    Traditional reporting and accounting practices are designed for linear sales models. However, a circular product-as-a-service proposition requires a different logic and KPI.

    In this episode, Jonas Bulach, Project Manager Product-as-a-Service at Swiss Home Appliance Manufacturer V-ZUG, explains how V-ZUG creates transparency about the business and handles accounting challenges.

    This episode is the tenth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People

    Jonas Bulach, Product Manager Product-as-a-Service, V-ZUG
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonas-bulach-1b3728193/

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro
    02:26 Offering the whole prduct portfolio in a B2B2C service
    03:50 KPI focussed on business case validation
    06:37 Explaining the meaning of KPIs to respective stakeholders
    09:26 Using the Standard Reporting
    10:27 Defining the depreciation time
    14:13 Posting logic of costs over time
    15:52 Keeping the Balance Sheet Up to Date
    18:07 Selling the business model internally
    20:52 Credit risk is lower for the B2B model
    21:28 Using IOT to predict maintenance needs
    22:22 The Competitive Advantage of the Manufacturer
    29:00 It needs a good product, good service and financial resources
    29:35 The time for more manufacturers to go circular

    About V-ZUG

    V-ZUG is a Swiss manufacturer of premium household appliances, established in 1913 and headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. The company specializes in high-quality kitchen and laundry appliances, emphasizing innovative technology, sustainability, and minimalist design.

    Further Links

    https://www.vzug.com
    **
    Transcript**
    See the episode page for the transcript: https://circularity.fm/v-zug-reporting-accounting-of-a-paas-model/

    33 min
  • Cradle to Cradle NGO - From Product to Performance
    From product design to systems change

    Every Product-as-a-Service needs a product in the first place. A well-designed product supports the success of the subscription proposition.

    The Cradle to Cradle school of thought paved the way for circular thinking in product design. Products should be designed so that their materials and components can be repaired, repurposed, or recycled indefinitely.

    In this episode, Nora Sophie Griefahn, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Cradle to Cradle NGO connects circular product design with Product-as-a-Service.

    This episode is the ninth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People

    Nora Sophie Griefahn, Co-Founder & Executive Director Cradle to Cradle NGO
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-sophie-griefahn-575306b8/

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypscher/

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro
    01:32 System change over personal behavior
    02:32 The relation of cradle-to-cradle and the circular economy
    06:53 A high quality of products is needed
    10:31 Cradle to Cradle organisations and layers
    12:42 Starting to think about the problem first
    15:58 The benefits of Product-as-a-Service
    20:51 Freedom to circulate across multiple spheres
    27:12 Water Meters and wood for terraces as examples
    31:05 A call for regulation allocating the true costs of mining virgin materials
    33:58 A call for changing the whole company
    35:42 Towards a combination of PaaS and suitable product design

    About Cradle to Cradle NGO:

    The Cradle to Cradle NGO (C2C NGO) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Berlin that is committed to the dissemination and implementation of the Cradle to Cradle concept.

    Further Links

    https://c2c.ngo/en/
    https://c2c-congress.org/en/
    https://www.lorenz-meters.de/
    https://www.novo-tech.de/

    Transcript

    See the episode page for the transcript: https://circularity.fm/cradle-to-cradle-ngo-from-product-to-performance/

    40 min
  • Debt Financing of PaaS Assets
    Structuring nearly 2bn of asset funding

    Grover is a role model for debt-based asset funding. With nearly € 2bn of debt from various lenders in multiple rounds Grover has shown a way of separating startup and asset risk.

    In this episode, Mitja Sadar, former Senior Vice President Finance and Head of Debt Capital Markets at Grover, gives insights into Grover’s approach. Mitja explains the various stages, pitfalls and the interrelation between the product portfolio and debt structures.

    This episode is the eighth in the series PaaS Decoded, 16 conversations about the fine details of product-as-a-service.

    People

    Mitja Sadar, Co-Founder & CFO SKROL, formerly Senior Vice President Finance, & Head of Debt Capital Markets at Grover

    Patrick Hypscher, Co-Founder of Green PO, Expert in Sustainable Business Models

    Chapters

    00:00 Intro
    01:52 Grover developing from small to big debt facility
    03:04 Separating startup and asset risk
    06:03 The stages of asset financing
    08:47 Internal structures needed to secure debt financing
    10:52 Finding the right lender
    14:42 Good relations with lenders are key
    17:04 Contractual terms will last
    19:04 Return on money & return of money
    23:58 Influence of the product portfolio on the debt structure
    31:18 Find your circular contribution and the value add
    34:17 Trends towards use, sustainability & flexibility
    35:41 Startups, SMEs & Investors welcome

    About Grover (from website):

    Grover is the global leader in technology rentals, enabling people and empowering businesses to subscribe to tech products monthly instead of buying them.

    About SKROL Capital (from website):

    SKROL is on a mission to modernize the backbone of the global economy by acquiring and transforming small and medium sized businesses globally.

    Further Links:

    https://www.grover.com

    https://press.grover.com/136970-grover-rings-in-the-new-year-with-250m-funding-deal

    https://tech.eu/2022/09/28/grover-takes-on-more-debt-funding-this-time-to-the-tune-of-eur270-million/

    https://skrol.com/

    Transcript:

    See the episode page for the transcript: https://circularity.fm/debt-financing-of-paas-assets/

    39 min

About Circularity.fm

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Circularity.fm is the podcast about understanding, building and managing circular business models.