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Technology isn’t magic. It does not fix a fragmented circular economy on its own.
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio, Barry O’Kane speaks with David Watson, founder of Circular Connect.
David explains how Circular Connect developed from a newsletter into a platform that helps circular businesses become more visible and easier to connect with.
They discuss the practical challenges of scaling circularity, including fragmented markets, limited awareness, and the need for better connections between organisations. The conversation explores where technology helps, and where human relationships do most of the work.
The episode highlights emerging opportunities in areas such as traceability, digital product passports, and circular M&A.
✨ In this episode:
👤 About our guest:
David Watson is the founder of Circular Connect and Chief Client Officer at RL People and RL Equity.
He has spent close to a decade working in the circular economy across recruitment, mergers and acquisitions, and media.
Circular Connect was created to make it easier to find and understand what is happening in the circular economy. It brings together a newsletter, directory, and network to support better connections between organisations.
David focuses on reducing friction in the industry and helping circular businesses grow through better visibility and collaboration.
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy.
Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology.
Subscribe at:
https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
▶️ Listen and subscribe
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts..
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
What if repair wasn’t an afterthought, but a core part of how fashion works?
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio, Barry O’Kane speaks with Nancy Rhodes, CEO of Alternew, a platform embedding tailoring and repair into the shopping experience.
Nancy shares how her experience in the fashion industry led her to rethink the role of care and repair, not just as a sustainability initiative, but as a way to improve customer relationships and business performance.
Alternew’s approach is to make repair easy and accessible, combining AI-powered guidance with a network of local service providers. The result is a system where brands can support customers beyond the point of purchase, while also gaining valuable insights into how their products are used, worn, and sometimes fail.
The conversation also explores the broader implications of this shift, from reducing returns to rethinking how products are designed in the first place.
✨ In this episode:
👤 About our guest:
Nancy Rhodes is CEO of Alternew, a platform embedding tailoring and repair into the fashion shopping experience.
After nearly two decades as a footwear designer working with brands ranging from Costco and Target to Beyoncé, Nancy shifted her focus to sustainability, driven by a growing awareness of the waste created by the fashion industry.
Alternew combines AI-powered guidance with a network of repair specialists to help brands support customers beyond the point of purchase, reducing returns, increasing retention, and extending the life of products.
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy.
Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology.
Subscribe at:
https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
▶️ Listen and subscribe
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts..
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
Circular economy platforms promise simple solutions to complex problems, but what does it actually take to make them work in practice?
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio, Barry O’Kane speaks with Cathy Benwell, co-founder of A Good Thing, a nonprofit platform helping businesses donate surplus items to charities in their local communities.
Cathy shares the journey of building A Good Thing from scratch, including the early challenges of growing a two-sided network, the importance of persistence, and why human effort—not just software—is key to success. They also explore the deeper questions around circularity, including whether easy donation routes might unintentionally encourage overproduction.
The conversation highlights how real-world circular systems depend on trust, relationships, and continuous learning, not just technology.
✨ In this episode:
👤 About our guest:
Cathy Benwell is co-founder of A Good Thing, a UK-based nonprofit platform that connects businesses with local charities to redistribute surplus physical items.
She co-founded A Good Thing with her husband Richard in 2020, building on earlier experience across both the tech and charity sectors. The idea was sparked by seeing first-hand how simple it could be to match unused business resources with real community needs.
Cathy has long been motivated by reducing waste and making practical change happen, well before sustainability became mainstream. Her work has been recognised through inclusion in the Digital Leaders Net Zero 50 List in both 2024 and 2025, highlighting individuals driving forward practical solutions for a more sustainable future.
Through A Good Thing, Cathy focuses on turning a simple idea into real-world impact, helping organisations reduce waste while supporting the communities around them.
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy.
Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology.
Subscribe at:
https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
▶️ Listen and subscribe
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts..
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is rapidly expanding into the textile industry, but how will it actually work in practice, and how can brands prepare?
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio, Barry O’Kane speaks with Gerrard Fisher, co-founder of WEFT, a company helping brands understand the circularity of their products and prepare for future EPR systems.
Gerrard explains how eco-modulation could link the design of products directly to the costs of dealing with them at the end of life. By analysing product data, brands can begin to see which materials, designs and product categories are easier to recycle and which could create higher costs in future circular systems.
They also explore the broader opportunity of using this data not just to manage regulation, but to help guide product design, improve recycling infrastructure planning, and give consumers clearer information about sustainability.
✨ In this episode:
👤 About our guest:
Gerrard Fisher is co-founder of WEFT, a company helping businesses explore the circularity of their products and understand how they may be affected by future Extended Producer Responsibility systems.
WEFT works with brands to analyse product data, generate circularity scores, and model how eco-modulated fees could affect product portfolios and business costs. Gerrard has extensive experience in product stewardship and waste policy, focusing on how data can help build more effective circular systems.
📌 Mentioned in this episode:
WEFT - https://www.weft.org.uk/
CalRecycle PRO application - https://calrecycle.ca.gov/epr/textiles/textileproapp/
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy.
Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology.
Subscribe at:
https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
🎙 Explore the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide
We’ve created something new: the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide. After 9 seasons of HappyPorch Radio and years of discovering other brilliant shows on circularity, we realised the podcast space needed a central, searchable place to explore the best voices in circular innovation.
Browse at:
https://circulareconomypodcasts.guide/
▶️ Listen and subscribe
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts..
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio, hosts Barry O’Kane and Jo Weston talk with Frans Biegstraaten, co-founder of BIYU, a modular rental, subscription and PAAS platform helping businesses build circular systems that scale.
BIYU started as a consumer rental service in Amsterdam, offering same-day delivery on everything from drills to electric bikes. When the business had to pivot, Frans and his team transformed their operational know-how and internal software into a SaaS product that now supports circular businesses across Europe.
✨ In this episode we learn about:
• The journey from consumer rental startup to multi-tenant SaaS provider
• How BIYU’s tech manages repair, refurbishment, and reverse logistics.
• Why integrating circular systems with existing tech like Shopify and Firmhouse matters.
• The challenges and rewards of building circular tech through experimentation.
• How BIYU enables brands to pilot circular models before full adoption.
📌 Mentioned in this episode:
BIYU – www.biyu.world
Shopify - https://www.shopify.com/
Firmhouse - https://www.firmhouse.com/
👤 About our guest:
Frans Biegstraaten is co-founder of BIYU, a circular technology company based in the Netherlands. BIYU helps rental and Product-as-a-Service companies manage everything from asset tracking to refurbishment using its modular SaaS platform.
Frans Biegstraaten on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fwbiegstraaten/
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy.
Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology.
Subscribe at: https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
🎙 Explore the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide
We’ve created something new: the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide. After 9 seasons of HappyPorch Radio and years of discovering other brilliant shows on circularity, we realised the podcast space needed a central, searchable place to explore the best voices in circular innovation.
Browse at: https://circulareconomypodcasts.guide/
▶️ Listen and subscribe:
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
What if attending a wedding, gala, or an important event didn’t mean buying something new, but instead allowed you to rent a designer-quality outfit?
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio we are joined by Büsra Zanner, the founder of Wearr. Wearr is a German-based startup reinventing circular fashion rental for special occasions.
Büsra shares how her tech background shaped Wearr’s customer-first approach, from prioritising flawless event delivery to building a data-driven platform that keeps garments in circulation longer.
With a focus on convenience, automation, and strong partnerships, Wearr is proving how circular models can delight customers, extend product lifecycles, and shift mindsets away from ownership toward access.
✨ In this episode:
📌 Mentioned in this episode:
Wearr - https://www.wearr.com/
👤 About our guest:
Büsra Zanner is the Founder & CEO of Wearr, a fashion tech startup out of Munich making wardrobe sharing effortless and premium. After 5+ years in B2B SaaS at Celonis, leading global solution engineering teams, she made the shift into fashion to build a more circular future. Learn more at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/busrazanner?originalSubdomain=de
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy. Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology. Subscribe at: https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter
🎙 Explore the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide
Discover the best voices in circular innovation: https://circulareconomypodcasts.guide
▶️ Listen and subscribe:
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts.
Explore more at https://www.happyporchradio.com
What if you could arrive at your ski chalet and find premium ski wear waiting for you, no suitcase, no hassle, and a lot less waste?
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio, hosts Barry O’Kane and Tandi Tuakli talk with Anna Smoothy and Anders Bergenstrand, co-founders of Cirkel Supply, a Swiss startup rethinking ski holidays with circular rental.
Cirkel combines technology and circular design to make ski wear rental simple and sustainable. Using platforms like Shopify and Supercycle, they deliver high-quality ski outfits directly to accommodation, proving how smart tech choices can support convenience, reduce waste, and keep products in circulation.
✨ In this episode:
📌 Mentioned in this episode:
Cirkel Supply – https://cirkelsupply.com
👤 About our guests:
Anna Smoothy and Anders Bergenstrand are co-founders of Cirkel Supply, a Swiss-based startup making circular ski wear rental convenient, premium, and sustainable. With backgrounds in skiing, fashion, and sustainability, they combine a love of the outdoors with a mission to change consumer habits and reduce waste in the industry.
Anna Smoothy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-smoothy/
Anders Bergenstrand on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anders-bergenstrand/
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy.
Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology.
Subscribe at: https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
🎙 Explore the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide
We’ve created something new: the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide. After 9 seasons of HappyPorch Radio and years of discovering other brilliant shows on circularity, we realised the podcast space needed a central, searchable place to explore the best voices in circular innovation.
Browse at: https://circulareconomypodcasts.guide/
▶️ Listen and subscribe:
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
What does it take to run a business that keeps millions of garments in circulation every year? And why should rental, resale, and repair be part of every fashion brand’s strategy?
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio, we’re joined by Andrew Rough, CEO of Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS), Europe’s largest provider of circular fashion fulfillment. From RFID technology to ozone cleaning, ACS combines logistics, technology, and sustainability to help brands extend product lifetimes and build new revenue streams.
✨ In this episode:
📌 Mentioned in this episode:
ACS Clothing – https://acsclothing.co.uk
👤 About our guest:
Andrew Rough is CEO of Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS), a pioneer in circular fashion logistics. Under his leadership, ACS has grown into a global partner for fashion brands, enabling rental, resale, repair, and more — all while earning recognition as one of the UK’s top 10 B Corps. Learn more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-rough-493a4b14
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy.
Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology.
Subscribe at: https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
🎙 Explore the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide
We’ve created something new: the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide. After 9 seasons of HappyPorch Radio and years of discovering other brilliant shows on circularity, we realised the podcast space needed a central, searchable place to explore the best voices in circular innovation.
Browse at: https://circulareconomypodcasts.guide/
▶️ Listen and subscribe:
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
What does it take to bring rental models into the world of large household appliances (white goods) and why might this be a key step in scaling the circular economy?
In this episode of HappyPorch Radio, we’re joined by Valentin Lheureux, COO of HomeCycle, a French startup pioneering rental for washing machines, dryers, fridges, and other essential “white goods.”
Valentin shares his journey from working in retail to founding HomeCycle, motivated by the unsustainable pressures he saw in the linear economy. He explains why tackling rental for large appliances is so challenging, what customers really want, and how partnerships with manufacturers could change the industry for good.
✨ In this episode:
📌 Mentioned in this episode:
HomeCycle – https://homecycle.fr
Boulanger - https://www.boulanger.com/
Jumanji 2030 - https://www.jumanji.studio/
Coolblue - https://www.coolblue.nl/en/subscriptions
👤 About our guest:
Valentin Lheureux is COO and co-founder of HomeCycle, a French startup pioneering rental models for household appliances. With a background in engineering and retail, Valentin combines deep industry experience with a passion for circular economy innovation. He and his team are working to make appliance rental a mainstream option in France — and a more sustainable alternative to ownership.
Connect with Valentin on LinkedIn: https://fr.linkedin.com/in/valentin-lheureux-b28936b5
🌍 About HappyPorch
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy.
Learn more: https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
HappyPorch Circular News is our monthly newsletter for people working in and around the circular economy and technology.
Subscribe at: https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
🎙 Explore the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide
We’ve created something new: the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide. After 9 seasons of HappyPorch Radio and years of discovering other brilliant shows on circularity, we realised the podcast space needed a central, searchable place to explore the best voices in circular innovation.
Browse at: https://circulareconomypodcasts.guide/
▶️ Listen and subscribe:
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, iHeart, Pocket Casts — or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
What have we learned so far this season about the realities of rental and product-as-a-service models, and where does technology really make the difference?
In this special mid-season reflection of HappyPorch Radio, hosts Barry O’Kane, Jo Weston and Tandi Tuakli look back at the conversations so far, drawing out the common themes, challenges and opportunities from entrepreneurs, academics and technology providers working at the forefront of circularity.
We revisit highlights from:
✨ In this episode:
📌 Mentioned in this episode:
Refulfil: https://refulfil.com | Danai Osmond on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaiosmond/
Baboodle: https://www.baboodle.co.uk | Katie Hanton-Parr on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiehanton/
Black Winch: https://www.blackwinch.com | Yann Toutant on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asaservicebyyanntoutant/
Supercycle: https://www.supercycle.shop | Ryan Atkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-atkins/
Circularity.fm: https://www.circularity.fm | Patrick Hypscher on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-hypscher/
University of Edinburgh (circular economy lecturer)| Lucy Wishart on LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersonlucyj/
Retech Roundtable Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/leah-pollen/Leah Pollen on LInkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaiosmond/?originalSubdomain=uk
🎙️ About the hosts:
Barry O’Kane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryokane/
Jo Weston on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-weston-5b04322/
Tandi Tuakli on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tandituakli/
🌍 About HappyPorch:
HappyPorch is a purpose-driven software engineering consultancy focused on the circular economy. We believe technology plays a vital role in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to biodiversity loss.
If you're working on circular economy solutions, we’d love to support your journey, whether through fractional CTO services, full product teams or practical guidance.
Learn more at https://www.happyporch.com
💌 Subscribe to HappyPorch Circular News
Our monthly newsletter explores the intersection of circularity and digital tools.
Discover inspiring people and ideas
Be first to hear about new podcast episodes
Explore tools, articles and trends shaping circular tech
Subscribe at https://www.happyporch.com/newsletter/
🎙️ Explore the Circular Economy Podcasts Guide
We’ve curated a growing list of the best podcasts exploring the circular economy, searchable by theme, region or topic.
Browse the guide at https://circulareconomypodcasts.guide/
🎧 Listen and subscribe:
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit https://www.happyporchradio.com to explore more episodes.
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