Over the past 18 months, the Green Impackt project has helped Colombian SMEs turn circular economy ambitions into practical action. Through training, matchmaking, company visits, and international collaboration, the project has connected businesses, experts, and innovation actors across Europe and Colombia.
The result is new partnerships, stronger capabilities, and concrete solutions that support a more sustainable and competitive plastics and packaging sector.
From Ambition to Action
The plastics and packaging sector is facing growing pressure to reduce waste, improve resource efficiency and adapt to the demands of a more circular economy. For many companies, the challenge is not a lack of ambition, but knowing how to translate ambition into practical initiatives and business opportunities.
That was the starting point for the Green Impackt project, implemented under the AL-INVEST Verde Programme.
The project brought together Colombian SMEs, European solution providers, industry associations and circular economy experts with a shared goal: strengthening sustainability performance while improving competitiveness.
Throughout the project, 199 European and Colombian SMEs participated in workshops, training programmes and collaborative activities. As a result, 150 Colombian SMEs implemented more sustainable and circular practices, while 49 companies developed circular economy roadmaps to guide their future transition.
The project also mapped 529 circularity challenges and business needs across the plastics and packaging value chain and identified 58 European best practices, providing participating companies with inspiration, practical tools and proven approaches to circular business development.
Building Partnerships Across Continents
A key objective of the Green Impackt project was to create direct connections between Colombian companies and European organisations with experience and expertise in circular economy solutions.
One of the project’s highlights was a business mission to Bogotá, where 12 companies and organisations from Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom met with Colombian businesses, participated in workshops and visited local companies and innovation actors.
The delegation included visits to Essenttia, Grupo Plastilene and Biocirculo, a co-creation workshop involving 15 Colombian companies and more than 50 one-to-one matchmaking meetings.
For participants, the mission provided valuable insight into Colombia’s market conditions, regulatory landscape and sustainability challenges.
“Some people travel to Colombia for the beaches. I came for the plastic waste — and to help solve the problem.”
Robert Dichtl, Kleen Hub
The experience also highlighted the importance of adapting circular solutions to local realities.
“This experience confirmed for me that circular solutions must be adapted to local realities. Technology alone is not enough, but when local actors are given the right tools, real change can happen.”
Robert Dichtl, Kleen Hub
From Matchmaking to Concrete Solutions
The project created more than dialogue between companies – it led to tangible collaborations and new opportunities.
Through workshops, matchmaking activities and international knowledge exchange, 14 innovative solutions were developed to address challenges and opportunities within the plastics and packaging value chain. The project also contributed to the establishment of two formal collaborations between Colombian SMEs and European solution providers.
In addition, five collaborative initiatives were developed between Colombian and European organisations, creating a strong foundation for continued cooperation beyond the project’s lifetime.
For some participants, the project opened doors to both commercial opportunities and social impact.
“The mission opened my eyes to a major opportunity that can create social impact for tens of thousands of people living in poverty, while also having commercial potential. At the same time, I gained the network needed to turn the vision into reality.”
Lukas Movarek, Sabbia ApS
Clean Connects Colombian Companies with European Expertise
As a European partner in the Green Impackt project, Clean played a central role in connecting Colombian companies with Europe’s circular economy ecosystem.
Through its network of cleantech companies, innovation actors and sustainability experts, Clean helped identify relevant European solutions, facilitate knowledge exchange and create connections between Colombian businesses and European partners.
Four Danish companies participated in the Bogotá mission: Digi-Eye, Circular Momentum, Kleen Hub and Sabbia ApS. Their involvement brought experience in circular economy, sustainable packaging, reuse models and material innovation directly into dialogue with Colombian companies.
Clean also contributed to market intelligence and strategic guidance for Colombian SMEs, including the development of a report on EU market requirements and opportunities. The report helps companies better understand European regulations, market trends and expectations related to circular economy solutions.
Strengthening Access to Finance and Growth
The transition towards more circular business models requires more than technical knowledge and innovative solutions. It also requires access to finance and investment.
Through the project, 56 SMEs strengthened their understanding of financing opportunities and project development, helping them prepare future circular economy initiatives for implementation and investment.
By the end of the project, 10 participating SMEs reported increased business activity as a direct result of their involvement in the Green Impackt project, demonstrating the strong link between sustainability, innovation and competitiveness.
A Foundation for Future Collaboration
The Green Impackt project leaves behind more than workshops, reports and delegation visits.
It has helped build a growing network of European and Colombian companies, strengthened the capacity of SMEs to implement circular practices and created new opportunities for collaboration, innovation and market access.
As circular economy requirements continue to shape global value chains, the relationships, knowledge and partnerships established through the project will continue to support Colombian companies on their journey towards greater sustainability, resilience and competitiveness.
