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Global Forum on Circular Economy & Urban Resilience
Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
Venue: Club 135 by Industrious
Address: 135 W 50th Street, New York, NY 10020
Format: Invitation Only
Expected Attendance: Approximately 200 participants
Language: English
Host: Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas
Sponsors: ITO EN
Partners: Greennex Global, ShibuLA Ventures, CleanLeap & Deep Tech Forum
About the Forum
The global economy is undergoing a profound transformation driven by geopolitical uncertainty, the restructuring of global supply chains, rapid advances in artificial intelligence, & growing demand for energy & critical resources.
Against this backdrop, the circular economy is emerging not only as an environmental agenda, but also as a strategic approach to strengthening economic competitiveness, resource security, industrial resilience, & sustainable growth.
Held during Climate Week NYC 2026, the Global Forum on Circular Economy & Urban Resilience will bring together city & regional government representatives, international organizations, corporations, investors, financial institutions, startups, & climate innovation leaders from Asia, North America, Europe, & beyond.
Through business showcases, reverse pitches, keynote remarks, & cross-sector discussions, the Forum will connect urban challenges with innovation, investment, & international partnerships. It will also explore how cities can serve as platforms for collaboration among businesses, startups, investors, & global institutions.
The Forum will serve as an important step toward Yokohama's major international initiatives in 2027, including GREENEXPO 2027, Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum (APCC-Forum), the Asia-Pacific Urban Forum, & broader international dialogue on circular & resilient urban development.
View the Speaker List
Morning Programme: Business & Innovation Forum
Connecting Innovation Ecosystems Across Asia, North America, & Europe
9:00-9:30 Registration & Networking Coffee
9:30-9:40 Welcome Remarks
9:40-10:30 Startup Showcase
Selected startups will present innovative technologies & business models in the fields of the circular economy, climate technology, & urban sustainability.
The session is designed to create opportunities for pilot projects, joint development, investment, strategic partnerships, & expansion into Japanese & broader Asian markets.
Presenting Startups: TBD
10:30-11:20 Reverse Pitch
Japanese companies will present their business challenges, innovation priorities, & areas of interest to an audience of international startups.
The session aims to identify potential partners & initiate discussions on joint development, pilot projects, & future business collaboration.
Participating Companies:
Nick Vega, Director on the Investments & Strategy team, Sumitomo Corporation
Takeyori Nabeta, Business Development Manage at Chiyoda International Corporation / Venture Associate at DNX Ventures
Junya Saka, Manager, Strategic Investment & Partnerships, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Hirotaka Mori, Principal Researcher, Business Development & CVC, ENEOS Americas
Additional companies: TBD
11:20-12:00 Innovation Leaders Dialogue
AI, the Circular Economy, & the Next Industrial Transformation
Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries through major investment in semiconductors, data centers, digital infrastructure, & advanced industrial systems.
At the same time, AI has the potential to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable & circular economy by improving efficiency across manufacturing, energy, logistics, resource management, & recycling.
This session will explore:
How AI is reshaping industrial competitiveness
Emerging opportunities at the intersection of AI & the circular economy
The potential of AI to improve resource efficiency & industrial decarbonization
Partnerships needed to commercialize & scale next-generation technologies
The roles of corporations, investors, & startups in the next industrial transformation
Speakers:
Durgesh Patel, Vice President, AI Center of Excellence, Hitachi
Ray Hugel, CFA, Executive Director & Co-Head of Catalytic Capital & Private Credit, Closed Loop Partners
Kazuhiko Nishioka, Co-Founder & CEO, Sun Metalon
Kevin Ninomiya, CEO & Co-Founder, ShibuLA Ventures (Moderator)
12:00-1:30 Networking Lunch
An opportunity for investors, startups, corporations, city leaders, & international organizations to connect across sectors, explore collaboration opportunities, & develop partnerships that can continue beyond the Forum.
The networking lunch will also be open to participants attending the afternoon programme.
Afternoon Programme: Policy & Leadership Forum
Accelerating Circular Economy & Urban Resilience
1:30-1:40 Opening Remarks
1:40-2:00 Keynote Address
The Next Chapter of the Circular Economy: Competitiveness, Resilience, & Global Collaboration
The circular economy is increasingly becoming a strategic framework for strengthening economic competitiveness, industrial resilience, resource security, & sustainable growth.
The keynote will examine why accelerating the transition requires deeper collaboration among cities, businesses, investors, & international organizations, setting the stage for the Forum's discussions on innovation, partnerships, & global action.
Keynote Speaker:
Jibran Ahmed, Lead, Economic Development, Urban Transformation, World Economic Forum
2:00-2:20 Session 1
Asia's Circular Future: New Opportunities for Global Collaboration
Asia's rapid urbanization & growing policy ambition are making the region increasingly important to the global circular economy transition.
Cities will play a central role in translating global goals into locally driven policies, partnerships, & practical action. This session will examine how Asian cities can work with global partners to accelerate circular solutions & create new opportunities for cooperation.
Discussion themes include:
Why Asia will be central to the next phase of the circular economy
The role of cities in advancing circular solutions through policy, procurement, & partnerships
Opportunities for collaboration between Asian cities & global partners
Yokohama's role as a platform for international collaboration toward 2027
GREENEXPO 2027 & related international initiatives
Speaker:
Tomomi Yamashita, Director General for Global Initiatives, City of Yokohama
Carlos Silva Filho, Member of United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Zero Waste
2:20-3:05 Session 2
Investing in the Circular Economy: Innovation, Markets, & Growth
The transition to a circular economy is creating new markets, attracting investment, & driving innovation across industries & cities worldwide.
This session will explore how cities, businesses, investors, & innovation ecosystems can create market opportunities, attract capital & talent, & scale solutions capable of delivering both economic & environmental value.
Discussion themes include:
Emerging investment opportunities in the circular economy
Building innovation ecosystems that attract capital & talent
The role of cities in creating markets for circular solutions
Public-private partnerships for scaling innovation
Strengthening competitiveness through circular innovation
Speakers: TBD
Moderator: TBD
3:05-3:50 Session 3
Bridging Regions: Partnerships for Circular & Resilient Cities
The circular transition cannot be delivered by cities, financial institutions, businesses, or international organizations acting independently.
This session will explore how regional & global partnerships can connect urban priorities with technical expertise, investment, & implementation capacity. The discussion will focus on moving beyond the exchange of ideas toward concrete projects, financing mechanisms, & long-term collaboration.
Discussion themes include:
Connecting cities across Asia, North America, & other regions
Mobilizing finance for circular & resilient urban projects
Building pipelines of investable city projects
Connecting cities with businesses, investors, & international institutions
Scaling successful solutions across different markets
Turning international dialogue into practical collaboration
Continuing collaboration through international forums & Yokohama's initiatives in 2027
Speakers:
Sandra Goldmark, Associate Dean for Engagement & Impact & Professor of Professional Practice, Columbia Climate School
Local 2030 Coalition (Speaker TBA)
Berat Senyerli, CEO of Bankable Zero
Vijay Jagannathan, Senior Fellow at World Resources Institute (Moderator)
3:50-4:00 Closing Remarks
Who Should Attend
The Forum is designed for:
City & regional government representatives
International organizations
Corporations & business leaders
Investors & financial institutions
Startups & entrepreneurs
Climate technology & circular economy experts
Urban development & resilience professionals
Innovation ecosystem leaders
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