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| Global Forum On Circular Economy & Urban Resilience
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| With Nick Vega (Director on the Investments & Strategy team, Sumitomo Corporation), Takeyori Nabeta (Business Development Manage, Chiyoda International Corporation), Junya Saka (Manager, Strategic Investment & Partnerships, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation), Hirotaka Mori (Principal Researcher, Business Development & CVC, ENEOS Americas Inc), Durgesh Patel (Vice President, AI Center of Excellence, Hitachi), Ray Hugel (CFA, Executive Director and Co-Head of Catalytic Capital & Private Credit, Closed Loop Partners), Kazuhiko Nishioka (Founder/CEO, Sun Metalon), Kevin Ninomiya (CEO, ShibuLA Ventures), Jibran Ahmed (Lead, Economic Development, Urban Transformation, World Economic Forum), 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).
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Sep 25 (Fri) @ 09:00 AM
Not Known
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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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