Turning еxpertise into tangible value for members

During November and December, members of the Western Balkans Circular Economy Hub had the opportunity to access something that is often out of reach for early-stage circular businesses and organisations: personalised, one-on-one strategic consultancy with a world-renowned circular economy expert.

As part of the WBCEH’s membership offer (currently free of charge), selected members participated in 1:1 consultancy sessions with Elin Bergman, one of the leading circular economy experts in the Nordics, with over 15 years of experience supporting companies, entrepreneurs, and institutions in transitioning toward circular and resource-efficient business models.

Elin is the CIO and Vice-Chair of Cradlenet, Sweden’s circular economy network, and co-founder of the Nordic Circular Hotspot. Her career spans work with global organisations such as WWF Sweden, where she helped develop the Baltic Stewardship Initiative to enable nutrient recirculation in the agri-food sector. Over the years, she has guided countless businesses in transforming circular ideas into practical, scalable, and profitable solutions—demonstrating that circularity is not only about sustainability, but about smart business strategy.

More than a one-hour conversation

Each selected member received a dedicated one-hour consultancy session tailored to their specific challenges, based on an application form submitted in advance. This allowed the conversations to go far beyond general advice and focus on concrete next steps – whether related to business models, partnerships, funding strategies, communication, or scaling across markets.

In addition to the live session, each participant received a follow-up document prepared by Elin, including curated links, strategic reflections, and concrete suggestions aligned with the challenges they had outlined. This ensured that the value of the session extended well beyond the hour itself, serving as a practical reference for implementation in the months ahead.

Nemanja Trbovic, Founder and CEO of Njuppa, which is a member company of the Hub, shared the impressions from the session with us:

“My one-on-one session with Elin Bergmann was exactly the push and clarity NJUPPA needed. As a leading voice in the circular economy, Elin not only understood our concept instantly but provided a visionary roadmap for our next stage of growth. The Real Value I went into the session asking how Sweden made the circular economy so popular and effective. Elin’s response was a gift of actionable strategy. 

The most useful insight wasn’t just what to do, but how to talk about it. She stressed that NJUPPA must be framed as a “regional sustainability infrastructure,” not just another app. This reframes us immediately, opening doors to high-level climate funds and government partnerships—which is absolutely vital for changing regulations and securing long-term funding. 

I honestly feel re-energized and incredibly confident. Before the session, the thought of scaling across multiple markets and navigating policy felt daunting. Now, I have a tangible, step-by-step strategy to make food waste a mainstream topic. Elin’s expertise has taken the complexity out of scaling and policy, giving me a solid foundation and a strong sense of purpose. It was truly an inspiring hour that will affect our course for the upcoming period.” 

High-level expertise, аccessible to the region

Access to senior circular economy experts with international experience is typically associated with significant consultancy fees – often affordable only to larger companies or well-funded projects. By offering these sessions as part of its membership, the Western Balkans Circular Economy Hub aims to lower this barrier for circular innovators in the region, ensuring that promising ideas are supported with the same level of strategic insight available in more mature circular economy ecosystems.

This approach reflects the Hub’s broader mission: to provide not only visibility and networking opportunities, but real, hands-on support that helps members move from ideas to implementation, and from local pilots to scalable impact.

The strong feedback from participating members confirms the importance of this kind of targeted support, and reinforces the Hub’s commitment to continuing to create meaningful, high-value opportunities for its growing community across the Western Balkans.

Check out the rest of the testimonials from the members who benefited from this opportunity:

“Today I had the privilege of meeting Elin Bergman, the “Circular Economy Queen of Sweden”, and the session was nothing short of inspiring. Her knowledge, clarity, and passion for a greener future left a strong impression on me.

My sincere thanks to the Western Balkan Circular Economy Hub for creating this opportunity to learn, connect, and grow.

I’m leaving the session energized, motivated, and grateful for the inspiration shared today.” – Dorina Davies, Founder and CEO of Simply Green

Dorina Davies from simply Green during the session with Elin Bergman

“I’m really grateful for this one-on-one session with Elin Bergman, made possible by the Western Balkans Circular Economy Hub—it’s a great boost for circular economy work here in Albania, bringing practical support to help our businesses grow greener and stronger.” – Alma Hoxha, Strategic B2B Sales Leader | Marketing & Sales Expert | Startup Growth Mentor 

“The session with Elin was insightful and motivating, given my very early stage of the project. I particularly valued the experience-based perspective she brought on building the business model and working with multiple stakeholders.

The conversation helped me identify some elements to be worked on for the project, especially around partnerships and funding strategy; and gave me and a stronger sense of direction for the next steps of BioAgroBooster (BAB).” – Rea Losha, fresh MSc graduate with a circular business idea