About Circular Partnerships
Circular Partnerships, delivered by ReLondon and Grow London Early Stage, is a programme that fosters partnerships between circular small and medium enterprises and public sector organisations.
These collaborations combine training, networking, skills development and matchmaking services.
About ORNA
Optimised Reused Natural Assets (ORNA) takes Christmas trees destined for landfill and upcycles them into usable construction materials. This scalable, low-carbon process reduces emissions and waste, and demonstrates how materials from a single, predictable source can contribute to the circular economy.
The challenge
ORNA had two main reasons for joining Circular Partnerships. Firstly, it needed to make connections with relevant partners, such as local authorities and brands. Secondly, it needed to conduct a critical review of potential business models and processes before embarking on the next phase of material innovation and development.
How Circular Partnerships helped
During its participation in the Circular Partnerships programme, ORNA received more than 11 hours of tailored, one-to-one strategic support from a ReLondon adviser. Alongside helping identify near-term opportunities, the support helped the business to improve its processes, refine its marketing and sales strategy, access finance and secure new partnerships.
ORNA received a report that made bespoke recommendations on:
- Clarifying its vision and honing its value proposition.
- Moving from prototype to mass production.
- Collaborating with partners, including local authorities.
- Identifying the best business model to pursue.
- Identifying funding opportunities.
Crucially, recommendations around sustainability and market positioning inspired ORNA to make improvements to its composite material ahead of launch.
ORNA’s participation in the programme helped it gain exposure to more than 100 investors and public sector users on ReLondon’s Circular Economy Matchmaker platform. It also received an exclusive profile in the Innovation Zone at Recycling Expo 2025, held at Excel London.
Our impact
Within a few months of receiving the support from Circular Partnerships, ORNA says that it increased its grant revenue and visibility, established new partnerships and achieved generally better business health.
As a direct result of the support, ORNA was able to structure its growth and research and development (R&D) pathway, and improve its understanding of how it could work with local authorities.
The programme also resulted in significant PR. ORNA featured in a BBC News article and a BBC News television segment. It also partnered with Audi for its Driving Home for Christmas campaign, and is now in conversations with large retailers and heritage institutions about future collaborations.
On the back of this success, ORNA expects to increase turnover and create more jobs over the next three years.
Our ReLondon advisor was extremely helpful and offered really interesting insights. The new understanding of how to work with local authorities and potential business models will help to improve our product and business further.Hugo Knox
Founder, ORNA
About Yes Make
A regenerative design and build practice, Yes Make reclaims high-quality materials from the construction sector and transforms them into customised furniture, fixtures and sculptures for public spaces in London. Rather than going to waste, Yes Make gives timber offcuts, demolition materials and surplus construction components a second life.
The challenge
Before Circular Partnerships, Yes Make was already developing a new joint venture construction material reuse centre that promised to be a significant opportunity for the business.
It joined the programme to gain support in developing its strategy for taking on larger projects (such as its joint venture), managing relationships with public sector stakeholders and maintaining a stable pipeline of work as it grew.
How Circular Partnerships helped
During Circular Partnerships, Yes Make accessed 10 hours of one-to-one strategic advice, working closely with a ReLondon adviser to develop its strategy and identify opportunities, including grants and innovation funding that could fuel future growth.
This support helped Yes Make understand the wider context around its business and target new channels for winning higher-value projects. It also gained insights into “working with local authority procurement pipelines, dynamic purchasing systems and purchasing consortia”.
As a direct result of the support, Yes Make has invested in improvements to its management practices and service design, developed its understanding of the local market and secured a number of new partnerships.
Our impact
Since participating in the Circular Growth support programme, Yes Make and its partners have moved into Tipping Point East, its 20,000 sq m (215,278 sq ft) circular construction hub in the Royal Docks, Newham. The centre is set to drive environmental improvements across the city as well as growth for the business. The business also secured £4,000 from one of the grant opportunities it identified on the programme.
Over the next 12 months, Yes Make expects to repurpose 1,000 tonnes of construction waste for public projects that benefit Londoners, saving 2,500 tonnes of CO2 – and that’s before taking into account the carbon emissions spared by replacing the use of virgin materials with recycled construction materials.
The day-to-day requirements of running a business can mean that we are so in the detail we miss the opportunity to scan the wider ecosystem we operate within. ReLondon is superb at providing a broader view of opportunities to collaborate with new and emerging networks that open new doors for our business.Joel De Mowbray
Creative Director and Founder, Yes Make