Artiql and Kyoto City open 2026 circular business training programme

Artiql Inc. (formerly Harch Inc.) and Kyoto City will soon launch this year’s Circular Business Design School Kyoto 2026, a programme that provides comprehensive support for local businesses to transition from linear to circular business models. It follows the success of the previous year’s programme, and will be introducing a new acceleration track to facilitate the social implementation of circular projects.

With the Japanese government positioning circular economy as a national strategy, Kyoto City furthers that by leveraging its history of waste reduction and resource circulation. The 2026 programme builds upon the network and knowledge established during the 2025 session, where 20 local businesses completed the curriculum.

The programme’s concept is “Decode Culture, Design Future.” It focuses on Kyoto’s 1,200-year history and the spirit of “Shimatsu no kokoro,” which emphasises the careful and circular use of resources. The programme encourages participants to combine this traditional wisdom with modern circular design and business models to create new local innovations.

The curriculum consists of three main components. The Learning Program is divided into Basic and Advanced courses. The Basic course covers fundamental concepts and domestic policy trends through workshops and field work. The Advanced course focuses on system design and prototyping, where participants receive mentoring from experts to visualise their solutions.

A new addition for 2026 is the Circular Business Acceleration Program. This track selects two companies with circular business ideas for five months of intensive support. Partners such as Mitsui Sumitomo Trust Bank and AMITA Corporation provide assistance in strategy formulation, value chain construction, and financial networking. The programme also includes the “Circular Gathering Kyoto” event to foster a broader ecosystem among businesses, financial institutions, and universities.

The programme runs from August to December 2026. Participation is free for businesses, individuals, and students based in Kyoto City. Applications for the Basic course and the Acceleration Program are open until 22 July 2026, while the Advanced course accepts applications until 14 September 2026.