Unlocking Circular Economy Opportunities between the UK and Saudi Arabia
Join us for the Waste to Value Forum 2026, a one-day hybrid event bringing together academics, policymakers, investors, and industry leaders from the UK and Saudi Arabia to explore how waste streams can be transformed into economic and environmental value.
The Forum will be held at Conference Aston, Aston University, Birmingham (UK), on 30 March 2026. It forms part of the UK–Saudi Waste2Energy Initiative, funded under the Gulf Strategy Fund.
The event is delivered in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the National Centre for Waste Management with support from the British Embassy Riyadh, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the Department for Business and Trade.
The Forum will be structured around four integrated sessions designed to connect research, innovation, and partnerships.
Session I – Academic Perspectives on Waste to Value
This session will feature academic and technical presentations focused on waste-to-value pathways, with particular emphasis on biochar, plastics, and municipal solid waste (MSW) to energy. Leading researchers from the UK and Saudi Arabia will present evidence on technologies, system performance, environmental impacts, and scalability, highlighting how these solutions can support national circular economy and decarbonisation objectives.
A key outcome of this session will be the launch of comprehensive market assessment reports on biochar, plastics, and MSW-to-energy, alongside a policy roadmap tailored to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These outputs will examine market maturity, investment potential, regulatory considerations, and priority actions required to enable deployment at scale in alignment with Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative.
Session II – UK Business Pitch Session: Innovation for Waste to Energy
This session will showcase innovative UK businesses working across the waste-to-energy and waste-to-value sectors. Selected companies will pitch their technologies, services, and project concepts, with the aim of identifying opportunities for pilot projects, investment, and long-term collaboration.
Saudi participation in this session will include representatives from ministries, policymakers, regulators, research and innovation bodies, industrial stakeholders, investment organisations, and regional delivery authorities, creating a platform for direct engagement between UK solution providers and Saudi decision-makers across the waste and circular economy landscape.
Session III – Networking and Partnership Building
The final session will provide both structured and informal networking opportunities, enabling UK and Saudi participants to explore collaboration pathways, discuss project ideas, and identify next steps for pilot projects, funding opportunities, and sustained engagement.
Session IV – Site Visit: EBRI, Aston University
Following the Forum sessions, participants will be invited to a guided site visit to the Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) at Aston University. The visit will showcase applied research facilities and pilot-scale capabilities relevant to waste-to-value, bioenergy, and circular economy technologies, providing practical insight into how academic research translates into industrial and policy-relevant solutions.
Be part of shaping the future of sustainable waste management in Saudi Arabia through evidence-based behaviour change.
Register now to join policymakers, researchers, investors, and industry leaders for this UK–Saudi forum at Conference Aston, Aston University, focused on advancing research-led innovation and partnership opportunities across the waste-to-energy and circular economy sectors.
This is a hybrid event, with the option to attend either in person at Aston University or online.
Register Here: Click here
