Yokohama forum will link circular economy ideas with investment and industry in New York

About 200 leaders from cities, finance, startups and international organizations will meet in New York on Sept. 25 during Climate Week NYC 2026 to push circular economy ideas toward pilots and commercial deployment. The forum will pair corporate challenge-setting, startup innovation and policy talks as Japan and North America deepen collaboration.

Why it matters: - The circular economy is shifting from an environmental theme to a business issue tied to industrial competitiveness, resource security, supply-chain resilience and investment. - The forum is designed to move circular economy solutions from discussion into pilots, commercial collaboration and industrial deployment. - The event connects city-led challenges with the technologies, capital and business partnerships needed to scale practical solutions.

What happened: - The Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas will host the Global Forum on Circular Economy and Urban Resilience in New York on Sept. 25 during Climate Week NYC 2026. - Nearly 200 leaders from cities, global businesses, investors, startups and international organizations are expected to attend. - The forum will be held at Club 135 by Industrious at 135 W 50th Street in Manhattan from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT. - The event will be in person, in English and invitation only, with registration approval required. - Registration information is available here.

The details: - A Japanese Corporate Reverse Pitch will let major Japanese companies present real business challenges, technology needs and innovation priorities to international startups. - Sumitomo Corporation, Chiyoda International Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and ENEOS Americas Inc. will participate. - The participating companies represent energy, manufacturing, engineering and global business. - The goal is to identify technologies and partners that can lead to pilots, joint development, investment and commercial collaboration. - An Innovation Leaders Dialogue will feature Sun Metalon, Closed Loop Partners, Hitachi and ShibuLA Ventures. - Sun Metalon develops technology to convert metal scrap from manufacturing sites into high-quality reusable material. - Closed Loop Partners is a New York-based investment firm focused on the circular economy. - Hitachi is advancing Physical AI across manufacturing and urban infrastructure. - ShibuLA Ventures supports startup and business development between Japan and the United States. - The afternoon Policy & Leadership Forum will include a keynote by Jibran Ahmed, Lead of Economic Development, Urban Transformation at the World Economic Forum. - The session will also include perspectives from leaders connected to the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste, Columbia Climate School, World Resources Institute, Bankable Zero and the City of Yokohama.

Between the lines: - The forum reflects a broader push to frame circular economy work as an economic-development and industrial strategy, not just a sustainability agenda. - The focus on corporate challenge-setting suggests companies are looking for market-ready technologies, not only exploratory research. - The mix of cities, investors and startups points to a coordinated effort to shorten the path from policy discussion to financing and implementation. - The emphasis on Physical AI, metal circularity and commercialization suggests the next stage of the sector is operational scale, not concept validation. - The New York event builds on the Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum in Yokohama, which took place Sept. 2–4 and drew cities, international organizations and other stakeholders from across the Asia-Pacific. - Organizers plan to carry the momentum from New York into GREEN×EXPO 2027 and future Asia-Pacific Circular Cities Forum activities in Yokohama.

What's next: - The forum will serve as a venue for corporate-startup matchmaking, policy discussion and investment conversations on Sept. 25. - Organizers expect the event to generate pathways for pilots, joint development and commercial collaboration after Climate Week NYC. - The initiative will continue beyond New York through future Yokohama-linked circular economy programming.