The story of Eva Käller
Say circular economy, and you say Eva Käller. At Invest-NL, Eva has found her place, where she works together with her theme team to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. As a business development analyst, she actively contributes to various projects. "What’s great about Invest-NL is that we work with a group of highly dedicated people to facilitate transitions. Because we are such a young organization,
Collaboration is an important part of my work.
A new perspective
During her master's in Industrial Ecology, Eva focused on sustainability from ecological, social, and technological perspectives. “At Invest-NL, I gained a fourth perspective, namely the financial one. Circular thinking is really ingrained in me. Now, I look at funding issues through my circular lens, and how we can solve them.”
Invest-NL has a broad network and works closely with entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions, financiers, and governments to accelerate circular innovations. "We try to bring different parties together and connect them. Collaboration is an important part of my work. The transition to a circular economy is something we cannot do alone, but must do together.”
Research into circular textiles
As a business development analyst, Eva is involved in many of the ongoing projects. “Together with my team, we work on a variety of projects and studies. Circular textiles is my biggest project, mainly because it aligns well with my expertise. I wrote my graduation thesis on textile recycling and the transition to a circular textile industry in the Netherlands.”
The textile industry is one of the most polluting sectors in the world. Eva is working on a sustainable textile supply chain, but she also makes sustainable choices at home. "Buy less, and first think carefully about whether you really need something. Visit your local thrift store and see if you can find what you're looking for there. We have a swap corner in our street. Everything I leave there is gone the same day. It makes me feel good that items get a second life."
A sustainable drive
Eva knew early on that she wanted to do something with sustainability. "I deliberately chose this direction because I really wanted to make an impact in my work. I think environmental conservation is very important. The way we consume now, but also produce, is not sustainable for nature. It concerns me."
Outside of her work, Eva is an avid runner. "What I like about running is that you can challenge yourself. At first, I thought I would never be able to run a marathon. But if you train hard, you just can. It's a mental and physical challenge that motivates me enormously."
This drive to take on challenges and try new things fits well with her job. Step by step, Eva works on impactful solutions to advance the circular economy in the Netherlands.