This article originally appeared at 2 Degrees Network.

The Circular Economy Awards — or the Circulars, as they have been affectionately monikered, like the "Oscars" — will recognize the pioneers taking circular economy principles and making them a reality.

Backed by the Forum of Young Global Leaders, in collaboration with Accenture, awards organizers have spent the last few months inviting organizations and people from the worlds of business, civil society and academia to enter initiatives that prove moving beyond a traditional linear economy is achievable and profitable.

As former Danish Environment Minister Ida Auken explains to her fellow co-chair of the World Economic Forum's Young Leader Taskforce, Accenture's managing director and Asia-Pacific sustainability lead, Peter Lacy in this video: "It's really important to share that the circular economy is real. It's not just something we are talking about, it's actually happening. And it makes good business sense."

Here are the finalists that have been chosen by a judging panel, including Method's Adam Lowry, Nike's CSO Hannah Jones and Dame Ellen MacArthur, across five categories.

Over the next few weeks, before the awards ceremony, which takes place Jan. 20 in Davos, Switzerland, more about each finalist will be explained in a series of blogs.

In the meantime, here's the full list of finalists in four of the five categories. Finalists in the leadership category are on the way.

Entrepreneurship

For early-stage organizations at the vanguard of the circular economy demonstrating innovation and market disruption:

Dutch aWEARness
Ecovative
EcoTech
Innoverne
Lanzatech
Method
Olleco
Waste Capital Partners

Digital disruptor

For companies that are disrupting business-as-usual by enabling the circular economy with data-driven technologies:

Bundles
Lyft
ParkFlyRent
Spare to Share
Tradeshift
Vandebron

Pioneer

For established organizations demonstrating innovation in their existing business:

Balfour Beatty
Dell
Desso
Novelis
Renault

Cities and regions

For cities or regions establishing the enabling environment for the circular economy to develop and flourish:

Atlanta
Danish Business Authority
New South Wales
Sunderland
Tokyo
WISP