Student award recognises idea that could contribute to a more circular future
Winners of the Ragn-Sells Student Case 2026: Hampus Ardland Looström and Johanna Lindbäck from Linköping University.The winner of the Ragn-Sells Student Case 2026 competition was announced during Future Day 2026 on October 2, organised by the Ragnar Sellberg Foundation and Ragn-Sells in collaboration with Linköping University. This year's award goes to Hampus Ardland Looström and Johanna Lindbäck for their entry, Pay for Tonnes, Not Promises.
The competition challenged students to develop concrete policy proposals that could help accelerate the transition to a more resource-efficient and circular society. Interest in this year’s competition was record high, with 20 submissions from students representing six Swedish and two international universities.
The three finalists selected by the jury were invited to present their proposals before a panel consisting of representatives from Ragn-Sells, the Ragnar Sellberg Foundation, and Linköping University. Following the presentations, the jury deliberated and selected this year’s winner on site. Entries were evaluated based on criteria including relevance, originality, feasibility, and the use of facts and evidence.
“This year’s winning proposal addresses one of the biggest obstacles to increased plastic recycling in Europe. The authors clearly identify why investments are not being made and successfully turn that insight into a concrete and feasible policy proposal. That makes the contribution both highly relevant and exceptionally strong,” says Anders Kihl, Chief Strategy Officer and R&D Director at Ragn-Sells.
Johanna and Hampus’ winning proposal, Pay for Tonnes, Not Promises, puts forward a government-backed auction scheme that would guarantee plastic recyclers a stable payment per tonne of recycled material. Through so-called Circularity Contracts for Difference, the authors aim to reduce the financial risks associated with investments in plastic recycling and strengthen Europe’s recycling capacity at a time when demand for recycled materials is increasing. The proposal combines climate benefits, industrial competitiveness, and resource efficiency within a practical policy framework.
“From 2030, the EU will require plastic packaging to contain recycled material. That also requires a recycling industry capable of supplying it. Our proposal creates long-term and predictable conditions for investments in plastic recycling and can help build the capacity needed to meet future demand,” say Hampus Ardland Looström and Johanna Lindbäck.
This year’s finalists collectively demonstrated the breadth of future circular society solutions. In addition to the winning proposal, which focused on creating better conditions for plastic recycling through new economic incentives, the finalists also presented proposals aimed at increasing the use of recycled phosphorus through a verification and market model, and strengthening the reuse of construction materials through digital material passports and reuse requirements. Together, the three finalists illustrate how policy development can help reduce resource consumption, strengthen competitiveness, and accelerate the transition to a more circular society.
Runner-up Albert Lorenzo Hernández from the University of Gothenburg receives his award from Mattias Lindahl, Professor at Linköping University and jury member.
“The jury was impressed by the exceptionally high standard of this year’s entries. It is clear that more and more people are viewing resource issues in a broader context, where waste management, raw material supply, legislation, and competitiveness are closely connected. At the same time, this year’s finalists demonstrate that there are concrete solutions that can help drive the transition and provide reason for optimism about the future,” says Anders Kihl.
About the competition
The Student Case competition was launched in 2022 by the Ragnar Sellberg Foundation and Ragn-Sells in collaboration with Linköping University. The competition aims to encourage students to develop concrete policy proposals that can contribute to the transition towards a more resource-efficient and circular society. The finalists presented their proposals during Future Day 2026, where the winner received a prize of SEK 25,000.
For more information, please contact
Debby Porter Laffitte, Press Officer, Ragn-Sells Group, +46 (0)10 723 24 00, press@ragnsells.com
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