ABOUT BEAM
BEAM Circular
BEAM Circular is working to to unlock the power of communities to transform waste into economic prosperity and environmental solutions. We believe that every person should have access to a good job, clean air and water, and a thriving community.
We work as an “action tank” to accelerate new solutions through a portfolio of public-private projects, collaborative programs, and targeted investments that scale transformative innovations in industrial biomanufacturing. Our initiatives are designed to build a vibrant regional ecosystem for the circular bioeconomy in California’s agricultural heartland, anchored in the North San Joaquin Valley.
“BEAM” stands for BioEconomy, Agriculture, & Manufacturing — reflecting the industry intersections where we focus our work. “Circular” represents our dedication to enabling solutions that reduce and repurpose waste, stewarding our natural resources and supporting healthy communities.
Strategy
Our five-pillar strategy boosts innovation capacity in the region, bridges connections to capital, fosters cross-sector collaboration, unlocks access to diverse and abundant biomass feedstocks, and ensures that an inclusive talent pipeline scales along with the demands of the growing circular bioeconomy.
History of BEAM
BEAM Circular emerged from community efforts in the North San Joaquin Valley to reimagine our local economy as one where everyone can thrive. Our organization was launched in 2023 with seed funding from Stanislaus County, grounded in strategies developed through the Stanislaus 2030 economic development planning initiative.
We refined our strategies and grew our impact through the launch of CBIO Collaborative in early 2023 with UC Merced and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as co-leads, supported by a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine Award. CBIO is now a coalition of over 100 partners working together to accelerate circular bioeconomy innovation, workforce development, and industry scale-up.
BEAM Circular continues to deepen our impact in the North San Joaquin Valley while expanding our impact through state, national, and global partnerships. We lead a growing portfolio of public-private projects, supported by federal, state, local, and private funding.
BEAM Circular was incubated at economic development nonprofit Opportunity Stanislaus from 2023-2024, and is now an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
History of BEAM
BEAM Circular emerged from community efforts to reimagine our local economy as one where everyone can thrive. Grounded in strategies developed through the collaborative Stanislaus 2030 planning process, BEAM Circular is helping to bring diverse leaders, resources, and partners together to harness some of the region’s most underutilized resources, establish the North San Joaquin Valley as a global leader in the future bioeconomy, and to deliver social, economic, and environmental value to local communities.
BEAM Circular was launched in 2023 with a seed investment by Stanislaus County, and has since mobilized federal, state, local, and private funding to advance the initiative. Key investments have included a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine Development Award and an Economic Development Pilot Grant from the state of California.