The NextCycle Washington is thrilled to announce the Circular Accelerator program to provide technical assistance for promising businesses and projects.
Donor Name: NextCycle Washington
State: Washington
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Program
Deadline: 11/04/2024
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
NextCycle Washington is a circular economy innovation platform designed to support the growth of businesses, community-based organizations, tribal nations, and institutions working within Washington’s waste prevention, reuse, repair, recycling and/ or organics recovery industry. By nurturing projects, the program helps reduce waste, keeps materials in use longer, and regenerates natural systems while developing equitable local economies.
Selected projects are supported through a six-month program that includes consulting support, business planning, pitch development, and investment-readiness assistance.
The program will select up to 14 projects that contribute to building Washington’s Circular Economy. They vare looking for projects focused on waste prevention, reuse, repair, recovery, recycling, organics management, and product development using otherwise-wasted materials.
Grant Period
The programming period is January 2025 – June 2025.
Program Benefits for Selected Projects
- Preparation for Larger Investment Pathways: Teams that are selected for the Circular Accelerator will learn about the range of funding available to develop their projects and grow their businesses and organizations. Educational and consulting support will be provided to each team to help prepare a successful pitch for funding.
- One-on-one Consulting: Consulting services with specific task outcomes will be available from expert-in-resident economists, operators, engineers, researchers, and graphic designers at Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), Cascadia Consulting Group, Start Consulting Group, Traversal Design, and other partners from businesses, community organizations, universities, research institutions, and local/ state governments.
- Expert Mentorship from the extended NextCycle Washington network: Teams will have access to leading subject matter experts who can:
- Provide insight into business and project planning:
- Provide helpful information about the recycling landscape, and markets in Washington State and beyond; and
- Facilitate connections along the supply chain.
- Accelerator Academy: This multi-day, intensive experience includes workshops focused on developing project and business plans, identifying funding and investment opportunities, leveraging partnerships, developing the perfect pitch, and interacting with other NextCycle Washington teams and industry experts. Travel and attendance costs are supported by NextCycle Washington.
- Networking and Partnership Facilitation: Teams will learn with previous and future Next Cycle WA cohorts to expand the circular economy network within Washington State.
- Teams will have many opportunities to connect with:
- Experts and investors in their industries
- Community Organizations and Nonprofits;
- Universities and Research Institutions; and
- Local and State Governments.
- Teams will be supported in developing partnerships including:
- Supply chain partnerships,
- Cross-organization partnerships, and
- Public-private partnerships
- Teams will have many opportunities to connect with:
- NextCycle Washington Pitch Showcase: Teams will have the opportunity to pitch their venture to potential funders, investors, and partners at the conclusion of the track experience in May 2025.
- Recognition and Publicity: Teams are promoted through press releases, social media, published articles, webinars, the NextCycle Washington website, showcases, and public presentations, providing exposure to a larger network of investors and partners.
Example Projects
- A community-based non-profit upcycling materials into new products while creating jobs for refugee women
- A start-up business developing the region’s first successful food scrap composting collection and processing program
- A niche packaging manufacturer developing a new product using recycled content plastic
- An international food waste prevention technology provider expanding into the Washington market
- A start-up is developing a process to convert textile waste into recycled fiber to be used in new products.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed project has the potential for direct positive impact on Washington’s circular economy.
- Projects must be Washington-based or expanding to Washington and focused on waste prevention, reuse, repair, recycling, organics recovery, and/or product development using waste materials.
- Projects must have some existing traction. Ideation and feasibility studies are not eligible. Research projects working on product market fit and pilot projects are eligible.
- This program is open to private sector businesses, nonprofits, community-based organizations, institutions, and Tribal nations and organizations.
For more information, visit NextCycle Washington.
