Accelerator Application Information
Deadline: OCTOBER 29, 2025
APPLICATION PERIOD: Sep 2 - Oct 29, 2025
What is an Accelerator?
An accelerator is a short-term program that helps businesses and/or projects rapidly scale and grow by providing mentorship, consulting from subject matter/technical experts, and access to partner and funding networks.
The NextCycle Michigan Accelerator is a free six-month program that provides coaching and mentoring in business and operational planning, access to technical and circular economy expertise, connections to supply chain partners, identification of funding pathways, development of creative strategies, and much more. The support is customized to each project to advance it toward implementation, where it can fill in gaps and strengthen Michigan’s circular economy.
The cohort kicks off with an in-person two-day academy, followed by several months of virtual coaching and support, and finally culminates in a showcase where teams pitch their projects and compete for awards.
NextCycle Michigan is open to public, private, and nonprofit organizations that have projects focused on material reuse, repair, recycling, organic material recovery, or recycled/recovered material content in new products. Proposed projects must be located in, and/or demonstrate potential for directly addressing materials generated in the state of Michigan.
Information Meetings
Join us for one of two VIRTUAL information meetings we like to call “Application Parties”. We keep the meetings casual and fun - feel free to turn on your video and unmute to join the discussion. We want to see you succeed, so bring your questions, and our program facilitators will bring the answers.
Seeking Projects in Two Categories
RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES:
Projects that advance or scale cutting-edge technologies or innovative processes in waste prevention, reuse, or recycling.
ORGANICS SOLUTIONS:
Projects focused on organic waste streams, including reduction or recovery of materials, composting and anaerobic digestion systems, and end markets. Relevant materials include food scraps, agricultural waste, wood waste, organic liquids, and related organic materials.
Download information packet
The information packet details eligibility, project types, application requirements, and additional resources. Please review before you begin the online application process. Applications must be submitted through the online application portal.
Cohort Timeline
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APPLICATION DEADLINE
OCT 29, 2025
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TEAM SELECTION
DEC 2025
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TEAM ONBORDING
JAN 2026
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IN-PERSON ACADEMY
JAN/FEB 2026
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VIRTUAL COACHING & PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
JAN – JUN 2026
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IN-PERSON SHOWCASE
JUN 2026
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TEAM OFFBOARDING
JUN/JUL 2026
Virtual Office Hours
Need additional assistance? Virtual office hours are available to provide one-on-one application support. Click on the NextCycle facilitator’s image below to schedule a 30-minute virtual meeting.
START YOUR APPLICATION HERE!
This is an online application process. When you click the button below, you will be sent to another website to complete the application. You can save your application and come back to complete it at a later date. Just be sure to submit by the deadline - OCT 29 2025, 11:59 PM ET!
Still have questions? Email us at: NextCycleMI@recycle.com