RECAP: 2023 I2P3-RSC Team Showcase

Oct 30

SUMMARY OF EVENT

NextCycle Michigan’s Team Showcase events have proven exciting and inspiring. The 2023 Team Showcase was no exception, featuring 13 teams from two accelerator tracks: Intergovernmental and Public-Private Partnerships (I2P3), and Recycling Supply Chains (RSC). Remarking on the energy of the event, the director of the Michigan Recycling Coalition, Kerrin O’Brien, stated, “I have to say, it is so much fun to be in this room today!”

The Team Showcase was held on October 23rd at Treetops Resort taking advantage of the peak fall color season in Gaylord, Michigan, where attendees were wowed by birds-eye views of the trees. The event was co-located with the Michigan Sustainability Conference (MISCON) and a business match-making event hosted by NextCycle Michigan and Pure Michigan Business Connect.

The Team Showcase is the capstone of NextCycle Michigan’s Accelerator program, an initiative of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). After six months of business and technical support, mentoring, and planning, teams pitched their projects to an audience of industry leaders, public sector decision-makers and prospective investors and partners. Six RSC teams and seven I2P3 teams vied for prizes totaling $50,000. Prize sponsors included BlueTriton, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industry (ISRI) as well as core NextCycle Michigan facilitators RRS, Centrepolis Accelerator and the Michigan Recycling Coalition.

The Accelerator currently has four specialized tracks all focused on expanding the recovery, reuse, recycling and composting of materials in Michigan. As infrastructure, supply chains, and end markets are developed, Michigan’s circular economy is strengthened having a positive impact on jobs, equity and environment. The I2P3 accelerator track supports government-initiated projects that will accelerate recycling and composting in their communities. Businesses filling gaps in recycling supply chains through hub-and-spoke systems, logistics, processing or material end market innovations are served by the RSC accelerator track.

The afternoon began with a welcome from Julie Staveland, the assistant director of EGLE’s Materials Management Division. Ms. Staveland described how she and her four children recycle and chose recycled-content and reused back-to-school clothing and supplies. Recycling and reuse are normal for the most recent generations, she observed, a sign of the growth of circularity in Michigan’s economy.

Audience listening to team representative pitch their project.

Matt Flechter, EGLE’s recycling market development specialist, spoke next. He noted how the big ideas and good stories embodied by the NextCycle Michigan teams are serving to build a circular, equitable economy in Michigan and spread the word that, “Michigan is the place to grow your circular economy project!”

Teams were allocated a total of 10 minutes: 5 minutes to pitch their project and 5 minutes to answer questions from a panel of judges. Recordings of each team’s pitch will be available on the NextCycle Michigan YouTube channel.

While the judges deliberated, the participants enjoyed the keynote address. NextCycle Michigan was honored to have Michigan Public Service Commissioner Alessandra Carreon give the keynote address. Her work has often combined materials management concerns and energy issues, and she observed that, in addressing environmental and equity issues today, we cannot focus on just one part of the picture. Ms. Carreon commented that as NextCycle Michigan grows, it continues to support solutions which are filling gaps in Michigan’s circular economy.

After the event, several teams commented on their experience with the NextCycle Michigan Accelerator program.

"They connected us to the expertise we needed to move this project forward. Makes me feel really excited to be able to bring this to my community now and feel confident that we have had professionals behind it that know some of the things that we may have overlooked," said Evan Lanese, GIS technician with Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR),

"NextCycle was able to connect us with folks that are sources of stainless steel, so being able to bring that into our supply chain,” stated Bridget Allen, director of growth at Kadeya. “They have been tremendously helpful in connecting us with lots of folks within Michigan on the manufacturing side - large OEMs and large tier manufacturers."

"It inspires us all to do more. Having one-on-one coaching helps us dig into our business a little more about our financials and where our true trajectory can go," Todd Wilson, founder and COO of Perfect Circle Recycling. "Having that second opinion and their experience to add upon to what we are doing, it just really opened up our eyes to bigger and better things…We know our path now."

"Over the past six months, this has helped us hone in our idea. What's it going to look like? How are we going to do it? Who are the partners we are going to engage?" said Doug Farrell, assistant director of community development for Calhoun County. "A lot of times you have these great ideas, but if you don't have the meetings and the things we are doing through NextCycle and the check-ins - it helped us continuously push that project forward. I think we wouldn't be as far along as we are now, if it weren't for NextCycle."

AWARDS AND JUDGES

The I2P3 teams pitched first. The I2P3 judges panel included:

I2P3 Best Overall Pitch

Isabella County, represented by Jake Borton and Charity Sweet

$10,000 prize sponsored by RRS, presented by Elisa Seltzer

Community Impact Award

Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR), represented by Evan Lanese

$5,000 prize sponsored by ISRI, presented by Matt Flechter of EGLE

I2P3 People's Choice Award

Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR), represented by Evan Lanese

$2,500 prize sponsored by the Michigan Recycling Coalition, presented by Kerrin O'Brien

Ray Hugel, Closed Loop Partners
Kris Jolley, Michigan State University Surplus Store & Recycling Center
Madison Opperthauser, City of Detroit
Andi Tolzdorf, Emmet County Recycling

The winning teams were:

I2P3 Best Overall Award

Isabella County, represented by Jake Borton and Charity Sweet
$10,000 prize sponsored by RRS, presented by Elisa Seltzer

I2P3 Community Impact Award

Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR), represented by Evan Lanese
$5,000 prize sponsored by ISRI, presented by Matt Flechter of EGLE

I2P3 People's Choice Award

Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR), represented by Evan Lanese
$2,500 prize sponsored by the Michigan Recycling Coalition, presented by Kerrin O'Brien

After a break, the RSC Accelerator teams pitched their innovative projects.

RSC Track judges included:

Made Better Award (RSC Best Overall)

42 Degrees represented by Samuel Rosinski

$15,000 prize sponsored by BlueTriton represented by Ed Ferguson

Ready Refresh Award

Kadeya represented by Bridget Allen

$5,000 prize sponsored by BlueTriton presented by Ed Ferguson

Centrepolis Award

SoNeeded Journee represented by Amika Adams I

$10,000 in-kind prize sponsored by the Centrepolis Accelerator presented by Dan Radomski

RSC People's Choice Award

SCRAP Creative Reuse represented by Claire Tyra

$2,500 prize sponsored by the Michigan Recycling Coalition presented by Kerrin O'Brien

David Bloom, Pointe Angels
Ed Ferguson, BlueTriton
Brian Miller, Cascade Engineering
Dan Schoonmaker, West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum
Lindsey Walker, Emmet County Recycling

The awards went to:

Made Better Award (RSC Best Overall Award)

42 Degrees represented by Samuel Rosinski
$15,000 prize sponsored by BlueTriton represented by Ed Ferguson

Ready Refresh Award

Kadeya represented by Bridget Allen
$5,000 prize sponsored by BlueTriton presented by Ed Ferguson

Centrepolis Award

SoNeeded Journee represented by Amika Adams I
$10,000 in-kind prize sponsored by the Centrepolis Accelerator presented by Dan Radomski

RSC People's Choice

SCRAP Creative Reuse represented by Claire Tyra
$2,500 prize sponsored by the Michigan Recycling Coalition presented by Kerrin O'Brien

I2P3 TEAMS

With the support of NextCycle Michigan, the City of Eaton Rapids will develop plans for a new recycling center. This project is being led by the city in collaboration with Hamlin Township, Eaton Rapids Township, and the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission. The group envisions a staffed drive-through structure for drop-off of residential recyclables coupled with a comprehensive center for bulky and hard-to-recycle materials. The center will also improve drop-off recycling access for multi-family and rural households. See www.cityofeatonrpaids.com/recycling.

Isabella County’s “Creating a Regional Hub and Spoke” project team plans to overhaul and upgrade the existing county materials recovery facility (MRF). The project will position Isabella County to fill a regional gap in MRF services identified by the NextCycle Michigan Gap Analysis. In addition to materials collected within the County, Isabella’s MRF has the potential to provide processing of recyclables—including aluminum and steel cans, cardboard, paper, and plastic bottles--for eight additional counties. For more information visit isabellacounty.org/departments/recycling-center.

With the support of NextCycle Michigan, Calhoun County seeks to improve the cost-effectiveness of their existing residential-only recycling system by moving operations to a location that can accommodate baling and storage facilities. At the same time, the County envisions an expanded comprehensive recycling center that would accept recyclables from small businesses that were affected by the closure of a materials recovery facility in Battle Creek. For more information on recycling in Calhoun County see www.calhouncountymi.gov/departments/recycling_and_solid_waste.

In Muskegon County, a group of elected officials, community organizations, businesses, and educators have been working to improve residential recycling services for several years. Led by the West Michigan Environmental Action Council Education Foundation, the group is midway through a feasibility study and seeks to develop a leadership team and collaborative implementation framework for recycling services with the support of NextCycle Michigan. Building on the momentum generated by the feasibility study process, the group will look at supporting new program development, promoting consistent educational messaging, and establishing sustainable partnerships and funding mechanisms. For more information, visit wmeac.org.

Crawford County aims to implement a county-wide recycling program in three phases: 1. Accept paper, plastic, cardboard, glass, and metals, 2. Add hard-to-recycle materials, and 3. Develop a comprehensive recycling center that can collect mattresses and electronics. NextCycle Michigan will support the County in strategizing to achieve passage of PA 138 and in development of systems and communications. For more information on recycling programs currently offered by some Crawford County communities, visit crawfordco.org/community-resources/recycle-information.

The Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR) will pilot a community composting project with support from NextCycle Michigan. The project aims to establish a composting site in Houghton County which will accept food and other organic waste from the residential and commercial sectors. WUPPDR is particularly interested in marketing their finished compost to local farmers because many farmers in the area currently purchase and transport compost across state lines. WUPPDR’s pilot project also proposes to support farmers markets and farm-to-school programs. Learn more about WUPPDR at wuppdr.org.

The Dickinson Conservation District (DCD) conducts a Conservation Needs Assessment survey every five years and the number one concern raised by constituents is an improved recycling program. The DCD will use the NextCycle Michigan I2P3 accelerator to develop plans for curbside recycling service in the County’s most densely populated areas and drop-off locations in more rural areas. This project will be conducted in partnership with GFL and Marquette County’s Recycle 906 facility. Connect with the Dickinson Conservation District at dickinsoncd.org.

RSC TEAMS

With support from NextCycle Michigan, the Hero Project aims to build an e-waste recycling system for cannabis vape pens including the design of a more efficiently recyclable device, rebate incentives for recycling, branding and communications, and a sorting operation to be located in the village of Kalkaska, Michigan. The primary mission of the project is the diversion and recycling of lithium batteries. Learn more here.

ReUser provides software that tracks use of reusable takeout containers and incentivizes their use by customers on university, hospital, and corporate campuses. The reUser team is looking to NextCycle Michigan’s RSC accelerator for support around logistical systems and connecting with corporate and institutional partners committed to sustainable solutions. Making reusable containers convenient across the value chain allows dining services to reduce costs and environmental impact. Learn more at reUser.app.

Kadeya’s patent-pending bottled-water kiosks combine a water testing and filtration system, a bottle sterilization mechanism, and collection of data regarding local water quality and use of the kiosk. Customers receive a reusable glass or steel bottle of chilled, purified, local water with a small fraction of the carbon footprint of single-use-bottled water transported over long distances. NextCycle Michigan will be supporting the Kadeya team in connecting with new local partners and with technical assistance around regulations and permits in Michigan. Learn more at kadeya.com.

SCRAP Creative Reuse (SCRAP) is a nonprofit organization which has been diverting scrap materials from businesses for use in art and crafts for nearly 40 years. Through expansion of their Fill Minds Not Landfills program, with support from NextCycle Michigan, they aim to grow their network of business partners, capture an additional 16,000 pounds of materials per year, increase revenue, increase staffing, and provide family-oriented community crafting events that educate about reuse for low-income and historically underserved neighborhoods in Washtenaw County. Learn more about SCRAP at scrapcreativereuse.org.

Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Perfect Circle Recycling provides a revolutionary alternative to traditional waste management and helps businesses divert waste from landfills, focus on sustainability, and create the perfect circle from waste - allowing it to be converted into useable forms, such as renewable energy, compost, and fertilizer. The company will be pursuing two projects with assistance from NextCycle Michigan on market influence and equipment expansion. First, enhancements to their transparency software will improve data logging and analytics, allowing their customers to explore their data and ensuring transparency in the repurposing of materials. Second, with their Trash Transformer project, they seek to expand their recycling capacity with equipment to collect, sort and process a wider variety of materials such as aseptic cartons, polypropylene, polyethylene, and valuable metals. Learn more at perfectcirclerecycling.com.

SoNeeded Journee is refining a business plan, identifying supply chains, and building a market entry strategy to produce tote-style purses with a compartment to carry special occasion shoes. The totes will be made from recycled materials, for example, scrap car leather and airbag materials, tapping into the major upcycling trend in fashion today. SoNeeded Journee is an all-in-one multi-function bag that is designed to carry fancy shoes to switch into flats, allowing for flexibility and sustainability with style. Learn more about founder Amika Adams I: https://www.amikaadamsthe1st.com/my-invention-process