NextCycle Washington
2026 Pitch Showcase winners announced
The 2026 NextCycle Washington Pitch Showcase took place on May 4 at Tulalip Resort Casino, bringing together more than 100 attendees for an afternoon of circular economy innovation, community, and celebration. This event follows our six-month mentorship program where we work with the teams by providing technical assistance, identifying funding opportunities and helping them develop and improve their pitch. Each team gave their pitch presentation to a panel of judges and an audience of subject matter experts, potential investors, business/community leaders and more. This year, four teams were awarded by the judges and by an audience vote. Check out the winners below.
Material Solutions Best Pitch $10,000: Central Washington University
Central Washington University developed on-site composting infrastructure at CWU’s Wildcat Farm. The initiative diverts organic waste from landfill disposal while producing compost for food production and campus landscaping and serves as a living laboratory for students.
Technology Solution Best Pitch $10,000: Next Rep
Next Rep enables people to donate, sell, and buy gently used sports gear while supporting local grassroots teams, keeping equipment in play longer and making sports more accessible.
Material Solutions People's Choice $1,000: God’s Country Compost
God’s Country Compost is a locally owned composting service transforming agricultural, commercial, and food system residuals into high-quality compost, supporting soil health and rural circular economies throughout Okanogan County.
Technology Solutions People's Choice $1,000: Something Borrowed Exchange
Something Borrowed Exchange is a community-based platform reducing wedding waste by empowering members to share, borrow, and gift décor and supplies at no cost, making celebrations more affordable and sustainable.
Organics Best Pitch $10,000: BioFiber Industries
Bio Fiber Industries is a for-profit start-up transforming agricultural waste from cannabis, hemp, and hops into sustainable, high-performance construction materials and renewable energy
Organics People’s Choice $1,000: OceanMade
OceanMade is a for-profit start-up developing biodegradable solutions that nurture plants and reduce environmental impacts.
Innovation Best Pitch $10,000: Diaper Stork
Diaper Stork is a for-profit diaper pick-up/delivery service that professionally cleans cloth diapers and composts plant-based disposable diapers.
Innovation People’s Choice $1,000: NewType Group
NewType Group is a for-profit, public benefit corporation commercializing small plastic particle detection, biofiltration, and bioremediation technologies.
Reuse Best Pitch $10,000: FanWagn
FanWagn is a for-profit organization providing an online re-commerce marketplace for licensed sports apparel.
Reuse Best Pitch $1,000: Kimora Garden
Kimora Garden is a for-profit ecofriendly multi-vendor marketplace featuring upcyclers and thrifters selling their work both digitally and in-store.
Background
The NextCycle WA online platform offers data in the form of infrastructure and end-market gap analyses, waste characterization studies, and other economic, market, and demographic information. That data includes curated resources that support the accelerator team projects through business plan and pitch development.
A few of those resources include:
- Gap Analysis – a review of the gaps and opportunities in Washington’s circular economy infrastructure.
- Circular Resilience map – The Environmental Risk and Threats to Resilience map illuminates the relationships between community-focused circular economies and the compounding threats to community resilience.
- Circular Funding Resource Guide – for entrepreneurs to find funding that matches their mission.
Business accelerator
NextCycle WA’s accelerator opportunities are offered to teams made up of entrepreneurs, organizations, universities, communities, or a collaboration of entities seeking support to further develop or grow their project or business. Selected teams receive several months of technical support to further develop business or project plans, market approaches, and investment pitches. Programming includes a two-day Accelerator Academy kickoff where teams come together with industry experts for coaching, pitch practice, and business plan development. This highly interactive event encourages networking, peer-to-peer learning, and engagement with advisors. NextCycle WA programming also highlights opportunities for grants, private funding, and investment.
The accelerator teams’ efforts culminate with a showcase event to pitch their projects to an audience of business and community leaders, association representatives, potential investors, and subject matter experts who also serve as judges. Showcases provide important exposure and recognition for the accelerator team’s work.
The showcase can include monetary awards and recognition.
Learn more about the cohort teams and past winners
