Circular Economy Program

What is a circular business? Circular businesses are ones that reduce their waste output by using recycled or reused materials during manufacturing, building products to last, offering a rental service over physical products and more. If your business is circular, we are here to help.

Learn about our programs 

• [RE]verse Pitch
  Participate in our annual competition for business ideas using hard-to-recycle materials.
• Business engagement visits
  Email us to schedule an appointment to meet. We meet one-on-one with circular economy business owners to learn about their needs and connect them to resources to help them grow.
• Austin Materials Marketplace
  Exchange reusable materials with other businesses. 
• Austin’s circular economy map
  Explore and add yourself to our interactive map of Austin businesses operating with circular economy principles.
• The material of the year
  Our program focuses on different materials to study what is being wasted, why and opportunities to capture that material’s value locally.
  • The 2019-2020 material was business textiles. Learn about ideas we considered and tested during this project. See the map of the urban circular textile material flow.
• Austin Reuse Directory
  Does your organization accept or sell used items or offer rental or repair services? Update or add your organization to our directory.
• Circular Austin Showcase
  Local entrepreneurs pitch circular economy business ideas and meet with investors to start and/or grow their businesses.

Get financial assistance

• Family Business Loan Program for small businesses.
• Community Navigator Program to apply for no-cost assistance for one-on-one coaching, virtual classes, and applying for government and philanthropic support.
• Zero Waste Business Rebate available for multifamily and commercial properties. 
• Business Retention and Expansion Program for businesses seeking local expansions, targeted hiring, relocations. 
• Brownfields Revitalization environmental assessments for redeveloping properties. 

Connect with us

• Join us on Slack.
• Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Find additional resources

• Get helpful information on how to start a business based on circular economy principles in the Circular Economy Enterprise Resource Guide.
• Take advantage of Small Business Program resources, including classes and free one-on-one coaching.

Residents play an important part in Austin’s circular economy by supporting businesses that practice circularity, or thinking about everyday practices that could help reduce waste in Austin. Here’s how you can help. 

• Shop zero waste
  Learn how our shopping habits can help support a local circular economy
• Use the Austin Reuse Directory
  Find places to donate or buy used/upcycled items, and repair or rent items within Austin.
• Get help repairing your broken items
  Attend a Fix-it Clinic to learn how to repair household items with the help of skilled coaches for free, or try your hand at repair with one of our other resources.
• Learn about Austin’s Circular Economy
  Explore our interactive map of Austin businesses operating with circular economy principles.
• Volunteer for MoveOutATX
  Help local university students donate household furniture, appliances, unopened food and other items to reuse organizations during move-out season.