Austin Aims To Reduce Waste With Contest

AUSTIN, TX — The City of Austin is accepting applications from local businesses and institutions to participate in the sixth annual [Re]Verse Pitch Competition, a program that aims to reduce waste in Austin and within the business community, officials announced Tuesday.

The [Re]Verse Pitch Competition is seeking businesses with surplus materials or by-product waste to apply to be material suppliers, officials described, as many businesses and organizations have waste products that have more economic potential than being sent to the landfill. As a material supplier, businesses will pitch their surplus material to competing innovators and entrepreneurs, who will create a new product or business venture using the material, according to a city advisory.

The city said competing entrepreneurs will receive guidance as they create a business plan and test their concepts for viability. Details on the prize will be announced in the coming months, officials added.

The deadline to apply to become a material supplier for the [Re]Verse Pitch Competition is Dec. 9. The application can be found here.

"As a material supplier, Austin businesses could cut their disposal costs, create new partnerships among the business community, have a positive social and economic impact in Austin, and establish new systems for waste reduction," officials said in a prepared statement.

The [Re]Verse Pitch Competition is also seeking volunteer mentors and advisors; volunteer opportunities can be found here. For more information, visit reversepitch.org.

The [Re]Verse Pitch Competition is a collaboration among the City of Austin, the Austin Young Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development with additional support from a wide variety of community partners.

About the Circular Economy Program

The City of Austin Circular Economy Program’s mission is to attract, retain and grow businesses, non-profits as well as entrepreneurs in the zero waste industry in order to create well-paying local jobs, attract investment and support the necessary infrastructure for a resilient circular economy in Central Texas.

The program is a partnership between Austin Resource Recovery and the Economic Development Department.