From early-stage entrepreneurs to large businesses, PreCycle is here to support your effort to prevent, reduce, or reuse waste.

Innovate and Rethink Waste

Building a circular economy

PreCycle seeks to advance Washington’s transition to a more circular, regenerative, and just economy.

We provide inclusive opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners to innovate and redefine the way we think about waste. The PreCycle program is designed to support start-ups and business seeking to prevent, reduce, or reuse waste in Washington through training and access to a community of practice.

PreCycle is a collaborative program by nonprofit organizations Seattle Good Business Network and Zero Waste Washington.

Students and Startup Entrepreneurs

PreCycle Innovation Challenge

An annual online pitch competition and training series for innovative startups working to prevent, reduce, or reuse waste in support of a more circular and just Washington State.

  • The pitch competition is open for business or non-profit product, service, or idea that addresses waste or recycled materials. Waste-to-energy ideas are subject to consideration.

    Your idea, product or service must impact waste generated in WA state. Teams in a neighboring region (Idaho, Oregon, or British Columbia) are eligible if their project impacts waste streams that are present in WA State and could be replicable in WA State geography.

    You don't need to already have a fully-formed idea or existing team to participate.

  • The PreCycle Innovation Challenge is currently on hiatus.

Businesses and Organizations

PreCycle Exchange Network

Quarterly in-person and online forums for businesses to designed for businesses to come together to identify surplus and discarded ‘waste’ materials that can be repurposed or used by others.

  • Businesses and organizations that generate commercial waste or are interested in accessing byproducts or waste locally and sustainably can come to make connections, build community, and learn about the business opportunities that the Circular Economy will bring! Community leaders and all businesses with material needs are welcome to participate:

    • Textiles

    • Construction & Demolition

    • Food/Organics

    • Staging/Furnishing

    • Artists

    • … and more!

  • We’ll be back with updates on programming in Winter 2025.

What is a Circular Economy?

A circular economy, as defined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting.

The circular economy tackles climate change and other global challenges, like biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution, by decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources.”