(Ecourage) Selected as NextCycle Michigan Team for 2026 Circular Accelerator
EAST LANSING, MI – (Ecourage) has been selected to participate in the NextCycle Michigan Circular Accelerator program designed to help reduce waste and recover materials in the state. ECOURAGE's “SCALING REUSE IN MICHIGAN: A MULTI-SECTOR REFILL INFRASTRUCTURE” initiative has proposed deploying ten (10) OMNITAP2™ smart refill stations across retail, hospitality, campus and commercial locations in Michigan.
NextCycleMichigan is an initiative of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), facilitated by Resource Recycling Systems Inc. (RRS), with support from the Michigan Recycling Coalition, and Fresh Coast. It is designed to connect entrepreneurs, companies, organizations, and communities to technical support, financial resources, and capacity building for recycling, recovery and reuse projects.
Michigan has an opportunity to become a national leader in reuse infrastructure by demonstrating how smart refill systems can eliminate single-use packaging waste before it enters the waste stream
said John Minagawa-Webster, Co-Founder of Ecourage Global and Michigan native.
Through the NextCycle Accelerator, we look forward to working with partners throughout Michigan to validate a scalable model that reduces waste, lowers operational costs, and advances Michigan’s circular economy goals.
(Ecourage) develops technology-enabled refill infrastructure that helps organizations transition away from single-use packaging. Using NFC-enabled dispensing technology, bulk delivery systems, and a real-time data management platform, (ecourage) provides businesses with the tools to track refill activity, reduce packaging waste and measure environmental impact. Following successful commercial trials in Japan and New Zealand, the company is advancing Michigan as a key market for demonstrating scalable, standardized reuse systems.
The program helps participants develop solutions ready to implement and primed for investment. (Ecourage) will be able to advance their initiative through:
· No-cost consulting support provided by NextCycle coaches and subject matter experts.
· Attending a multi-day workshop and planning-focused accelerator camp for targeted support, training sessions, and networking.
· In-Person participation at a showcase where they will pitch their initiatives to potential funders, investors, partners, and community leaders.
More information on (ecourage) can be found at www.ecourage-global.com. Learn more about NextCycle Michigan at www.NextCycleMichigan.com.