DEADLINE IS November 30th, 2026, 11:59 pm (PST).

The Emerging Composter Challenge, supported by USCC members, is an exciting competition that celebrates the ideas of future compost industry leaders, providing startup funding to help top winners take their innovative and impactful solutions beyond the COMPOST Conference.

Early-career composters and young professionals in the organics recycling space can network with COMPOST2027 attendees, gain industry exposure through the poster presentation portion, secure funding through the pitch portion of the challenge, and learn from expert-led sessions to advance their careers.

College students, recent graduates, and small businesses actively involved in or supporting organic recycling are encouraged to apply. Eligible participants must have less than five years of industry-related experience.

Ready to take the next step? Explore the ECC Application Form and review the Terms and Conditions below to join this year’s challenge!

This competition is open to young professionals and innovators working in composting, compostable products, organics recycling, or zero waste — including student-led ventures and research projects. It’s a chance for your students to:

·       Showcase their work to composters, investors, academics, and industry leaders

·       Compete for cash prizes

·       Present their work at COMPOST2027 in Jacksonville, FL on February 1 – 4

View the application

Eligibility: 5 years or less in business (if applicable) and no more than $100,000 in annual revenue (if applicable) — USCC membership is not required to apply.

Competition Process

Applications are accepted through November 30th, 2026, 11:59 pm (PST).

  • First round:
    • Conducted online via an online application.
    • The Organizer screens applicants for eligibility, and chooses final applicants based on the previously mentioned criteria, plus their clarity, relevance, feasibility and importance.
    • Finalists will be announced by December 19th, 2026.
  • Second round:
    • Conducted in-person during the Conference on February 2, 2026.
    • The voting will be conducted on Tuesday, February 2nd when in-person conference attendees will vote for their favorite three projects. The voting process will close on February 2nd, 11:59 PM EST.
    • The winners announcement will take place in the Conference Closing Ceremony on February 3th, 2027.

All finalists are requested to:

  • Send a digital copy of their poster by January 15, 2027. The poster should have the following characteristics:
    • Poster size: 24″x36″
    • Format: vector
    • ECC team will confirm with the finalists if they should bring their own soft copy of the poster to be presented over the Conference.
    • All finalists are required to create a 1-minute video pitch and upload it to YouTube, and add a QR code on the bottom right corner of the poster that redirects to the video.
  • Attend the conference in person and present on the dates listed above.