City of Austin announces winner of 2026 Circular Austin Showcase; Pickle Envy wins $10,000 cash prize

AUSTIN, TX – The City of Austin announced the winner of the 2026 Circular Austin Showcase, a pitch competition for local circular businesses focused on reuse and zero waste. Circular business models reduce the need to extract new resources from our planet by keeping materials and products in use for as long as possible. 
 
A judging panel selected Pickle Envy as this year’s $10,000 Showcase winner, following pitches from four finalists at the May 14 event. Pickle Envy makes authentic, deli-style pickles, sauerkrauts, and other seasonal fermented foods from locally-grown vegetables—often from “seconds” and bumper crops, which prevents the produce from becoming waste. They reduce our community's reliance on industrially-produced foods by offering a viable alternative: fermented foods packed with nutrients and live probiotics.  

Libby Goldman, co-founder and partner of Pickle Envy, said they were honored and grateful for the win.

“It really means a lot as a small business owner,” Goldman said. “We don’t have venture capital or investors or anything like that. Getting this financial support from the City is really going to help Pickle Envy get to the next level, so I am overjoyed.”

In addition, four participants from the Circular Austin Accelerator track pitched their business ideas during the event, with Regenysys taking home the $2,000 Accelerator prize. Led by chemist August Longo, Regenysys is a circular alternative to Styrofoam that can be broken down and regenerated repeatedly through a low-energy, low-waste process. 

The Circular Austin Accelerator track helps entrepreneurs improve their circular business ideas throughout a multi-week program. Scoring criteria for both the Accelerator and the Showcase tracks included business viability, environmental impact, innovation in circularity, economic impact and social impact.

Other finalists in the 2026 Circular Austin Showcase had included:

• FitDel delivers fitness equipment through flexible rentals, keeping machines in shared use and reducing waste.

• That's Sew Austin is a shared sewing studio that extends the life of textiles through repair, reuse, and community skill-building.

• Wanderlust Wine Co. reduces waste and emissions through sustainable innovations like their kegged wine program.

In the Accelerator track, other finalists had included: 

• Curated Thrift is a personal styling and event service that helps people refresh their wardrobes and homes using thoughtfully sourced secondhand pieces. 

• R3grnd's CircularSync receptacle makes recycling seamless and efficient at the source, closing the loop on disposable cup waste. 

• ReImajin.It is a sustainable fashion brand that upcycles outdated and discarded textiles—turning waste into worth, exclusion into access and consumption into circularity. 

The Circular Austin Showcase event is focused on connecting local investors to circular economy entrepreneurs and business owners. As a partnership between Austin Resource Recovery and Austin Economic Development, this City of Austin program aims to help Austin reduce waste, help our planet and grow the local circular economy. 

Director Richard McHale of Austin Resource Recovery said the sixth annual Circular Austin Showcase spotlighted a highly diverse set of business models—from creating brand-new material to reducing food waste.  

“That diversity demonstrates how circular business models can show up where you may least expect them,” McHale said. “Austin needs businesses like these to succeed for our community to reach our zero waste goal.”

Ann Eaton, assistant director of Austin Economic Development, said the Showcase shows a shift from traditional growth to “smarter, more efficient growth.”

“These businesses are proving that reducing waste isn’t a limitation, it’s a competitive advantage that drives innovation and opens new pathways for scaling,” Eaton said. “Austin is leaning into that model, and it’s positioning our economy to lead in the next era of business.”

Judges for the 2026 event included: 

• Alina Sanchez, founder, Accelerating Purpose 

• Bart Bohn, partner, ATP 

• Jeff Blickman, director, Palm Venture Studios 

• Nancy Lyon, director, Austin Community College Bioscience Incubator 

To receive updates from Austin Resource Recovery about resources and events for sustainable businesses, subscribe to the circular economy monthly newsletter.

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About Austin Resource Recovery

Austin Resource Recovery is City of Austin department. We provide essential services that protect people and our planet. We collect recycling, composting, trash, large brush, bulk items, household hazardous waste and dead animals. Austin Resource Recovery also sweeps the streets, offers Austin and Travis County residents a service to recycle and safely dispose of household hazardous waste and provides community outreach and education. The department is driving the global transformation of traditional waste management to sustainable resource recovery. Learn more at AustinRecycles.com.

About Austin Economic Development   

Austin Economic Development is a City of Austin department that supports business growth, creative industries, and local communities. These programs build an equitable, sustainable economy to improve the lives of all Austin residents. To learn more about helpful resources, visit www.austintexas.gov/edd and subscribe to the department’s newsletter. Connect with EDD @AustinEconDev on Facebook, @AustinEconDev on Instagram, and @AustinEconDev on YouTube.