Waste is a enormous problem. Last year alone, Americans sent over 250 million tons of stuff to landfills. But this problem isn't just about trash, it's a problem of wasted resources, wasted space, wasted opportunity. As our perceptions of waste begin to shift, businesses are sprouting up across the globe and taking advantage of these opportunities to close open loops and birth new markets.

McKinsey & Co estimate that the transition to a circular economy represents an economic opportunity in excess of 1 trillion globally. The principles of the circular economy focus on redesigning industrial systems to more closely resemble living ecosystems.

This panel brings together innovators on the front lines of the Austin food space to discuss how startups can leverage circular principles to disrupt the current model and build more vibrant & resilient cities.