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Circular Plastics Challenge

Join to propose industry-shifting ideas to keep plastics in the economy and out of the environment.

 

This program is no longer accepting applications. Finalist teams will be announced in early May 2025!

About the Circular Plastics Challenge

We need innovative leaders like you to imagine how we can craft a truly circular economy! Industry-leading companies are eager for fresh, out-of-the-box thinking to push the plastics industry to become more circular, at scale. Net Impact’s Circular Plastics Challenge calls upon innovators, systems-thinkers, and practitioners from all walks of life and levels of study to consider:

How might we develop a business concept that leverages artificial intelligence at any point within the plastics value chain (whether pre-consumer, during consumer use, or post-consumer) in order to maximize circularity throughout the plastic value chain? 

Up to five teams will be selected as finalists in the Circular Plastics Challenge. Finalist teams will be paired with a subject matter expert mentor to refine and prepare their presentation ahead of the finals. Finalist teams will present their solution to a panel of expert judges at the virtual Final Showcase event. The first place team will receive the $5,000 USD grand prize, with second and third place teams taking home $2,500 USD and $1,000 USD respectively. 

Finalist Benefits

Advance Your Career

Five finalist teams will be paired with a subject matter expert mentor to improve their final pitch ahead of the virtual Final Showcase. 

Expand your Network

Present your innovative solution to senior-level executives from the Coca-Cola Company and Hillenbrand, Inc. who are working on designing a more circular economy.

Win Prizes
  • First Place: $5,000
  • Second Place: $2,500
  • Third Place: $1,000



How it Works

Step 1: Get Started

Download the 2025 Challenge Brief, form your team of 2-4 members, and start ideating your solution! Apply by the early-bird deadline on March 14th to get personalized feedback from Net Impact Staff! 

Step 2: Grow your Network 

Everyone who downloads the Challenge Brief will be invited to an exclusive Industry Connections Networking Event to learn more about careers in sustainability!

Step 3: Submit your solution, become a finalist, and WIN! 

Submit your solution addressing the challenge statement. Submissions are due no later than 11:59 pm PT on Friday, April 11th, 2025. Finalist teams will be paired with an expert mentor to refine their final pitch presentation before presenting virtually to a panel of experts to win $5,000! 

Eligibility Criteria

  • Undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals from around the world are all welcome to apply.
  • Teams must have two to four members. Teams of one are not allowed.
  • Existing businesses and startups who are currently worth or raised more than $100,000 in capital are ineligible to participate. 

Program Timeline

  • January 2025: Program Launch - Challenge Brief is live
  • Week of February 24, 2025: Industry Connections Networking Event
  • March 14, 2025: Early Submission Deadline (To get personalized feedback from Net Impact staff on your submission)
  • April 11, 2025: Final Submission Deadline 
  • Week of June 9, 2025: Virtual Final Showcase
 

Time Commitment

If selected, finalist teams will be expected to commit to participating in the virtual Final Showcase in mid June 2025. The event will last approximately two hours and all team members are expected to attend. The final showcase will require approximately six to eight hours of preparation.

 
 

Meet this Year's Finalist Team Mentors and Final Judges 

Finalist Team Mentors 

Bailey Little Bailey Little | Senior Manager, Sustainability & Transformation, The Coca-Cola Company | As Senior Manager, Sustainability Trends, Bailey supports Coca-Cola's global technical sustainability team on sustainability reporting, target setting, KPI tracking, and sustainability data transformation across The Coca-Cola System's operations. She works with all Operating Units, Flavor Manufacturing, Commercial Product Supply, and Global Ventures on holistic sustainability strategy and reporting. Bailey joined Coca-Cola in the fall of 2023 after working in Energy & Sustainability consulting space, focusing on energy procurement and decarbonization.

van der Vorst-4 (2)Lisa Van Der Vorst | Senior Sales Director,  Mold-Masters, A Hillenbrand Company | Lisa van der Vorst is the Senior Director of Sales for North America with Mold-Masters, bringing over 30 years of expertise in sales and global account management within the plastics industry—including hot runners and injection molding machines. With a career spanning both the USA and Europe, she has held key leadership roles, driving growth, building high-performing teams, and fostering lasting customer relationships. With a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration, Lisa combines technical expertise with strategic business acumen to deliver innovative solutions. Her experience and forward-thinking approach empower her to anticipate customer needs, optimize performance, and drive sustainable success in a competitive market. 

Mark RasberryMark Rasberry | Senior Director, Digital Workplace Solutions & UX, The Coca-Cola Company | Mark Rasberry is the Senior Director of Digital Workplace Solutions & UX. In this role, Mark leads the development and implementation of digital workplace strategies that enhance user experience and drive innovation within the organization. Mark oversees various projects, including solution design, user experience research, and the development of digital tools and platforms. Collaborating closely with different departments and functions, Mark ensures that digital solutions align with business goals and improve overall productivity. 

Ruff, Maxim Maxim Ruff| Sales Manager, Coperion, A Hillenbrand Company | Maxim Ruff currently serves as Sales Manager at Coperion GmbH, where he leads international business development and client engagement in the field of industrial plant engineering. With over two decades of experience in mechanical and process engineering, he has held various leadership roles in project management, service innovation, and technical sales across Europe and Asia. He holds a Master of Science in Mechatronics and a Master of Arts in Business and Leadership for Engineers and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. focused on business model innovation in the era of servitization and digitalization. Maxim brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective, combining deep technical expertise with strategic insight into sustainable industrial transformation.

Taylor Royer Taylor Royer | Manager, Global Packaging Development & Innovation - Sustainability, The Coca-Cola Company | Taylor Royer serves as Manager, Packaging Development at the Coca-Cola Company. In this role, Taylor supports sustainability initiatives for packaging in North America and is involved in project involving many different packaging formats. Taylor is passionate about continually learning about sustainability and how it can be applied to make an impact.

 

Final Judges 

20240226_103433Christopher Dow | Global Business Development Manager, Coperion Recycling, A Hillenbrand Company 

Chris is a seasoned professional who has dedicated his career to advancing recycling infrastructure on an international scale. In 2006, he played a pivotal role in constructing the UK’s first food-grade rHDPE and rPET recycling plant—a groundbreaking achievement showcasing a blend of technical expertise with entrepreneurial vision. Drawing on extensive experience in business development and senior management, Chris channels his passion for environmental sustainability into working alongside experts to develop new recycling technologies and expanding the recycling industry worldwide. His work not only enhances operational efficiencies across the recycling process but also fosters significant contributions toward a circular economy. Chris regularly lends his insight and expertise to both government bodies and industry leaders, advising on policies and strategic initiatives that drive sustainable practices. Currently, as the Global Business Development Manager with Coperion Recycling, he continues to spearhead transformative efforts, helping to set the standard for future innovations in recycling technology.

Sai Mukkamala Sai Mukkamala | Director of Strategy & Planning for the Sustainability Team, The Coca-Cola Company 

Sai Mukkamala is the Director of Strategy & Planning for the Sustainability Team at Coca-Cola. In his role, Sai manages the integrated planning & performance for the North America Sustainability Team, including facilitating development of multi-year strategies and supporting the roadmap of initiatives and performance measurement capabilities. He manages strategic planning work on behalf of the Sustainability group, developing holistic and integrated business goals and priorities embedded within Operating, Marketing, and Customer plans to deliver World Without Waste, Water, Energy & Carbon objectives. He is responsible for ensuring that the long-range sustainability planning and financial budget is aligned with Marketing, Finance, and Technical teams to deliver on corporate commitments. Prior to his current role, he worked in investment strategy, commodities, supply-chain, and financial planning & risk management at Coca-Cola and in the financial services industry. Sai attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned dual-bachelor's degrees in Finance and Computer Science through the Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology at the Wharton School and served as the co-founder of Penn Microfinance. Sai earned his MBA from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where he focused his studies on General Management, Operations, Strategy, and Finance. At Kellogg, Sai served as director of the Kellogg Marketing Club and received the Northwestern Buffett Sustainability Award from the Northwestern Buffett Institute for Global Affairs.

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