The Re-X Before Recycling Prize, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), aims to drive innovation in circular economy approaches, awarding up to $5.6 million in federal funding and technical support from DOE national labs. This initiative, launched by the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, seeks to support the reintegration of end-of-life products into the economy through reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and repurposing (collectively, "Re-X") before recycling. The prize is part of a broader effort to shift the U.S. manufacturing model from a traditional linear structure, which involves discarding used goods, to a sustainable circular model that maximizes resource utility, reduces emissions, and strengthens U.S. supply chain security.

The primary objective of the prize is to inspire solutions that can integrate end-of-use products into supply chains through Re-X, extending product lifecycles and reducing environmental impacts. DOE aims to enhance energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and mitigate waste by encouraging developments in circular supply chains across different regions and industries. Such efforts are anticipated to yield significant environmental and economic benefits, such as saving energy, reducing landfill and incineration needs, and minimizing the ecological footprint of material extraction.

The Re-X Before Recycling Prize is organized into three competitive phases spanning 2023 to 2025, encouraging participants to build and advance their solutions progressively. In Phase 1, called "Identify!", teams focus on uncovering new or expanded Re-X supply chain opportunities, creating an initial plan that outlines how their innovation could deliver community, environmental, and economic benefits. Up to 20 teams from this phase will each receive $50,000 and additional consulting from DOE labs, valued at $5,000, to refine the impact of their proposed innovations.

Phase 2, or "Prepare!", allows both Phase 1 participants and new entrants to deepen their ideas through further analysis and refinement. In this phase, up to 10 winning teams will receive $150,000 in funding and $100,000 in technical assistance for lab-based analysis to help optimize their innovation’s impact. Successful Phase 2 teams are expected to demonstrate enhanced understanding of their project’s benefits, refine their implementation plans, and develop a network of mentors and stakeholders to strengthen community impact.

The final phase, "Develop!", is exclusive to selected Phase 2 winners who will demonstrate substantial progress toward implementing their solution within a Re-X supply chain. This phase emphasizes executing the plan, expanding partnerships, and community engagement, with a long-term vision for sustaining the project beyond the prize period. Up to four teams in Phase 3 will receive $500,000 each to support implementation efforts, backed by lab resources to maximize the benefits of their circular supply chain innovations.

This phased structure supports the unique challenges of circular supply chains, which vary by region and over time due to differences in end-of-use product streams. The Re-X Prize is open to solutions targeting either established or emerging waste streams, providing flexibility to accommodate innovations that address diverse regional needs and waste types. Competitors are encouraged to carefully review official prize rules for specific application requirements, deadlines, and guidelines on the HeroX platform. For ongoing updates or questions, applicants can subscribe to notifications or directly contact the prize administrators at the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).