ImagiNxt 2026 Brings Together MACCIA, GTU and Circularity Innovation Hub to Launch Maharashtra's 100-Village Circular Economy Pilot

The announcement marks the next phase of the “One Village, One Entrepreneur” movement, evolving beyond entrepreneurship enablement into structured village economies driven by infrastructure, circular economy systems, entrepreneurship and community participation.

As part of the announcement, the organisations unveiled the proposed “100 Village Circular Economy Pilot”, focused on creating scalable economic transformation models through village-level circular economy systems, waste-to-wealth infrastructure, entrepreneurship enablement, productive infrastructure deployment and sustainable rural economic systems.

The announcement was made in the presence of Mr Ravindra Mangave, President, MACCIA and GTU Mission Pioneer; Mr Rameshwar Pawar, Chairman, Udyog Vichar Manch; Mr Gaurav Somwanshi, Chairman, Research & Innovation Committee, MACCIA; and Mr Joel Michael, Founder & CEO, Circularity Innovation Hub India Pvt. Ltd., alongside GTU leadership, entrepreneurs, industrialists, district coordinators and ecosystem stakeholders from across Maharashtra.

The proposed pilot initiative aims to establish Circular Economy Innovation Hubs across selected villages and districts to help generate sustainable economic value through local waste-to-wealth systems. The initiative also introduced a financial framework powered by Granullo to support transparent capital deployment, community reinvestment and measurable impact outcomes.

Speaking at the event, Mr Ravindra Mangave, President of MACCIA and GTU Mission Pioneer, said, “Gaon Tithe Udyojak was built on a simple but powerful belief - that every village possesses talent, resources and entrepreneurial potential. The next phase of this movement is about building the systems, infrastructure and partnerships required to transform local potential into sustainable village economies.”

Mr Rameshwar Pawar, Chairman of Udyog Vichar Manch, added, “This initiative is not designed as a short-term program. It is being envisioned as a scalable economic ecosystem that connects entrepreneurship, infrastructure, circular economy models and institutional participation to create long-term opportunities for villages across Maharashtra.”

Speaking on the broader vision behind the collaboration, Mr Joel Michael, Founder & CEO of Circularity Innovation Hub India Pvt. Ltd., said, “We aim to build a thriving shared-economy ecosystem across villages where circularity transforms waste into wealth, land into productive infrastructure and communities into cooperatives. This initiative is designed to create transparent and purpose-driven systems for capital deployment, community participation and sustainable economic growth.”

The collaboration further aims to explore scalable frameworks for circular economy entrepreneurship, productive village infrastructure and sustainable rural economic systems. The event also featured the premiere screening of “Gaon Tithe Udyojak – Building Rural Economies of the Future”, a short film showcasing the vision for entrepreneurship-led rural transformation across Maharashtra.

The proposed pilot will initially target 100 villages and 100 entrepreneurs, with long-term ambitions to create scalable frameworks for broader deployment across Maharashtra.

About ImagiNxt

ImagiNxt is India’s global festival of technology, innovation and the future of business - bringing together the people building what’s next. It’s not just a conference - it’s a catalyst for ideas, partnerships and decisions that define the future. ImagiNxt brings together founders, policymakers, enterprise leaders, investors, academia and public institutions. Designed as a convergent ecosystem, it aims to shape conversations and enable action around the future of industries and economies.