What Second Cycle Inc. does

Second Cycle Inc. is a Quebec-based private corporation founded in 2010 that operates a circular economy consulting practice alongside a digital marketplace for surplus industrial and institutional materials. The firm is headquartered at 190 Rue Dorchester in Quebec and is led by co-founder and CEO Frédéric Bouchard, ing. Its customer base is organized into three segments — industries, institutions (notably CEGEPs and colleges), and material recycling facilities — and is served through a combination of professional advisory engagements, an online bilingual marketplace (store.secondcycle.net), and a secure private portal for institutional transactions. Visible clients include Collège Ahuntsic and Cégep de St-Jérôme.

The company's core technology stack centers on SC(IA), a proprietary inventory analysis platform that integrates drone-based photogrammetry to measure and characterize surplus material stocks on client sites. This software layer is offered alongside conventional consulting deliverables such as life-cycle assessments, ecodesign, funding research, and carbon credit strategy. The marketplace generates revenue through transaction fees (15% for Interac, 18% for credit card payments), while the consulting and software lines are sold on a project/engagement basis. The firm also maintains strategic funding-body partnerships with CRIBIQ, PRIMA, and Fonds ÉcoLeader to co-finance client circular economy projects.

Second Cycle's revenue mechanics span fee-for-service consulting, recurring or project-based software/inventory management engagements, marketplace take-rates, and ancillary carbon-credit advisory. The go-to-market is bilingual (French/English) and Canada-focused, with stated intent to expand into the United States. In 2025 the firm obtained an 85% Eco-Responsibility Certification, reinforcing its institutional procurement positioning. No external funding rounds, headcount figures, or revenue disclosures are available in the source material, and the firm's overall scale should be treated as that of a small specialized consultancy with a niche marketplace product.

Name

Second Cycle Inc.

Legal name

Second Cycle Inc.

Website

https://secondcycle.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Second Cycle Inc. is a Quebec-based circular economy consultancy founded in 2010 that serves industries, institutions, and material recycling facilities through professional advisory services, a proprietary drone-based inventory software (SC(IA)), and a bilingual online marketplace for surplus materials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Circular Economy Consulting

akta.pro primary industry

Circularity Consulting & Program Management (EPR, Design-for-Circularity, LCA) (EUAIANAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Secondary Materials Brokerage & Trading (Recovered Commodities) (BPALADAJ), Asset Recovery, Liquidation & Secondary Market Logistics (TLAIAHAF), Recommerce, Trade-In & Buyback Collection (TLAAALAM)

Keywords

• Circular economy consulting
• Industrial surplus marketplace
• Carbon credit brokerage
• Life cycle assessment
• Inventory management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarke City

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Strategic and operational consulting for circular economy integration, including circular economy audits, business plans, market studies, life cycle analysis, ecodesign, and carbon credit strategies. Revenue generated through consulting fees for project-based engagements.
2. Marketplace Transaction Fees: The store.secondcycle.net platform facilitates buying and selling of surplus industrial equipment and materials through tendering and auctions. Second Cycle acts as intermediary, charging transaction fees including buyer fees of 15% for Interac transfers or 18% for credit cards, and payment processing fees of $100/hour for payment errors.
3. Inventory Management Services: Drone-based inventory assessment and material stock measurement services using proprietary SC(IA) software. Includes consulting services for valuation of recycling residual materials and circular economy analysis.
4. Funding Research Services: Assistance in identifying and securing funding through public programs, private investments, or banking solutions for circular economy projects. Facilitates connections between project representatives and funding program administrators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Second Cycle Inc. provides circular economy advisory services to industries, public institutions, and material recycling facilities, covering audits, business plans, market studies, life cycle analysis (LCA), ecodesign, carbon credit strategies, and funding research. The firm complements these services with proprietary SC(IA) inventory analysis software combined with drone-based photogrammetry for volumetric material stock measurement, and operates a bilingual transactional marketplace (store.secondcycle.net) that intermediates the sale, tender, and auction of surplus industrial materials and equipment.

Product overview

Second Cycle Inc. operates a circular economy platform combining a bilingual transactional marketplace with proprietary drone-based inventory software and a portfolio of specialized consulting services. The core is the Second Cycle Marketplace (store.secondcycle.net), where organizations list surplus industrial materials and equipment for sale, auction, or donation via public tender — with Second Cycle acting as intermediary. This platform is complemented by the Second Cycle Inventory Analysis SC(IA) software, which pairs with drone-based photogrammetry to automate inventory flights, generate 3D visualizations of material stocks, and produce certified volumetric reports. The consulting suite includes Circular Economy Audit, Business Plan & Market Studies, Carbon Credit Strategies, Asset Management & Tendering Portal, Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Ecodesign of Products, and Funding Research — all aimed at helping industries, institutions, and material recycling facilities adopt circular economy practices across the full value chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Second Cycle Marketplace A bilingual (French/English) transactional e-commerce marketplace where organizations list surplus industrial materials, equipment, and goods for sale, donation, or auction via public tender, with Second Cycle acting as intermediary for payment collection and logistics coordination.
• Second Cycle Inventory Analysis SC(IA) Software A proprietary software tool used in combination with drone-based data collection to automate inventory flights, generate reliable inventory reports, recognize material types and associate them with correct densities and market values, and reduce margins of error in stock measurement for recycling residual materials.
• Drone-Based Inventory Management Inventory management service using drones and photogrammetry analysis to inspect, control, and monitor material stocks and storage zones, generate 3D representations of raw and residual material piles, and measure volumes precisely — delivered alongside consulting services for valuation of recycling residual materials.
• Circular Economy Audit Assessment service to identify new and innovative sources of revenue, optimize expenses, integrate recycled raw materials, strengthen stakeholder relationships, develop financing models for circular economy projects, and create new sustainable material channels.
• Business Plan & Market Studies Business planning and market study services including market segmentation analysis, competitive analysis, marketing strategy development, three-to-five year financial projections, business networking with suppliers and strategic partners, and assembly of financing and government assistance sources.
• Carbon Credit Strategies Brokerage and advisory services for buying and selling carbon credits within legal frameworks and voluntary carbon markets, providing advice on optimal carbon credit strategies, and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions to generate additional income and enhance organizational reputation.
• Asset Management & Tendering Portal Expertise in surplus asset management providing access to a secure private portal enabling institutions to streamline material resources team operations, conduct occasional tendering and auctions through public networks, donate surplus to nonprofit organizations, and meet surplus disposal policy requirements.
• Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of Products Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method considering the entire lifecycle of materials from raw materials to end-of-life disposal, providing concrete assessments to demonstrate commitment to combating global warming, strengthen stakeholder trust, provide optimization starting points for R&D teams, and supply marketing teams with environmental positioning material.
• Ecodesign of Products Product ecodesign services acting upstream at the design phase to minimize environmental impact, helping companies increase profitability by optimizing material and energy quantities, enhance innovation capacity, boost competitiveness, develop new business opportunities, and improve corporate image through stakeholder mobilization.
• Funding Research for Circular Economy Projects Financing research services for industrial and recycling center clients, including analysis of industry needs, elaboration and revision of business plans and financial projections, development of project financing strategies, search for funding through public programs, private investments, or banking solutions, negotiation with financial partners, and accompaniment through to final decision.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce environmental impacts of products at source during design phase
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CT ConsultantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCT Consultant is listed as a partner on Second Cycle's website, indicating a consulting collaboration relationship for delivering circular economy solutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TerraCycle: Operates circular economy solutions, recycling programs, and a marketplace for hard-to-recycle materials across industries and institutions. Comparable to Second Cycle's combination of circular consulting, recycled materials supply chain creation, and brokered surplus asset disposition.
• South Pole Group: Climate consultancy and carbon credit developer serving corporates on decarbonization strategies, offsetting, and circular supply chains. Comparable to Second Cycle's carbon credit brokerage and circular economy advisory offering, but at global scale.
• Carbon Trust: Sustainability consultancy specializing in carbon footprinting, LCA, and carbon credit advisory for industries and governments. Directly comparable to Second Cycle's LCA and Carbon Credit Strategies service lines.
• Sphera: Provides LCA software, carbon management, and ESG data platforms used by manufacturers. Comparable to Second Cycle's SC(IA) software plus LCA and carbon credit consulting stack, though Sphera is enterprise-grade and SaaS-led.
• Anthesis Group: Global sustainability and circular economy consultancy serving industries and institutions on strategy, LCA, and ecodesign. Comparable to Second Cycle's consulting suite (audit, LCA, ecodesign, business plans) but operating at multinational scale.
• Closed Loop Partners: Circular economy investment and consulting platform that builds recycling infrastructure and advises brands/institutions on circular supply chains. Comparable business model blend of advisory + materials marketplace brokering to Second Cycle.

Broad incumbents

• Rubicon Technologies: Technology platform focused on waste, recycling, and circular economy routing with a B2B SaaS and marketplace model. Comparable to Second Cycle's marketplace + proprietary software approach but at materially larger scale and with external capital.

Emerging players

• Recycleye: AI and computer-vision technology for material recycling facilities, focusing on sorting and inventory characterization. Comparable technology overlap with Second Cycle's drone-photogrammetry inventory analysis for MRFs, though Recycleye is more AI-led and facility-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EconomieCirculaire/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/second-cycle-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Second Cycle Inc.