Companies are joining a unique network within the United States that incorporates the best practices in by-product synergy from around the world. The Chicago Waste to Profit Network uses a hybrid by-product synergy model that incorporates and bridges two different approaches to creating synergies – a principal Innovation Network and community networks. Through this approach, the WTPN allows for the engagement of large companies, small and mid-sized companies, and entrepreneurial firms.

The Community Network meeting, which was held on June 21st , used a workshop modeled after the NISP approach, at which participants provided basic information on their company's inputs and outputs. The meeting provided an opportunity for smaller businesses to network with each other and discuss their waste streams and needs in a non-adversarial setting. In the following week, project team members from CMC and WMRC identified potential synergy opportunities based on technical analysis and case studies from other model US and UK synergy projects. Companies which displayed the most promising synergy opportunities were contacted and directed towards the appropriate resources to initiate a successful synergy.

Member companies in the Innovation Network will then gain access to synergies developed in the community networks. The Innovation Network and community networks are coordinated by the WTPN technical team. The team will provide companies with a means of communicating possible synergies from the Innovation Network with the smaller, entrepreneurial SME group. The targeted and planned make-up of the SME group will play an important role in this cross-over. The Innovation Network will use the project team as their link to the SMEs. In this way, companies can focus on developing long-term partnerships with the other companies in the Innovation Network. It is anticipated that the community networks will be bridged with the Innovation Network beginning in the 3rd quarter of 2007.