TAMPA — Most people see a discarded bottle cap and toss it in the trash without a second thought. Melina Korovessi sees opportunity.
The USF environmental science and policy student has built CapCycle Creations, a venture that transforms plastic bottle caps into products such as coasters, magnets, keychains and name tags while encouraging more sustainable waste practices. Along the way, she found support through the USF Nault Center for Entrepreneurship, the inaugural RAIN Startup Plan Competition and the Student Innovation Incubator (SII) at USF CONNECT.
For Korovessi, entrepreneurship wasn't originally part of the plan.
"I realized early on that environmental solutions don't succeed just because they're scientifically sound," she said. "They succeed when they're practical, scalable and economically viable."
That realization pushed her beyond traditional environmental studies and into entrepreneurship, where she could explore ways to turn sustainability concepts into real-world solutions.
The idea for CapCycle Creations emerged from a surprisingly common item.
"The idea came from noticing how often bottle caps are overlooked in recycling systems," Korovessi said. "They're small, abundant and usually not recycled properly because of sorting limitations."
As the venture grew, Korovessi sought opportunities to learn how to transform an idea into a viable business. She found that support through the Nault Center and USF CONNECT's SII.
"I was looking for structure and mentorship to take CapCycle beyond just an idea," she said. "SII offered a space where I could refine the concept, get feedback and understand what building a real venture requires."
The incubator helped her think beyond environmental impact and begin addressing the realities of operating a business.
"SII helped me move from 'this is an idea I care about' to 'this is a venture with structure,'" she said. "It pushed me to think about operations, materials sourcing, production workflows and how value is created and delivered."
The experience also challenged Korovessi to learn an entirely new skill set.
"It's been a steep but rewarding learning curve," she said. "I'm used to thinking in terms of systems, data and environmental impact, but entrepreneurship forces you to think about customers, pricing, logistics and uncertainty."
That preparation proved valuable when she entered the Nault Center's inaugural RAIN Startup Plan Competition, which emphasizes planning, risk assessment and execution rather than focusing solely on pitching.
Unlike many startup competitions, RAIN encourages participants to think deeply about how their ventures will actually operate, what resources they need and what obstacles they may face along the way.
For Korovessi, the process forced her to take a more critical look at her business.
"It wasn't enough to say, 'This reduces plastic waste,'" she said. "I had to define how it works operationally, what risks exist, how it scales and what could fail."
The experience culminated in a live pitch competition where student entrepreneurs presented their ventures and answered questions from judges.
"Pitching at RAIN was intense but very valuable," Korovessi said. "The biggest gain was clarity. I left with a much stronger understanding of how to explain the venture in a simple, compelling way and how to anticipate the questions people will ask."
That clarity paid off.
Korovessi earned third place and a $1,500 award in the inaugural competition.
"Hearing my name called was surreal," she said. "It felt like validation of all the behind-the-scenes work — testing ideas, refining the model and iterating constantly."
She credits preparation and focus for helping her stand out.
"Instead of trying to do too much, I centered the problem, the material flow and the tangible product outcomes," she said.
Today, Korovessi hopes to continue growing CapCycle Creations beyond small consumer products and into broader material recovery systems that can create a larger environmental impact.
She also encourages other students to take advantage of opportunities available through the Nault Center and USF CONNECT.
"It gives you the space to turn ideas into something real," she said. "You're not just brainstorming — you're getting mentorship, structure and feedback from people who understand how startups work."
When she's not working on sustainability projects or entrepreneurship competitions, Korovessi enjoys hands-on creative activities and spending time outdoors, interests that continue to fuel the environmental passion behind her venture.
As she looks ahead, Korovessi plans to continue exploring ways to turn sustainability concepts into practical solutions. For a student who once saw entrepreneurship as outside her field, the journey has shown that meaningful change can begin in unexpected places, even with something as simple as a bottle cap.