A diverse group of innovators from 18 different countries (Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia) applied to compete with their projects to fight plastic pollution. Among the numerous participations, 24 of them stood out for their innovative ideas and solutions that can make a real impact. The 15 finalist, engineers, scientists, designers, and environmental enthusiasts, were given the floor to impress the judges with a 5’ Pitch.
The Hackathon Ceremony and Final Pitching Day was realized on the 18th of April starting with an inspiring keynote speech from the Deputy Director General at European Commission, Mr Kestutis Sadauskas, that followed by a warm introduction of the 8 Jury Committee members.
Special acknowledgements were made to the Plastic Fantastic Award Sponsors for their support to the 4 winning teams!
- SupportSani/Ikos hospitality Group, a leader in sustainability and sustainable tourism with numerous global awards and certifications in areas such as environmental management and carbon neutrality, having an ambitious triple target to be net zero by 2030,
- Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable initiatives, including those focused on environmental conservation, education, and healthcare,
- Sporos Platform combining robust & future-proof financial returns with measurable environmental & social impact,
- WIT & Scientists Against Plastic creating nature-inspired scientific solutions to fight plastic pollution,
- EU Horizon Program RAMONES on radioactivity monitoring in ocean ecosystems.
Based on the judges evaluation, 4 teams stood out for their positive impact & their acceleration readiness for the strong potential to fight ocean plastic pollution.
Winning start-ups
CAPTOPLASTIC has developed a technology capable of controlling and capturing microplastic from water bodies. Its technology can be implemented in different facilities like wastewater treatment plant, drinking water treatment plant, water bottling plant, plastic industry WWTP, textile dyeing WWTP, recycling plants, removing textile fibres in water, personal care industry, etc.
BioFlocean is a bioplastic produced from microalgae that treats waste and captures carbon while generating potential carbon credits. Through their innovative Cleantech solutions, the founded and led by women innovators team, harness the power of microalgae offering a comprehensive suite of solutions that address diverse environmental issues. With advanced biological treatment technology, they efficiently remove pollutants from wastewater, safeguarding marine life and water ecosystems & their carbon capture technology has potential to capture up to 2.7 tons of CO2 per acre daily, contributing to climate change mitigation.
Winning ideas & projects
BioRise is a spin off that comes from the NTUA, with a team of two young & promising students, with the aim to transform plastic waste into high-value bio-products using advanced microbial cell factories! Their primary objective is to develop new biotechnological tools; enzymes and microorganisms, for the production of second generation biofuels, bio-based polymers and chemicals in the concept of Industrial Biorefinery.
DropliNet is a women led researchers’ team, developing a user-friendly and sensitive approach for micro-and nano-plastic (MNP) monitoring in environmental water samples, via receptor-and droplet microfluidics-based technology. The value of this technology are that it detects low concentration of micro-and nano-plastic, the automation and minimal need for training, the high speed in getting results & portability!
We congratulate these teams for their outstanding achievements and innovative solutions & we are looking forward to starting collaborating with them closely!
Opportunities ahead
As we celebrate the success of the winning teams, we also want to extend our gratitude to all 15 finalists for their incredible performance throughout the hackathon. Although they may not have secured the top spot, their dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed.
As a token of appreciation, all finalists will still have the opportunity to network and be referred to potential collaborators, donors, and sponsors, opening doors for future collaborations and partnerships.
Acceleration program
In addition to recognition and networking opportunities, the winning teams will receive valuable prizes, including up to 8,000 euros, tech prizes, and a free three-month acceleration program by Impact Hub Athens. This program will provide them with the resources, mentorship, and support needed to further develop and scale their projects, bringing them one step closer to implementation and real-world impact.
A big shout out to all the 50+ experts that contributed to the Plastic Fantastic Bootcamp & Hackathon!
We hope that the 1st plastic preneurial community has done its first steps & we commit that we will build on the connections & educational content created during the Plastic Fantastic Hackathon to further create & support systemic change!
Stay tuned for updates and highlights from the hackathon as we continue our journey towards a cleaner and healthier future for our oceans.
