Boyan Slat
Boyan Slat | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 27, 1994 Netherlands |
| Occupation(s) | Innovator, business leader |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup |
Boyan Slat (born 27 July 1994) is a Dutch innovator and business leader.[1] Formerly enrolled in aerospace engineering studies,[2] he currently holds the position of CEO at The Ocean Cleanup.[3]
Early engagement with plastic pollution
In 2011, during a scuba diving excursion in Greece, Slat observed that plastic debris outnumbered marine life in the area. This experience inspired him to investigate ocean plastic pollution for a high school assignment, focusing on why large-scale cleanup efforts were deemed nearly unfeasible. He then conceptualized a passive system that would harness ocean currents to gather floating waste, which he introduced during a TEDx presentation in Delft in 2012.[4]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Slat subsequently discontinued his aerospace engineering program at TU Delft to pursue this concept full-time. In 2013, he established The Ocean Cleanup, and his TEDx presentation rapidly gained widespread attention following media exposure.[4] In a 2017 article for The Economist, Slat stated: "Technology is the most potent agent of change... technological innovation creates entirely new [building blocks], expanding our problem-solving tool-range."Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
The Ocean Cleanup
Founded in 2013 by Slat as a non-profit, The Ocean Cleanup focuses on developing cutting-edge technologies aimed at extracting plastic pollution from oceans worldwide. Initially, it raised US$2.2 million via crowdfunding campaigns, backed by 38,000 contributors spanning 160 countries. In June 2014, the organization released an extensive 528-page feasibility report evaluating the project's viability. Despite this, various technical criticisms emerged regarding the practicality of the approach, noted by sources such as Deep Sea News, Popular Science, and The Guardian.
Since its founding, The Ocean Cleanup has attracted tens of millions of dollars through donations from European and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. These investments have fueled continuous development and pilot testing to advance scalable ocean plastic removal solutions.
Cleanup systems
The first-generation cleanup devices, Systems 001 and 001/B, encountered operational difficulties. System 001 had issues retaining collected plastics and sustained structural damage, including the loss of an 18-meter segment. Nonetheless, in 2019, the improved System 001/B successfully captured plastic debris, retrieving 60 bags during its inaugural mission.
By July 2021, System 002—an enhanced iteration—had amassed roughly 9,000 kilograms of ocean waste, showcasing significant improvements in efficiency.
The Interceptor
To combat riverine pollution—which accounts for nearly 80% of ocean plastics—The Ocean Cleanup introduced The Interceptor: a solar-powered vessel engineered for scalable deployment within contaminated rivers. As of mid-2022, these Interceptors are operational in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Dominican Republic, and Vietnam, with future installations planned for Thailand and Los Angeles.
Honors and accolades
- In November 2014, Slat was awarded the Champions of the Earth prize by the United Nations Environment Programme.
- In 2015, he received the Young Entrepreneur Award from King Harald V of Norway.
- Forbes recognized him in their 2016 30 Under 30 list.
- He was granted a Thiel Fellowship, providing $100,000 to young entrepreneurs who defer or leave college to focus on startup ventures.
- February 2017 saw him named European of the Year by Reader's Digest, while Dutch publication Elsevier honored him as Dutchman of the Year.
- In 2018, Slat earned both the Leonardo da Vinci International Art Award and the Euronews "European Entrepreneur of the Year" distinction.
- In 2020, he was recognized among Future 50 Leaders by the Project Management Institute.
Personal life
Slat was born in the Netherlands and has Croatian heritage on his father's side.
External links
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