The Great Bubble Barrier®

🌍 Impact Seminar Series Benelux wrapped up its final leg with impactful discussions and actionable insights! The second half of the day began with a powerful keynote, “Biodiversity: Beyond the Buzzword,” delivered by Philip Ehrhorn of The Great Bubble Barrier®. He highlighted the financial and ecological consequences of biodiversity loss and explored how investors can integrate biodiversity into their decision-making processes. 🌊 The conversation continued with a Fireside Chat addressing the global climate crisis and energy supply challenges. 💡 Luke Layfield, CFA (Aviva Investors) and Randeep Somel, CFA (M&G Investments) engaged in a thought-provoking debate, moderated by Suzanne Wisse - Huiskes of the InvestEU Fund. Adding to the day’s depth, Stijn de Bont of APG Asset Management presented a compelling case study on conducting due diligence throughout the manager selection process, offering practical tools for informed decision-making. The seminar concluded with a practical session titled “Impact Reporting Done Right: Moving Beyond Big Numbers to Informed Investment Decisions,” moderated by Mohit Saini. 🎤 Speakers: Jan-Willem König, Polestar Capital Narina Mnatsakanian, Independent Impact Advisor The session explored the importance of clear impact norms, the role of impact strategy in shaping investment decisions, and how high-quality impact data and independent verification can combat the growing challenge of impact washing. 🌟 A huge thank you to everyone who joined us—your energy and insights made this event unforgettable. We can’t wait to welcome you again next year!

The only way forward is #renewable. At The Great Bubble Barrier, we are dedicated to providing a river-cleaning solution that is as sustainable as possible. Here's how we do that: 🟢 Bubble Barrier Amsterdam runs entirely on 100% green energy. We power this Bubble Barrier with solar and wind power from the energy market. ☀️ Bubble Barrier Vila do Conde is fitted with innovative solar panels - both floating and rooftop - installed in collaboration with the University of Malta to provide part of the energy used to power the system. This project was implemented as a pilot for the EU-funded project MAELSTROM_H2020. While each river and city presents unique challenges, our commitment remains unwavering: a cleaner future powered by renewables is the only future we envision. #BubbleBarrier #GreenEnergy

Last week, Anne Marieke Eveleens, our co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer, spoke at the Maritime Innovation Week in London 🇬🇧 alongside The Earthshot Prize, DP World, and MiAlgae. We had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion with: 🌍 Chris Large, Director of Prize & Portfolio at The Earthshot Prize 🚢 Nicholas Mazzei, Vice President Sustainability at DP World 🟢 Douglas Martin, Founder & Managing Director MiAlgae The discussion explored how innovation can create opportunities and advancements in the maritime industry. While this can't happen quickly enough, we must acknowledge the significant progress being made toward creating a cleaner maritime environment today. Want to learn how a Bubble Barrier can help? Send us a DM, and let’s discuss how to clean your urban river. #MaritimeInnovation #MaritimeInnovationWeek #MIW24 Picture credit: Phil Pettit

How does a Bubble Barrier contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals? 💧 🏙️ 🐟 Our latest article explores the innovative technology behind our Bubble Barriers and their significant contribution to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From improving public health in urban areas to protecting marine ecosystems, we are taking steps to create a cleaner and more resilient future for everyone. Curious to learn more about how technology is shaping a sustainable world? Check out our insights! https://lnkd.in/eD8r7z9M #PlasticPollution #CleanTech #SDG #SDG6 #SDG11 #SDG14

The negotiations that might change our future with plastic are underway. 🌐 INC-5, taking place next week in Busan, Republic of Korea 🇰🇷, will conclude the discussions on an international legally binding instrument for tackling plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. After two years of fast-tracked negotiations, a Global Plastics Treaty is within reach. While the United Nations Plastics Treaty will represent a positive step forward, there are still significant gaps that could hinder our collective ability to clean our rivers and oceans from plastic effectively. One major concern is the lack of specific targets for riverine plastic pollution. 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁. 🎯 It is crucial to incorporate targets for plastic pollution in rivers into the Treaty. These targets should utilise the best available data to determine "manageable" pollution levels based on the size of each river basin. We are eager to connect with more organisations committed to advocating for an ambitious Plastics Treaty. #INC5 #UNPlasticsTreaty #PlasticsTreaty

Anne Marieke Eveleens, Francis Zoet en Philip Ehrhorn ontwikkelden een ‘scherm’ van luchtbellen, dat 86 procent van het ronddrijvende plastic in waterwegen onderschept. Ze staan dit jaar met The Great Bubble Barrier® in de Challenger50, de lijst van MT/Sprout met de 50 grootste uitdagers van de gevestigde orde. De buis waar de bellen uitkomen is schuin op de stroming neergelegd, zodat lege petflessen en andere troep zijdelings kunnen worden afgevoerd en verzameld. Na een proef van drie jaar blijkt dat de belletjes jaarlijks gemiddeld een ton aan plastic tegenhouden. En dat alles zonder passerende schepen of vissen te hinderen. Uniek aan de technologie – naast het feit dat boten en dieren er geen last van hebben – is dat de belletjes plastic over de hele breedte en diepte van een waterweg kunnen opvangen, zeggen de founders. ‘Het systeem kan 24/7 functioneren en is in staat om 86 procent van het plastic afval op te vangen.’ Een belangrijke drempel blijkt het gebrek aan regelgeving. Gemeenten hebben vaak geen budget voor het schoonmaken van water, terwijl dat er wel is voor opruimacties op land. Duidelijke wetgeving omtrent de hoeveelheid macro- en microplastics in waterwegen kan volgens de ondernemers het verschil maken. ‘Zonder hebben veel steden geen mandaat.’ #challenger50 #ondernemen #plasticsoep

#EarthshotWeek in Cape Town was one for the books! 🇿🇦 Reflecting on last week's The Earthshot Prize Awards, where we celebrated the Winners and Finalists of the 2024 cohort. 🌍 These innovators are paving the way for a liveable future and inspire us with immense gratitude and hope. Philip Ehrhorn, our CTO and Co-Founder, had the honour of immersing himself in South Africa's astonishing culture and nature while witnessing the next generation of change makers step into the limelight. It was wonderful to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. Follow this year's #EarthshotPrize Winners and Finalists on their journey to impact: High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, Winner to Revive Our Oceans Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), Winner to Clean Our Air Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems, Winner to Fix Our Climate Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, Winner to Protect and Restore Nature Keep IT Cool | Deliver while still fresh, Winner to Build a Waste-Free World Finalists for 2024: Amazon Sacred Headwaters, Build up Nepal, Coast 4C, d.light, Equatic.tech, Green Spot Technologies with Ferment'Up, MiAlgae, NFW, NatureMetrics #EarthshotCapeTown #EarthshotPrize

🌊 Last week, OCEANOVATION partnered with our friends from World Ocean Council and Braid Theory to host an inspiring innovation session as part of the Tomorrow.BlueEconomy program, titled “Blue Economy Innovation: Pioneering Sustainable Solutions.” This session took place during the 🌎 World Ocean Council’s Sustainable Ocean Summit and Global Blue Finance Summit 2024—bringing together leading voices and visions shaping the future of our oceans. The session kicked off with a powerful panel discussion on how innovation fuels sustainable growth in the Blue Economy, exploring emerging trends, the challenges of scaling ocean tech, and the vital roles of policy, investment, and partnerships. ⚙️💼🌍 The panel included Friends of OCEANOVATION: 🔹 Moderator: Ryan Blaney | IP Strategy | Braid Theory 🔹 Ann Lee Carpenter | CEO | Braid Theory 🔹 Steffen Knodt | Founder | Deepblue Earth UG 🔹 Carlos Esteban | Partner | Faber (Climate/Ocean Tech) Following the panel, 12 pioneering start-ups delivered rapid-fire pitches, each showcasing unique, impactful solutions for the future of our oceans. 🌊💡 This included Oceannovators like The Great Bubble Barrier®, AETHIC, KIDEMIS, SeaO2, Actea Inc, Okhtapus , Gigablue, Envjoy, MacroCarbon, Blue Ocean Gear, SeaTheFuture, and Vesta, PBC. Several start-ups also presented at the World Ocean Council's Sustainable Ocean Summit and Global Blue Finance Summit, while others connected with WOC’s corporate and investment communities over the three days of events—gaining visibility and building valuable connections. 🌐🤝 Thank you to everyone who contributed to this vibrant event. Together, we’re pioneering sustainable pathways for the Blue Economy. 🌎💙 #OceanInnovation #BlueEconomy #SustainableFuture #Ocean

What an incredible expierence at Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona! 💡 It is great to see cities stepping up to tackle plastic pollution in our rivers. Here are some of our highlights: • Urban leaders are putting river cleanup on the map as a key part of building sustainable cities. • We see a growing interest in nature-based solutions like our Bubble Barrier technology. • Cities recognise the link between clean waterways and overall urban health. • We’re seeing more funding directed towards initiatives aimed at preventing plastic from entering our rivers. • Exciting collaborations are forming across sectors to tackle this pressing issue together. The energy here has been contagious, and we’re optimistic about the future of our rivers and oceans. Let's keep the momentum going and make plastic-free waterways a reality for Smart Cities everywhere. #SmartCities #PlasticPollution #SCEWC2024 Tamlyn Shimizu Anne Marieke Eveleens Lotte Geeraedts Marius Suteu

"The good news is the right foundations are being laid to turn the tide on the issue of underinvestment in our ocean." With more than 30 million people employed in blue economy jobs, the financial importance of the ocean is undeniable – yet current levels of investment do not match its vast potential. This Standard Chartered report highlights a wave of nearly 70 solutions that are making the blue economy more sustainable, from ocean renewables to aquaculture. Each presents an opportunity for investors, businesses and lenders to support livelihoods and climate resilience. It's great to see The Great Bubble Barrier®, a past RE:TV contributor and 2022 The Earthshot Prize finalist, featured for their innovative approach to removing plastic from waterways. To see how it works, watch our case study film: https://lnkd.in/er9AExqe Learn how Standard Chartered are mobilising capital to accelerate the transition as a member of the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Financial Services Task Force: https://lnkd.in/espyC5ai