As part of the REMEDIES program, Impact Hub Athens is hosting PLASTIC FANTASTIC, an international Online Hackathon aimed at generating and supporting innovative solutions to address challenges related to ocean pollution from plastics.
Starting in April 2024 with an international Bootcamp and Hackathon, PLASTIC FANTASTIC aims to bring together experts from the environmental sector, water and ocean activists, and entrepreneurs. The main goal is the collective development of innovative solutions regarding the detection, monitoring, collection, utilization, prevention, and reuse of plastic waste, through a diverse community of researchers, academics, entrepreneurs, and specialists.
If you are a budding company, non-profit organization, or informal group with an idea or solution contributing to the protection of aquatic ecosystems from plastic pollution, apply here by March 28. Connect with the most specialized community and compete for €6,000 in cash, prizes (laptops and desktop computers), networking opportunities, and inclusion in a three-month acceleration program aimed at implementing your idea.
If you have any questions about the application process or the Hackathon, you can participate in informational webinars organized by the Impact Hub Athens team on February 29 and March 14 at 11:00 am. Register here for February 29 and here for March 14.
The REMEDIES program is an innovation program under the Horizon Europe program, creating innovative solutions and technologies for the monitoring, collection, prevention, and utilization of (micro)plastics from our seas. Our approach is based on science, circularity, and community participation, aiming to protect aquatic ecosystems, reduce pollution, and develop a climate-neutral blue economy. Over the next 4 years, 23 partners from 12 countries will present 12 innovative solutions. These solutions will be tested at 9 demo sites in 8 Mediterranean countries, followed by 33 new areas to cover the entire Mediterranean.
Drawing on its extensive experience in circularity and community empowerment, Impact Hub Athens participates in REMEDIES by cultivating awareness, encouraging behavioral change, and engaging multi-disciplinary communities in taking action against pollution. Specifically in the Cyclades region, IHA is monitoring plastic routes in the Aegean Sea, investigating the accumulation and collection of plastics on beaches, and strengthening supply chains to create alternative solutions for plastic waste reduction.