Eyes on the Ocean: Tracking Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution

• November 3, 2025

The PHAROS project is hosting its second Meet the Oceanpreneur Webinar on November 26 at 13:00 CET, focusing on how cutting-edge technology and entrepreneurship can combat marine litter and plastic pollution in the Mediterranean. This 50-minute virtual session brings together experts to explore detection, prevention, and scalable innovations, aligning with PHAROS’s mission to restore marine ecosystems through nature-based solutions and sustainable blue economies.

Watch the Stream below on 26th November at 13:00 CET.

PHAROS: Pioneering Ocean Restoration

Launched in September 2024 under Horizon Europe, PHAROS coordinates efforts across the Atlantic and Arctic basins to deploy innovative nature-based solutions for biodiversity restoration, pollution elimination, and a carbon-neutral blue economy. Led by the Canary Islands Oceanic Platform (PLOCAN), the project involves 23 partners from 10 countries, including demonstrations of integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, artificial reefs, and invasive species monitoring using eDNA technology. A key pillar is public mobilization through programs like Citizen Litter Entrepreneurs, which empowers communities to turn marine waste into economic opportunities, directly supporting the EU’s Restore Our Ocean and Waters Mission by 2030. The Meet the Oceanpreneur series extends this by highlighting entrepreneurial pathways to scale ocean innovations, fostering collaborations beyond the project’s core basins.

Webinar Highlights: Science Meets Entrepreneurship

Hosted by Dimitris Kokkinakis, Co-Founder and CEO of Impact Hub Athens, the session is moderated by Uroš Novak, Senior Researcher at Slovenia’s National Institute of Chemistry. It features two dynamic speakers: Konstantinos Topouzelis, Co-Founder of Scidrones, who will discuss drone and satellite-based remote sensing for mapping pollution hotspots; and Abhilash Venkateshaiah, CEO of Eden Tech, sharing insights on microfluidic technologies for microplastic removal. A special intervention by Eleni Petra, Head of the Innovation Unit for Women at ATHENA Research Center, will tie into their hackathon on ocean voices during the Fête de la Science.

The session kicks off with opening remarks framing technology’s role in Mediterranean marine litter reduction, followed by a 12-minute spotlight on each speaker’s work, from inspiration behind drone-AI integration to scaling deep-tech in the blue economy. A 16-minute fireside chat moderated by Novak dives into challenges like data validation, lab-to-market transitions, funding strategies, and policy-tech connections, all aimed at actionable insights for ocean restoration. An interactive Q&A allows audience questions on tools for local monitoring, open datasets, and desired partnerships, wrapping up with key takeaways and a teaser for the next webinar.

Why Attend? Driving Impact Through Innovation

This webinar underscores PHAROS’s commitment to bridging scientific excellence with entrepreneurial action, particularly in addressing plastic pollution that threatens Mediterranean ecosystems. By showcasing real-world applications like AI-driven detection and purification tech, it equips students, NGOs, startups, and policymakers with tools to contribute to circular economy solutions and the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. Registration is free via the PHAROS website (pharosproject.eu), promising a blend of inspiration and practical advice for anyone passionate about ocean health.