From Shrimp Shells to Smart Bins: 12 Innovators Qualify for ‘Plastic Fantastic’ Hackathon Finals

• May 14, 2026

As millions of tonnes of plastic continue to choke the Atlantic and Arctic maritime regions, the first phase of the Plastic Fantastic Hackathon has concluded, whittling down a field of 20 ambitious pitches to just 12 finalists.

The online innovation challenge, which kicked off on 11 May, is not just an academic exercise. Organised under the umbrella of the PHAROS project, an EU-funded project dedicated to nature-based solutions for ecosystem restoration, the hackathon is a sprint for actionable change. Over three intensive evenings (11–13 May), participants attended masterclasses on business modelling and pitching before facing the judges on 13 May 2026.

The mission was to generate innovative solutions across three categories: detection and monitoring, collection and valorisation, and reduction and prevention, positive pathways to address the marine litter crisis.

The Bootcamp

Day one focused on the bottom line. While a welcome session introduced the PHAROS project’s broader goals of addressing climate change and human impacts in colder waters, participants split into parallel tracks. Some learned the “Social Business Model Canvas”, while others condensed their universe into “Your Business Model in 10 Slides”.

By day two, the tone shifted from accounting to acting. A pitching masterclass taught participants how to hold an audience’s attention, followed by a “Meet the Changemakers” session, featuring Ecobrixs, Up Fuse and Scidrones, where established initiatives proved that victory is possible. Day three brought an inspirational warning, “The Future of Our Seas”, before the crucible of the pitching competition began.

After 20 high-stakes presentations, the jury retired to deliberate. When they returned, only 12 teams had secured their spot in the finals, scheduled for 19 May.

The Qualifiers: A Global Snapshot

The finalists represent a geographic and technological spread, from the beaches of Greece to the schools of Kenya, proving that marine litter is a universal language of crisis. They are divided into two tracks:

Track A: Idea Stage

• Replay Plastic Workshops (Greece) aims to change human behaviour before plastic ever hits the tide.
• C-Quest Blue (Ireland) is turning heads with high chemistry: converting mixed coastal plastics into recycled carbon feedstock using a bio-derived catalyst made from plant extracts.
• Beach Plastic Board Games (Greece) offers a charmingly circular model – turning trash into Monopoly-style tokens and local handicrafts.
• Chitofoil (Portugal) attacks horticultural waste by replacing plastic pots with a biodegradable foil made from shrimp shell waste.
• Taka Point (Kenya) uses IoT-enabled smart bins and reward systems in schools to gamify recycling.
• Chrysoptera (UK) employs AI and drift forecasting to predict where ghost gear will land, even adding a QR-code return scheme.

Track B: Established organisations

• Progreen (Kenya) is turning laminates into eco-bricks and recyclables into fuel.
• WeavAir (Poland) deploys advanced sensors for real-time pollution source identification.
• Eko Daska (Montenegro) offers urban furniture that lasts 30 years, with each bench gobbling up 50kg of waste.
• EvoNatura (US) has a biotech additive that gives normal plastics a “programmed death” in soil.
• Zero Waste Solutions (Pakistan) is converting low-value plastics into construction materials.
• Nusa Penida Plastic Project (France/Indonesia) focuses on low-tech recycling equipment for island communities.

Ready for the Finals

The finalists now enter a two-day accelerator (18–19 May): They will map the blue economy ecosystem, undergo 1:1 coaching with experts, and sit through a panel discussion on “Funding the Blue Economy”.

The climax arrives on 19 May at 17:00 CEST. After a keynote speech from the European Commission’s DG MARE on the EU’s Ocean Mission, the 12 teams will present their final pitches. By 19:00, the winners will be announced.

For the PHAROS project, which seeks to restore biodiversity from the Atlantic to the Arctic, the stakes are existential. But for these 12 teams, the plastic fantastic future has already begun.