 Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) |
Funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, the ASEAN-wide competition aims to tackle plastic pollution in coastal areas of Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines by seeking, upgrading and spreading innovation solutions.
Among 14 finalists, four teams won the awards, namely Galaxy Biotech, Green Joy and Refill from Vietnam and CIRAC from Thailand. Each winner received a seed funding of 18,000 USD and will start a 9-month impact acceleration programme.
The organising board received 159 entries from six ASEAN member states. The best 14 teams joined an incubation programme launched by the United Nations Development Programme and the Vietnam Silicon Valley’s Accelerator Programme from October – December.
Team members received necessary skill training and took field trips to Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh and Samui island in Thailand to learn about plastic waste pollution there and meet with potential partners and clients.