This isn’t a movie. It’s real life.

At just 16 years old, while diving on vacation, Boyan Slat witnessed something that would change his life forever: more plastic than fish drifting in the water. For many, it would have been a passing moment of sadness. But for Boyan, it became a mission.

With no money, no team, and no scientific background — only an idea and a fierce determination — he began to design a system that could clean the oceans by harnessing the power of the currents themselves.

By 2013, Boyan founded The Ocean Cleanup, an organization with a clear and ambitious goal: remove plastic from the oceans and stop it at its source. His design used long floating barriers that drift naturally with the sea, capturing plastic waste as it moved with the water. Against all odds, the project worked — and to date, it has already removed thousands of tons of plastic from areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

But Boyan didn’t stop there. Realizing that cleaning the oceans alone was not enough, his team developed The Interceptor — a river-based technology that captures plastic before it can ever reach the sea. By targeting rivers, which are the main pathways through which waste enters the ocean, he attacked the problem at both ends.

What began as a teenager’s idea has grown into a global movement. With relentless innovation, growing support, and the courage to challenge the impossible, The Ocean Cleanup continues to expand its reach — tackling deeper waters, more rivers, and inspiring millions worldwide.

Boyan’s story proves a powerful truth: you don’t have to wait until you are older, richer, or more experienced to change the world. You just need the courage to care, and the determination to begin.