Sustainable Edge: Ocean innovation & the art of doing hard things – with Florian Dirkse, co-founder of The Ocean Cleanup

In this episode

Florian shares the story behind The Ocean Cleanup’s rise — from early setbacks and viral breakthroughs to the partnerships, persistence, and purpose driving one of the world’s most iconic environmental missions.

Learn about:

• The real story behind The Ocean Cleanup: How a global sailing expedition led Florian to co-founding a non-profit tackling plastic pollution at scale.
  
  

• Failure as fuel: How trial and error became The Ocean Cleanup’s greatest advantage — and why Florian embraces iteration over perfection to make impact scalable.
  
  

• From awareness to action: How the team moved from visibility to measurable, system-changing impact.
  
  

• Scaling ambition: The role of business, capital, and storytelling in turning a grassroots project into a global operation.
  
  

About Florian Dirkse

Florian Dirkse is a Dutch entrepreneur, sailor, and co-founder of The Ocean Cleanup. After circumnavigating the globe by sailboat, he joined forces with Boyan Slat to launch a global effort to eliminate ocean plastic. Today, Florian is a sought-after speaker and a vocal advocate for taking bold action in service of environmental change.