Universal Plastic Web3 Social App

The growing amount of plastic waste is putting our planet and its marine ecosystems under extreme stress. To address a complex problem effectively, it needs to be quantified.

THE DATA CHALLENGE 

The urgency of tackling these environmental and social crises demands a transformative approach. Data plays a substantial role in solving complex problems such as the one of plastic. However, some challenges appear in this data landscape. 

DATA SCARCITY 

The issue of data scarcity, particularly concerning the impact and location of plastic waste, is a significant obstacle in addressing the plastic crisis. Recent scientific reports have defined the absence of data and data sharing as a major roadblock. 

Sufficient data on (marine) plastic waste is essential to grasp the full extent of the problem. Without this information, policymakers, governments and conservationists are often working in the dark, making it difficult to allocate resources effectively or develop targeted strategies. Understanding the whereabouts and impact of plastic waste is crucial to both remediation efforts and establishing preventive measures. 

Accurate data could reveal patterns, such as specific sources or pathways of plastic entering the environment, thus guiding interventions. 

On top of that, there is a lack of standardised protocols and methodologies for capturing plastic waste. Various regions and organisations frequently use diverse methods, or at times, are unable to register anything at all. This results in data inconsistencies and inefficiencies with its subsequent effects. 

In essence, the current lack of robust and understandable data not only masks the true scale of the plastic waste issue but also worsens our ability to respond effectively. 

THE NEED FOR FULL DATA INSIGHTS: INVESTMENT IMPACTS 

Given the environmental, social and economic global challenges, there is a growing need and expectation for corporations and governments to increase their financial contributions to meet global environmental goals. To do this, there is a clear need to move beyond usual business practices. This means improving businesses' own production processes but also expanding their positive impact through investments. Two obstacles occur: 

On the one hand, there is a noticeable information gap about where these investments go in relation to e.g. the environment and sustainability. Sometimes, investors may unknowingly support projects that do not fully dedicate the promised funds to regenerative practices. 

On the other hand, even when projects correctly highlight their positive impact on the environment and attract investor attention, they often do not clearly show the real positive impact achieved with the funds they receive. This unclear situation creates doubt among both investors and consumers, leading to scepticism about finance focused on regeneration. 

There is a strong need for better data management and more efficient systems to drive financial contributions into positive change. This will provide clarity about both where and how the money is used, and the actual benefits it creates for society and the environment. By ensuring accurate data and high socio-environmental performance in investments, corporations, governments, and individuals can be confident that their money is genuinely helping as intended. 

A DIGITAL BLUE ECONOMY APPROACH

UP pioneers a Digital Blue Economy, combining traditional blue economy principles with a key digital layer rooted in Regenerative Finance (ReFi). By emphasizing technology and citizen-centric strategies, UP addresses the plastic crisis with financial incentives and empowers grassroots movements. Data-driven technologies enhance stakeholder insights, promoting financial traceability. This fusion of technology and sustainability not only elevates the blue economy but also encourages contributors to engage in impactful marine restoration. UP bridges the gap between traditional and modern demands for traceable investments, allowing stakeholders to make difference in plastic waste collections.

SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE 

UP believes in using science-based solutions to combat the plastic crisis and promote our planet's regeneration.

Our technology enables us to assign a meaningful purpose to scientific data collection and increases its performance by allowing automated meta-data layers, which make their way into big data projects. UP's concept and technology transform raw meta-data on marine plastic debris into valuable, ready-to-use databases.

By ensuring data accessibility, and reliability, we provide all stakeholders with crucial insights into the plastic crisis, fostering informed, big data-driven solutions worldwide. 

ONDAs 

Drawing inspiration from the natural world, UP presents an APP that embodies the transformative energy of the ocean, channelling digital social interaction into systemic change. This is done through Ocean Notarised Digital Assets or ONDAs, in lating meaning waves. Waves are the energy of the sea, a force of change, and it is that energy we aim to emulate and manifest in a digital form. 

ONDAs showcase both the financial allocation, the measured ecological and social positive impact of each asset. They are created through the active participation of UP’s users, Ocean Defenders, who use our app to track and record information during their plastic waste collections. To enrich these records, ONDAs incorporate visuals like photographs and maps of the Ocean Defenders' collection routes, adding depth to each data point. 

ONDAs are waves of awareness. They are a catalyst for transformation. 

The technology behind ONDAs

Digital Measurement, Report and Verification system

While ONDAs reflect the ocean's dynamic energy and the ecological and social effects of each asset, our digital system ensures these impacts are accurately Measured, Reported, and Verified with reliability.

This digital Measurement Report and Verification (dMRV) system addresses the longstanding challenges in the MRV field, such as inefficiency and credibility issues, by employing digital innovations and distributed ledger technology.

The dMRV system is comprised of three essential elements: 

1. Data Extraction: by using IoT devices evidence is captured from the plastic waste collection. This is composed of geolocated images, GPS tracking, geolocalised weather and demographic data. 

2. Data Analysis: This stage leverages quantifying AI algorithms to validate and analyse the collected data on plastic waste, ensuring its accuracy and extracting valuable data like size and type of plastic. This gives insight into the impact and efficiency of the collection processes.

3. Data Integrity: To guarantee data security, it's recorded on a blockchain. This distributed ledger prevents unauthorised alterations, maintaining the data's openness and reliability. 

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS

The plastic waste collectors industry is not regulated, and the workforce is taken for granted. In different countries and cultures, people are attracted to collecting and selling plastic waste because it has market value for recycling, especially in economically developing countries. The UN stated that these people currently help to recycle around 60% of all plastic waste worldwide, with sometimes them being the only form of waste services available.

The plastic waste collector sector is often constituted by marginal communities, which labour under poor working conditions to collect, manage and recycle this waste. Despite their important role in mitigating the crisis, these workers are frequently undervalued, and their health and well-being are put at risk for a task of global importance. 

UP's USERS

Our APP bridges two main user groups: Ocean Defenders with Ocean Investors.

Ocean Defenders are dedicated individuals or organisations who clean up marine ecosystems from plastics by following our specialised technical waste collection protocol to gather data. Every piece of plastic they collect through our APP is not just an act of environmental restoration, but also a data point that is saved in ONDAs.Through these ONDAs, Ocean Defenders can generate a fair income which is intrinsically tied to the commitments of the second user group.

Each waste collection is linked to campaigns set forth by Ocean Investors. They are visionary individuals, companies and institutions looking to make a meaningful impact. They create campaigns and support waste collections.

VALUE PROPOSITION OCEAN INVESTORS

Investing in ocean regeneration via ONDAs shakes up the traditional boundaries of its returns. As an Ocean Investor, the act of investment is a commitment not just to financial development, but to a much greater cause – the future of our oceans and, inherently, the future of countless generations to come.

Moreover, ONDAs enable fair compensation for the actions of local communities hit by environmental degradation. This not only boosts the tangible benefits for these communities but also increases the social impact of Ocean Investors’ financial contributions, creating a clear link between investment and community change.

Positive Impact with Real-Time Data

With ONDA's web3-based structure, Ocean Investors can access real-time data, ensuring transparency and traceability in their investments. This feature guarantees that the contributions are effectively used for ocean regeneration, reinforcing confidence and satisfaction in investment decisions. 

Enhanced Brand Engagement Through Innovative Tools

Our APP, utilising ONDAs' insights, provides a distinctive avenue for Ocean Investors to involve their customers in an interactive experience. It enables customers to transparently track and verify how the Ocean Investors' financial contributions actively support marine regeneration. Users can vividly see the specific type and location of plastic collected by specific Ocean Defender(s). This increases engagement with environmentally aware consumers, and strengthens consumer- brand loyalty, as they can directly observe the investment outcomes, appealing to the 66% of consumers who prefer brands making a real difference. 

VALUE PROPOSITION OCEAN INVESTORS

Investing in ocean regeneration via ONDAs shakes up the traditional boundaries of its returns. As an Ocean Investor, the act of investment is a commitment not just to financial development, but to a much greater cause – the future of our oceans and, inherently, the future of countless generations to come.

Moreover, ONDAs enable fair compensation for the actions of local communities hit by environmental degradation. This not only boosts the tangible benefits for these communities but also increases the social impact of Ocean Investors’ financial contributions, creating a clear link between investment and community change.

Positive Impact with Real-Time Data

With ONDA's web3-based structure, Ocean Investors can access real-time data, ensuring transparency and traceability in their investments. This feature guarantees that the contributions are effectively used for ocean regeneration, reinforcing confidence and satisfaction in investment decisions. 

We have developed the most efficient way to professionally collect plastic from the environment. Our AI-driven dMRV system uniquely positions us to efficiently create and market ESG Assets, ensuring the lowest market friction and maximizing Ocean Regeneration. 

As an example, you can see here a waste collection of 846kg/107€ in 3 hours. This means every € invested is generating the maximum impact possible in the market of around 7,9 kg collected from a marine ecosystem.

https://app.universalplastic.i...

Normally Plastic offsetting credits go around 1€/kg due to friction derived from human auditory and certification costs.

We have around 500 Ocean Defenders collecting Plastic worldwide and generating ONDAs ( Ocean Notarised Digital Assets ). On the other side, we have about 10 Ocean Investors, companies that want to buy ONDAS to integrate environmental Responsibility into products and services.

SMEs pay us a 1000€ pack to get Blue Corp certified. In this way, we obtain around 600€ profit. The rest is used to collect the plastic, create Marketing content and organize the plastic waste collection day in Europe with the company as a kick-off campaign to collect 1000 Kg worldwide

We apply to Solve because our mission aligns closely with its core principles. Specifically, we seek to overcome financial, cultural, and market barriers to achieve greater impact in the Blue Economy sector.

Some of the challenges we anticipate Solve can help us tackle include:

Financial Barriers: Access to funding is crucial to scaling our solutions. We hope Solve's network allows us to connect with investors and philanthropists eager to support sustainable initiatives.

Legal Barriers: Navigating complex international laws and regulations is challenging when implementing cross-border projects. Solve assists us in identifying legal experts and policy makers to navigate these obstacles.

Cultural Barriers: Bridging cultural divides is necessary to engage diverse stakeholder groups. Solve encourages collaboration with multicultural organizations and promotes mutual understanding.

Market Barriers: Entering new markets demands extensive market research and tailored marketing strategies. Solve supports networking with industry professionals and market specialists to identify untapped opportunities.

Additionally, Solve emphasizes the importance of visibility and connection with large institutions. These networks enable us to strengthen ties with businesses interested in integrating sustainable practices and contributing to the Blue Economy movement.

Ultimately, our primary motivation for participating in Solve is to share our passion for ocean conservation and sustainable development with others who share our values. 

A DIGITAL BLUE ECONOMY APPROACH 

UP believes in the power of the blue economy but adds an important digital layer to it. UP focuses on the role of technological advancement and digitalization, drawing inspiration from the principles of Regenerative Finance (ReFi). 

The blue economy has success in the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic progress, improved livelihoods, and job creation while ensuring the health of the ocean's ecosystems. 

ReFi, embedded in ecological and regenerative economics, finds a balance between nature's boundaries and economic principles. By reimagining modern value systems, it recognises the broader implications of financial decisions beyond just immediate profits and losses. Via ReFi, UP approaches the plastic crisis by being able to financially incentivise action. 

UP sees that the true strength lies in empowering grassroots projects, emphasizing a citizen-centric strategy. Rather than solely relying on top-down regulations, the Digital Blue Economy catalyses change by directly empowering ground up movement. 

The integration of UP’s data-driven technologies, offers stakeholders a comprehensive insight into their contributions, enhancing financial traceability and accountability. This fusion of technology and sustainability not only elevates the essence of the blue economy but also encourages a new wave of contributors to participate in marine restoration. 

By digitising the impact of plastic waste collections, UP bridges the gap between the traditional blue economy and the modern demand for traceable, impactful investments within the ReFi framework. Stakeholders who are eager to make a genuine difference can now invest in tangible, verifiable plastic waste collections. 

In essence, UP finds its spot in the digital transformation of the Blue Economy, making marine regeneration a collective, traceable, and rewarding initiative.

UP transforms how we view the economy and interact with the health of our oceans, enabling a new era of digitally-enhanced environmental stewardship, the Digital Blue Economy 

IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL COMMUNITY

Marine plastic pollution is a global issue, but a great impact can be achieved on a local, community-based scale. Without the motivation and collective action of a community, technological efforts may fall short. Research has consistently demonstrated the efficacy of community-driven initiatives which incentivise good ecological behaviour and make climate action more accessible to everyone.

At UP, we believe in deepening and broadening collaborative efforts by working together to efficiently solve our planet's ocean plastic problem. Fostering a sense of collective responsibility across all industry sectors, regions and stakeholders such as local governments, non-governmental organisations, civil society etc., is therefore key. 

SDGS CONTRIBUTIONS

Our deep commitment to achieve the UN goals by the target date of 2030, is fully aligned with SDGs 1, 3, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 14. Moreover, we also contribute to SDG 4 “ensuring a quality education” by being an educational tool aiming at building awareness, capacity, and agency on plastic pollution at a local level. Via our APP and overall communication channels, UP promotes innovation to expand blue solutions and equip people with the necessary skills to restore and protect the integrity and resilience of our planet and oceans.

SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE

UP believes in using science-based solutions to combat the plastic crisis and promote our planet's regeneration. Hence, at the core of UP's mission lies its commitment to scientific research, facilitated through collaborations with Research Organisations (RO).

In today's interconnected world with an overload of information, fundamental scientific research stands out as a trusted source. It generates a baseline and genuine data, which UP uses as applied knowledge. This knowledge not only enriches our core understanding of plastic matters but also serves as the basis for innovative problem- solving schemes. UP welcomes ROs with different purposes; foundations, universities, research stations and companies, all working with different objectives, but with the same goal: a better understanding of the plastic problem and solutions. UP's partnership with ROs worldwide exemplifies how geographical boundaries can be transcended to share expertise and leverage diverse perspectives to tackle the global plastic crisis more comprehensively.

Our technology enables us to assign a meaningful purpose to scientific data collection and increases its performance by allowing automated meta-data layers, which make their way into big data projects. UP's concept and technology transform raw meta-data on marine plastic debris into valuable, ready-to-use databases, with scientific, commercial, social, and environmental applications.

By ensuring data accessibility, usability, and reliability, we provide all stakeholders with crucial insights into the plastic crisis, fostering informed, big data-driven solutions worldwide. 

ONDAs

Drawing inspiration from the natural world, UP presents an APP that embodies the transformative energy of the ocean, channelling digital social interaction into systemic change. This is done through Ocean Notarised Digital Assets or ONDAs, in lating meaning waves. Waves are the energy of the sea, a force of change, and it is that energy we aim to emulate and manifest in a digital form.

ONDAs showcase both the financial allocation, the measured ecological and social positive impact of each asset. They are created through the active participation of UP’s users, Ocean Defenders, who use our app to track and record information during their plastic waste collections. To enrich these records, ONDAs incorporate visuals like photographs and maps of the Ocean Defenders' collection routes, adding depth to each data point.

ONDAs are waves of awareness. They are a catalyst for transformation. 

The technology behind ONDAs

Digital Measurement, Report and Verification system

While ONDAs reflect the ocean's dynamic energy and the ecological and social effects of each asset, our digital system ensures these impacts are accurately Measured, Reported, and Verified with reliability and traceability.

This digital Measurement Report and Verification (dMRV) system addresses the longstanding challenges in the MRV field, such as inefficiency and credibility issues, by employing digital innovations and distributed ledger technology.

The dMRV system is comprised of three essential elements: 

1. Data Extraction: by using IoT devices evidence is captured from the plastic waste collection. This is composed of geolocated images, GPS tracking, geolocalised weather and demographic data. 

2. Data Analysis: This stage leverages quantifying AI algorithms to validate and analyse the collected data on plastic waste, ensuring its accuracy and extracting valuable data like size and type of plastic. This gives insight into the impact and efficiency of the collection processes.

3. Data Integrity: To guarantee the security and immutability of this data, it's recorded on a public blockchain. This distributed ledger prevents unauthorised alterations, maintaining the data's openness and reliability.

Harnessing Public Blockchain for Global Impact

UP's strategy pivots on an innovative use of public blockchain technology in Digital Asset Management. By securing ONDAs on the blockchain, we are crafting new benchmarks in audibility, operational efficiency, and value transfer across borders. In this way, UP leverages a robust, scalable blockchain infrastructure capable of handling high transaction volumes. It is designed to accommodate vast data while maintaining processing speeds, low fees, and impressive energy efficiency. These features are essential for managing ONDAs effectively, aligning with our commitment to ocean regeneration goals at both local and global scales. 

Universal Plastic has experience in various sectors and countries of work

CEO - Alvaro: Responsible for overall strategic planning, decision-making, and leadership.

CTO - Adria: Manages technological development, innovation, and tech integration within the organization.

CIO - Britt: Oversees the environmental and social impact of operations, ensuring sustainable development. Seeks to incorporate Ocean Investors & Defenders into the platform.

CSO - Mario Lebrato: PhD Oceanographer and Universal Plastic Scientific Director. 

We have 3 more developers that help us developing our technology.

The rest is outsourcing

The four of us have been working 2 and a half years in the same organization and released our App in January 2024.

Separately Mario and Álvaro have been working for 7 years on the plastic crisis

We still do not have internal policies for this as we are a small group but we are open-minded people that took are passionate about inclusivity and solving inequalities. For sure we will come up with a professional plan to do this when we have resources. Meanwhile:

Our team, led by Álvaro Bravo, stands in building this solution due to our unique blend of diverse expertise, innovative thinking, and a deep commitment to Ocean Regeneration. Álvaro, brings experience from various successful business ventures, including the globally recognized Gijon Surf Hostel and the sustainable surfboard brand Rest In Paradise. His passion for permaculture and environmental conservation is not just theoretical; he has authored a book on blockchain technology, focusing on its role in developing circular, sustainable economies. This expertise positions him perfectly to navigate and leverage the upcoming EU regulations for sustainable product designs.

Britt Trago, another vital member of our team, complements Álvaro's skills with her proficiency in Dutch, English, and Spanish, and her passion for permaculture, surfing, and resource management. Her academic background, with master's degrees in international development and organic agriculture, and her role as a sustainable development consultant, add a critical dimension to our approach. Britt's focus on energy and unity is instrumental in fostering a collaborative team environment.

The technical aspects of our project are bolstered by Adria Gonzalez, a skilled telecommunications engineer with a knack for developing digital communication platforms. His experience with diverse platforms, including a social network for photo sharing, equips him to effectively manage the technical direction of Universal Plastic.

Finally, Mario Lebrato's expertise in oceanography and biogeochemical processes enriches our understanding of environmental impacts. His experience in leading international environmental projects and his current role at the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies bring invaluable insights into the environmental aspect of our projects.

Together, our team's blend of strategic, technical, environmental, and sustainable development expertise, combined with our shared passion for innovation and the Ocean, make us the ideal candidates to lead this project towards success.

We make business a catalyst for Ocean Regeneration with turnkey CSR plastic waste collection campaigns, elevating brand awareness and engagement in the realm of sustainability through our “Verified Blue” label.

We use the latest web3 tech to verify Blue Corps contributions to Ocean Defenders ( Waste Collectors ), financially enabling them to remove plastic waste from heavily impacted marine ecosystems.

This is done via ONDAs (Ocean Notarised Digital Assets), our waves of change, transforming plastic waste collections into digital assets. These ONDAs are generated via our digital Meassurement, Report and Verification system based on AI and public blockchain technology.

Our AI-driven dMRV system uniquely positions us to efficiently create and market ESG Assets. We eliminate human infrastructure costs and third-verified parties, more susceptible to scams during the audition process. This tech approach ensures the lowest market friction and maximizes positive impact for Ocean Regeneration.

With the financial resources want to create our sales department and start commercialising our technology under the "Become Blue" campaign. We have all the marketing strategies developed and just need resources for implementation. Like cold mailing strategies, going to some congress to spend our commercial network, video campaigns to position our brand, influencers campaigns...

We are also focused on keeping a small HR infrastructure that allows us to be agile and efficient. Using the latest AI tools we will be closer to this goal, being the more competitive company to provide positive impact campaigns in the market and with the best quality thanks to our data management perspective.

Attached you will find our commercialization strategy:

https://drive.google.com/file/...