Innovation

Clewat's main innovation is their vessel Cleansweep. It is a marine cleaning device designed by the company's founder Johannes Myllykoski, and originally introduced for commercial use by the company in 2018. The Cleansweep collects unwanted material and waste in the water through the use of a vacuum and conveyer belt, with booms that direct material to the center of the vessel. The efficiency of the Cleansweep, which resembles a catamaran in size, is unmatched in its minimal use of fuel, as it uses the currents/flow of the water for the bulk of its movement.

Inspiration

Clewat was inspired primarily by the amount of plastic waste in the ocean. Johannes Myllykoski's mission was to make our seas plastic free with a marine cleaning device. According to Myllykoski, “after the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, I realized that there are still not good enough solutions to tackle the environmental problems of the sea. I realized I wanted to influence: make a device that collects oil properly.” With the rapid pace of waste polluting the sea, Myllykoski discovered that by 2050, there will be more plastic garbage in our seas than fish. He knew he wanted to make a difference by inventing the Cleansweep.

Timothy Zhang analyzes the best ways to tackle certain processes and utilizes data to provide efficient outcomes for eliminating pollution in the ocean. Zhang stated in the interview that he mobilizes collectors to collect this plastic material, which is then converted into a very high spec material. Zhang talked about the possible future for Clewat and wants to put the waste to good use.

Overall impact

Clewat's invention is currently one of the most effective solutions for marine environmental issues. Clewat has brought the public and private sectors together to combat pollution by training local municipalities. They educate communities on waste management and recycling, such as in the Philippines, where plastic pollution threatens the world's richest marine biodiversity. Clewat is helping to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of Life Below Water (number 14), Clean Water and Sanitation (number 6), Affordable and Clean Energy (number 7), Sustainable Cities and Communities (number 11), and Partnerships to Achieve the Goal (number 12). (number 17).

Clewat has helped to provide a cleaner environment. Their objectives are ambitious and are expected to be met quickly. Clewat's cleaning device is one of the few practical solutions to the problem of marine plastic waste as it collects particles as small as half a millimeter in size. A single Cleansweep vessel can collect more than 200 cubic meters of garbage and harmful vegetation per hour, without a negative impact on the ocean or environment. Clewat has had a significant overall impact on oceans and has contributed to keeping the waters clean. They hope that hundreds of Cleansweep-vessels will clean the oceans in the coming years.

Business benefit

Clewat raised revenue through a digital marketing company called Sterly. They raised almost 500,000 EUR through a share issued by Sterly. Clewat is a small company ranging between 11-50 people and consisting of employees primarily located in Finland.

Clewat's new product is an ecological snow melting system that reduces harmful substances found in the snow. Melting snow uses the power of flowing water and seawater temperatures. The whole process is done without the use of carbon emissions and fossil fuels, with the exception of emissions from the transport of snow. Clewat is always open to new investment opportunities and wants to make their innovation a global sensation.

Social and environmental benefit

Clewat’s innovation is a marine cleaning device that utilizes water flow to operate with only a tiny amount of energy, but still obtains high efficiency. The focus is on solving plastic waste, oil spills, excess biomass, and other problems involving large bodies of water. They are able to collect as much as 200 cubic meters of biomass per hour. Removal of plant biomass helps improve winter oxygen because there is less degradable plant material.

The flow-based technology does not cause any mechanical tension on the water and the operation does not have any negative environmental impact. The benefit of collecting waste in oceans, rivers, and seas is the versatility, environmental friendliness, and efficiency. Improving ocean health would concurrently decrease harmful effects and improve the environment, climate, jobs, and economy. Putting money into better waste management maintains job growth and motivates a circular economy. A circular economy is a tool that equips climate change and biodiversity loss, while also conveying social needs. The biological cycle creates biodegradable materials that cannot be reused but can be circulated back into the economy. Technical cycles are products that are meant to be reused, and once their time is up, they are remanufactured. The ocean gives more opportunities for people to become employed in fishing, trading, shipping, tourism, and traveling.

Interview

Timothy Zhang, Business Analyst Advisor

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