Boyan Slat Speaking Fee: $50,000 to $75,000

Boyan Slat, born on July 27, 1994, in Delft, the Netherlands, is a Dutch inventor and entrepreneur dedicated to addressing environmental challenges through innovative engineering. His passion for tackling complex problems emerged early; at 16, during a scuba diving trip in Greece, he was struck by the overwhelming presence of plastic pollution in the ocean. This experience led him to question why the issue couldn't be resolved and inspired him to focus his high school science project on developing solutions to oceanic plastic waste. In 2013, at the age of 18, Slat founded The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization aimed at developing advanced technologies to rid the world's oceans of plastic. He left his Aerospace Engineering studies at Delft University of Technology to fully commit to this mission. The organization gained significant attention after Slat's 2012 TEDx talk went viral, enabling him to assemble a dedicated team and secure initial funding through a successful crowdfunding campaign. Under Slat's leadership, The Ocean Cleanup has made notable progress in combating ocean plastic pollution. The organization developed a passive concentration system that utilizes natural ocean currents to collect plastic debris. After years of research, development, and testing, they achieved proof of technology in 2021. The team has since deployed systems to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and introduced Interceptors™ to prevent plastic from entering oceans via rivers. Slat's innovative approach and dedication have earned him numerous accolades. In 2014, he received the United Nations Environment Programme's Champions of the Earth award. Forbes included him in their 30 Under 30 list in 2016, and in 2024, TIME recognized him as one of the 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders in Business. Today, The Ocean Cleanup continues to grow under Slat's guidance, with a team of over 145 professionals from more than 30 countries, all working towards the ambitious goal of removing 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040. Slat remains deeply involved in the organization's strategic direction and technological innovations, driven by his belief that "when people say something is impossible, the sheer absoluteness of that statement should be a motivation to investigate further."