AI + Climate Winner
About Sorina
Sorina Uleia is the Founder and CEO of Recycllux, a deep tech startup using Earth observation, AI and blockchain to tackle marine plastic pollution. With a background in enterprise technology at IBM, Oracle and Indra Sistemas, and a successful exit from ChemChain in 2023, she founded Recycllux after a personal moment: swimming with her children in the Black Sea and finding herself surrounded by plastic. What struck her was not the pollution itself but what it represented, a system with no one accountable for stopping it.
The focus of her work
Recycllux uses proprietary AI algorithms to analyse satellite imagery, identifying marine plastic accumulation zones along coastlines. Detected hotspots are validated on the ground through local NGOs and fishing vessels before coordinated community cleanups are deployed. Every stage of the process, from detection through collection and reintegration, is logged on blockchain, generating audit-grade ESG data for corporate reporting and regulatory compliance. The community-led model emits 46 times less carbon than traditional ship-based operations.
Impact
46 times less carbon emitted than traditional ship-based cleanup operations
Moving from pilots to recurring commercial deployments across the Black Sea and Mediterranean
Target: 5,000 tonnes of marine plastic removed and 5,000 green jobs created for coastal communities by 2031
500+ public and private actors to be supported in meeting sustainability obligations
Each tonne removed prevents approximately 40 tonnes of CO2 emissions, with a long-term climate contribution projected at over 200,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent
Responsible AI in practice
Recycllux treats responsible AI as a design constraint that runs through every layer of the system. Satellite detection alone is never treated as sufficient; outputs are always validated on the ground before any intervention is coordinated, and every stage is traceable through blockchain, preventing environmental claims from becoming unverifiable marketing narratives. The model is also deliberately designed to create direct economic benefit for the coastal communities doing the work, not just for the companies and authorities.
Vision for the future
Environmental impact that is measurable, traceable and economically viable at scale. Not dependent on one-off campaigns or symbolic initiatives, but proven, replicable, and community-anchored.
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