PRESS RELEASE

TALLINN, ESTONIA – One of the standout sessions at this year’s Latitude59 startup and technology conference will be a fireside chat featuring Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, and Markus Villig, founder of Estonian unicorn Bolt.

Latitude59 CEO Liisi Org said that the appearance of Boyan Slat and Markus Villig is one of the highlights of the Latitude59 conference taking place in May. “We are very happy and grateful that Boyan Slat agreed to come to Estonia and share his insights with Latitude59 guests on the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and solving environmental challenges. We are also eager to hear Markus Villig’s thoughts on building a mission-driven company and navigating the challenges of rapid growth. I’m sure these topics will strongly resonate with the international startup community, as they are closely tied to our main themes this year — integrity and perspective,” said Org, adding that an inspiring and profound conversation is expected.

In the fireside chat, Slat and Villig will share their remarkable journeys from ambitious young entrepreneurs to global leaders in innovation, tackling major challenges through both business and nonprofit initiatives. Slat will speak about his mission to rid the oceans of plastic waste and his vision for the future of green technology, while Villig will reflect on building one of Europe’s leading mobility platforms with a strong mission of improving cities worldwide. 

Founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup Boyan Slat said that “It is an honor to be invited to speak at Latitude59, and I will be looking forward to the conversation about rapid growth with Markus. We know clean oceans can be achieved in a manageable time and at a clear cost. We have the tools – now we need to rally support to get the job done.”

Markus Villig, founder of Bolt, said: “When I was a teenager thinking about starting a company, seeing the success of Estonian entrepreneurs at Skype gave me the confidence to dream big. Successful founders have a responsibility to give back to their local tech community, so I’m looking forward to being back at Latitude59 alongside Boyan to help inspire the next generation of Estonian entrepreneurs.”

Slat and Villig launched their ventures at the ages of 16 and 19, respectively, and both faced challenges in securing funding and gaining support. While the causes they are fighting for are different, both men are using technological solutions to improve our environment.

During his visit to Estonia, Boyan Slat will meet with several organizations and explore local environmental initiatives, including World Cleanup Day — a global movement that unites over 150 countries and 20 million participants annually. He will also visit the Good Deed Foundation to meet with Estonian philanthropists.

About Boyan Slat and The Ocean Cleanup 

Boyan Slat is a Dutch inventor and entrepreneur with a passion for creating solutions to address global issues. He is the founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, an international nonprofit tackling one of our planet’s most pressing environmental challenges, plastic pollution adversely affecting our rivers and oceans. He is one of the youngest individuals to lead a large-scale environmental project with global impact, and his work has earned him numerous prestigious international awards and recognition, including being named European of the Year by Reader’s Digest and featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. 

The Ocean Cleanup has developed both innovative ocean cleanup systems to remove legacy plastic waste from marine environments and solutions for rivers – called Interceptors – to prevent new plastic from entering the oceans. The Ocean Cleanup’s systems have already removed tens of millions of kilograms of trash, with the aim of restoring the health of our rivers and oceans.

About Markus Villig and Bolt

Markus Villig is the founder and CEO at Bolt. He founded Bolt in 2013 when he was 19 years old. Realising how outdated the taxi industry in Tallinn was, he built the first version of ride-hailing software himself and launched Bolt with 50 drivers he had personally recruited.

Bolt is the global shared mobility platform that provides ride-hailing, scooter and e-bike sharing, food and grocery delivery, and car rental services in over 600 cities across 50 countries. Bolt’s services connect to existing modes of transport making it easier for people to move around. In doing so, Bolt aims to reduce private car usage and help make cities for people, not cars.

About Latitude59

Latitude59 2025 will take place on 21–23 May in Tallinn, Estonia. As the most international and impactful startup and technology event in the Baltic States and New Nordics, Latitude59 brings together startups, investors, and ecosystem builders from around the world.

The 12th edition of Latitude59, held in Tallinn in 2024, attracted over 3,500 attendees, including more than 900 startup representatives and over 700 investors. The event featured 195 speakers, 40% of whom were women. In total, participants came from 65 countries worldwide.