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Ms Sarah Hooper, Consul-General of Australia, gives the opening remarks at the event
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The Plastics Innovation Hub Vietnam and related units on October 27 organized a demo day to introduce innovations to solve plastic pollution problems in the Mekong River region.
The Plastics Innovation Hub Vietnam Demo Day marks the culmination of eight weeks of intensive training through the Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network (IPPIN) Accelerator program. During the training, teams of entrepreneurs and researchers have been mentored to hone their ideas and build market readiness.
Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms Sarah Hooper, said the IPPIN is an important regional program fostering innovation to curb plastic waste and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
"This year is the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Australia. The IPPIN partnership with Vietnam is an example of what the modern partnership is about - collaboration to address difficult challenges we share both at home and in our region.”
“Vietnam and Australia both face significant climate change and environmental challenges with stark implications for food security and economic prosperity. Collaborations between our scientific agencies and the private sector are critical to our ability to successfully bring about change and I look forward to seeing practical, scalable solutions at this year's Plastics Innovation Hub Vietnam Demo Day,” Ms Hooper said.
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, is a delivery partner for the IPPIN program. CSIRO Counsellor in Vietnam, Dr Kim Wimbush, said in addition to showcasing innovations being developed in the region, the Plastics Innovation Hub Vietnam Demo Day is a chance to deepen connections across the innovation ecosystem and celebrate the entrepreneurial skills of local innovators.
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| Presenting books authored by CSIRO to opening speakers |
“CSIRO is committed to building resilient and sustainable environments. Through programs like IPPIN, we’re lifting the capability of local innovation ecosystems by bringing together innovators, researchers, government and industry to act collectively on plastic pollution. I am optimistic that the innovations showcased at the Demo Day can help contribute to Vietnam’s effort to ban single-use plastics nationwide by 2031,” Dr Wimbush said.
This critical work in supporting sustainable start-ups forms part of CSIRO’s Ending Plastic Waste (EPW) Mission, which is working towards an 80 per cent reduction in plastic waste entering the Australian environment by 2030.
Along with addressing plastic pollution on a domestic scale, the EPW Mission has expanded across the Indo-Pacific region, with the establishment of the IPPIN.
The Plastics Innovation Hub Vietnam is a key component of the IPPIN and is delivered by CSIRO in partnership with Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands, Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the National Plastic Action Partnership Vietnam./.