The Great Bubble Barrier

What The Great Bubble Barrier does

The Great Bubble Barrier B.V. is a Dutch social enterprise, incorporated in 2017 and headquartered in Amsterdam, that has developed and commercializes a physical "Bubble Barrier" system to intercept plastic pollution in rivers and other waterways before it reaches the ocean. The system consists of three integrated components: a perforated rubber tube placed diagonally across a waterway bottom that pumps air to form a bubble curtain, an electric compressor (where possible powered by renewable energy) that supplies the air, and a catchment system on the riverbank that retains the plastic. The bubble curtain creates an upward current that lifts submerged plastic to the surface, and the diagonal placement leverages natural flow to direct waste toward the catchment system; the design covers the full width and depth of the waterway without impeding fish passage or ship traffic, and operates 24/7. Reported performance metrics include an 86% catch rate of floating plastic, capture range from 1mm to 2m, and 80 kg/month of dry debris removed by the Amsterdam installation (with 71%+ being plastic).

The company sells its installations primarily to governments, water authorities, and municipalities, with pricing starting at €350K per deployment structured as multi-year project contracts delivered through a four-phase process (Feasibility Study, Realisation, Operation & Maintenance, Monitoring & Awareness). Five installations are active: Amsterdam (2019), Wervershoof (2019, wastewater treatment plant pilot), Katwijk (2022, first citizen-initiated), Vila do Conde, Portugal (2023, EU MAELSTROM project), and Harlingen (2024, UNESCO Wadden Sea). Revenue is supplemented by corporate sponsorship packages, individual donations (including a "Bubble Brigade" monthly program via WhyDonate), EU grants (Horizon 2020, MAELSTROM, Climate KIC), and awards-related prize funding. The team numbers 10–20 employees and is led by three co-founders: Francis Zoet (COO), Anne Marieke Eveleens (CBDO), and Philip Ehrhorn (CTO), supported by an advisory board spanning marketing, operations, project management, and finance.

Name

The Great Bubble Barrier

Legal name

The Great Bubble Barrier B.V.

Website

https://thegreatbubblebarrier.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Bubble Barrier Sales & Installation: Selling and installing Bubble Barrier systems to governments, municipalities, and water authorities. Pricing starts at 350K per installation. Revenue generated through project contracts with government entities.
2. Sponsorship & Private Partnerships: Private organizations can sponsor Bubble Barrier installations for brand visibility, event participation, press opportunities, and social media exposure.
3. Donations: Individual and organizational donations support the mission. Monthly donation program called 'Bubble Brigade' with exclusive updates and merchandise.
4. EU and Government Grants: Funding from EU projects like MAELSTROM (70% EU-funded pilot), Horizon 2020, Climate KIC, and various national/regional government funds for environmental projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Great Bubble Barrier designs, manufactures, sells, and installs a proprietary physical Bubble Barrier system that captures plastic pollution across the full width and depth of rivers and waterways. The system consists of a bubble curtain created by pumping air through a perforated tube on the waterway bottom, an electric compressor for air supply, and a catchment system to retain collected plastic. The company also offers associated services including project implementation, feasibility studies, and plastic pollution monitoring using the OSPAR river method.

Product overview

The Great Bubble Barrier is a social enterprise offering a unified physical technology system—the Bubble Barrier—to capture plastic pollution in rivers and waterways. The core product consists of three integrated components: a Bubble Curtain (perforated rubber tubing creating the air bubble barrier), an Electric Compressor System (powering the bubble curtain), and a Catchment System (collecting captured plastics). The company also offers associated services including plastic pollution monitoring using the OSPAR method and full project implementation from feasibility through operation. The system covers the full width and depth of waterways, operates 24/7, and is designed not to hinder fish migration or ship traffic. Pricing for government infrastructure starts at €350K. The company has deployed multiple project-specific installations in locations including Amsterdam, Harlingen, Katwijk, Vila do Conde (Portugal), and Wervershoof.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bubble Barrier System A proprietary physical bubble curtain technology system that captures plastic pollution across the full width and depth of rivers. Uses pumped air through a perforated tube on the waterway bottom to create an upward current directing plastics to the surface, where diagonal placement pushes waste into a catchment system. Sold to governments, municipalities, and water authorities with installations starting at €350K.
• Plastic Pollution Monitoring Services Research and monitoring services using the OSPAR river method to categorize and analyze plastic catch data across 100+ waste categories. Provides insights into pollution types, levels, and origins to support policy change and prevent future plastic entry into waterways. Offered in partnership with Plastic Soup Foundation and Waternet.
• Project Implementation Services Full-service Bubble Barrier implementation including feasibility studies, system design customized to river characteristics, permitting, installation, and ongoing operational support. Delivered through a four-phase process: Feasibility Study (3 months), Realisation (6 months), Operation & Maintenance, and Monitoring & Awareness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% catch rate of floating plastic pollution
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• MAELSTROM ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023EU-H2020 project with 14 partners from 8 European countries. Bubble Barrier Vila do Conde is part of this project (70% EU-funded pilot). Coordinated by Italian National Research Council (CNR). Aims to implement innovative solutions for marine litter removal and recycling.
• DeltarescoreTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner conducting lab testing of Bubble Barrier technology with various plastic types. Collaborates on flow dynamics research for different waterway conditions.
• KWR Water Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater research institute partnering on microplastics research at Wervershoof wastewater treatment plant. Investigates Bubble Barrier effectiveness in trapping microplastics 0.02-0.5mm.
• Plastic Soup FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Amsterdam Bubble Barrier monitoring. Performs brand audits and waste categorization using OSPAR method. Joint research on plastic pollution trends.
• WaternetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmsterdam water management company that cleans city waterways daily. Partner in research alliance for Bubble Barrier Amsterdam monitoring and plastic catch analysis.
• Wageningen Marine ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner studying fish behavior and migration patterns around Bubble Barrier systems.
• AMS InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmsterdam Institute for Advanced Urban Solutions - research partnership for urban water solutions.
• Coast BustersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal citizen initiative in Katwijk that organized beach clean-ups and awareness activities, leading to citizen-initiated Bubble Barrier Katwijk.
• GleisteinminorOthersPledge partner contributing consistently to help organization grow and scale impact worldwide.
• Open WaterminorOthersPledge partner supporting consistent work to grow and scale impact.
• Herik (vdherik)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering partner providing consistent commitment to Bubble Barrier projects. Contributes to technical design and implementation.
• Herbert Smith FreehillsminorOthersNetwork partner supporting mission and amplifying impact alongside like-minded organizations.
• DeloitteminorOthersNetwork partner connecting with like-minded organizations and amplifying impact.
• The Water CouncilminorOthersNetwork partner in water technology ecosystem.
• UNESCO Green CitizensminorOthersNetwork partner under UNESCO Green Citizens initiative.
• By The Ocean We UniteminorOthersOcean awareness organization; friend of the mission raising awareness and rallying support for cleaner planet.
• Plastic Soup SurferminorOthersEnvironmental initiative sharing knowledge and tools to increase awareness around plastic pollution.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• RanMarine Technology: Dutch company producing autonomous surface-cleaning drones (WasteShark) for harbors, rivers, and ponds. Comparable mission of removing floating plastics from inland water bodies, with overlapping Dutch ecosystem and EU municipal buyers.
• 4ocean: US-based for-profit employing cleanup crews and funding ocean and river cleanups through branded product sales. Comparable business model of monetizing plastic cleanup via corporate/consumer sponsorship, but with labor-based rather than engineered infrastructure approach.
• Clearbot: Hong Kong-based startup building autonomous electric boats that collect floating waste from harbors and waterways. Adjacent technology approach (autonomous floating collection) targeting the same plastic-capture use case as The Great Bubble Barrier.

Broad incumbents

• Plastic Bank: Social enterprise that operates plastic collection networks in coastal communities and issues 'plastic credits' to corporate sponsors. Overlapping mission of stopping ocean-bound plastic and operating a sponsorship/ESG funding model, but focused on collection incentives rather than river infrastructure.

Direct peers

• The Ocean Cleanup: Non-profit deploying Interceptor systems to capture plastic in rivers (e.g., Klang, Rio Las Vacas) before it reaches oceans. Directly comparable mission and product architecture to The Great Bubble Barrier's river plastic capture use case, but with significantly larger scale and global footprint.
• RiverRecycle: Finnish company installing river plastic collection systems (e.g., in Indonesia and India) and converting recovered plastic into products. Closely comparable model of deploying physical infrastructure in rivers with downstream processing.
• Seabin Project: Australian company producing floating smart bins ('Seabins') that capture floating plastics, oils, and debris in marinas and waterways. Comparable mission (intercept plastics in water bodies) and customer base of harbors, marinas, and municipalities, though focused on smaller enclosed water bodies rather than rivers.
• Plastic Fischer: German social enterprise deploying low-cost river barriers ('TrashBooms') and sorting facilities in India and Indonesia to stop plastic in waterways. Directly competes in the river plastic interception niche with similar municipal/government GTM in emerging markets.

Others

• Plastic Soup Foundation: Dutch NGO focused on plastic pollution awareness, research, and policy advocacy. Listed as The Great Bubble Barrier's research partner for Amsterdam monitoring — thematically aligned, contributes OSPAR data and brand audits, but does not compete commercially.

Regional players

• Mr. Trash Wheel: Baltimore Inner Harbor waterwheel family (Mr. Trash Wheel, Professor Trash Wheel, Captain Trash Wheel) that uses hydro-powered wheels to collect floating debris. Comparable water-trash capture concept but deployed in US harbors rather than European rivers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Bubble_Barrier
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCC4s1gywFvp6l0n7utCM-OA
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheGreatBubbleBarrier
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10964653
• Instagraminstagram.com/thegreatbubblebarrier

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Great Bubble Barrier