Project STOP
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersDenpasar, Indonesia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Project STOP does
Project STOP (STop Ocean Plastics) is a Swiss-domiciled non-profit foundation (Stiftung Projekt-STOP), co-founded in 2017 by Vienna-based polyolefins company Borealis and systems change consultancy Systemiq, that partners with city and regency governments in Indonesia to design, implement, and scale circular waste management systems aimed at eliminating plastic leakage into the environment. Its operational footprint has progressed from single-city pilots (Muncar, 2017; Pasuruan, 2020; Jembrana, 2019) — all subsequently handed over to local government control between February 2022 and June 2023 — to a regency-wide model in Banyuwangi, East Java, supported by Material Recovery Facilities, planned Material Transfer Stations, and a digital platform.
Its core product surface includes the Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau program (end-to-end collection, sorting, and recycling), the Banyuwangi Hijau Digital App co-developed with Accenture Song (real-time registration, digital fee collection, route optimization, and low-connectivity operation), Material Recovery Facilities (operational plus Karetan under construction), Material Transfer Stations, and a Plastic Credits module enabling corporate offset purchases. Underlying technology centers on operational logistics rather than proprietary AI/ML — features such as route optimization and materials tracking/tracing are explicitly identified as integration/interoperability differentiators, not algorithmic IP. No patents, AI research, or proprietary models are disclosed.
The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Project STOP does not charge end-users for waste services and does not generate revenue from operations; it is funded through contributions from co-founders, corporate partners (Nestlé, HP, Borouge, Siegwerk, Veolia, NOVA Chemicals, Schwarz Group, AEPW), institutional funders (Government of Norway, P4G), and since 2024 its scale-up partner Clean Rivers (a portfolio entity of Erth Zayed Philanthropies). The only quantified funding commitment disclosed is Nestlé's CHF 1.6 million grant in 2019. Go-to-market is community-led and government-anchored, with no traditional sales channel; Plastic Credits represent the only quasi-commercial instrument. Headcount is approximately 40 environmental leaders plus operational waste workers across city partnerships.
Project STOP firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project STOP
- Legal name
- Project STOP (STop Ocean Plastics)
- Website
- https://stopoceanplastics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project STOP industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste Management Services
- NAICS
- Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Waste Collection (56211), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply) (EUAIAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pollution Prevention, Chemicals & Waste (incl. Plastics) (BPADALAJ), Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL)
Keywords
Where Project STOP is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denpasar
- HQ country
- Indonesia
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices6 records
Markets served
Project STOP business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Philanthropic/Grant Funding: Project STOP operates as a non-profit initiative funded by founding partners Borealis and Systemiq, corporate partners, and institutional funders. The program does not generate revenue from its services but is funded through contributions from industry partners, governments, and foundations to build and operate circular waste management systems.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Project STOP product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project STOP partners with city and regency governments in Indonesia to design, implement, and scale end-to-end circular waste management systems that eliminate plastic leakage. Its offering combines household waste collection services, Material Recovery Facilities and material transfer stations for sorting and recycling, and a digital management app (Banyuwangi Hijau) for registration, fee collection, and route optimization, with the program transitioned to local government control once operational sustainability is achieved. The portfolio is rounded out by a Plastic Credits mechanism for corporate offsetting of plastic usage.
Product overview
Project STOP is a circular waste management initiative co-founded by Borealis and Systemiq that provides a comprehensive suite of services to eliminate plastic waste leakage in Southeast Asia. The core offering centers on the Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau program, which delivers regency-wide circular waste management through a network of waste collection services, Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), and planned Material Transfer Stations. Supporting the physical infrastructure is the Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau Digital App—a mobile application developed with Accenture Song that digitizes waste management operations including registration, fee collection, and route optimization. The portfolio also includes Plastic Credits for corporate offsetting. Together, these products form an integrated circular waste ecosystem designed for scalability across Indonesian regencies, with the goal of reaching up to 2 million people.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau Regency-wide circular waste management system providing end-to-end waste collection, sorting, and recycling services for Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Indonesia. Serves as the backbone of Project STOP's circular waste services, expanding access to formal waste management for residents and targeting services for up to 2 million people.
- Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau Digital App Mobile application developed with Accenture Song that digitizes waste management operations for Project STOP Banyuwangi. Features include real-time registration for residents, a digital fee collection system, route optimization for waste collectors, low-connectivity operation for rural areas, fit-for-purpose device support for smaller screens, and map views to identify non-participating households. Recognized with Art Directors Club (ADC) awards.
- Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Processing facilities where collected waste is sorted, segregated, and prepared for recycling. Includes the Balak MRF and the Karetan MRF under construction, with the regency network expected to handle up to 260 metric tons of waste per day once the second MRF and two material transfer stations become operational in 2026.
- Material Transfer Stations Waste transfer facilities that consolidate and transport waste from collection points to material recovery facilities. Two such stations are planned for construction in 2026 to support regency-wide services in Banyuwangi for up to 2 million people.
- Plastic Credits Mechanism allowing organizations to offset their plastic usage by funding waste collection and recycling activities through Project STOP's verified plastic recovery operations, supporting corporate plastic neutrality commitments.
- Waste Collection Services Household and community waste collection services providing regular pickup of pre-sorted waste from residents, enabling proper waste disposal and diversion from open burning or illegal dumping, with operations across Muncar, Pasuruan, Jembrana, and Banyuwangi in Indonesia.
Quantifiable outcome
- Surpassed 100,000 metric tons of waste collected since 2017
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Project STOP
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Project STOP technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Project STOP partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, core - scale-up partner, trust & foundation, major - corporate partner, major - technical partner, corporate partner, major - strategic funder, core - government partner, core - co-founder and major - government partner.
- PISCES RelaycoreLed the Circular Banyuwangi initiative nominated for Earthshot Prize. Works in partnership with National Ministries, Banyuwangi Regency Government, Project STOP, Enviu, Alner, BIOPAC, Emvitrust and community partners.
- Accenture SongcoreCollaborated with Project STOP to create the Banyuwangi Hijau Digital App, enhancing waste collection efficiency through digitizing processes and optimizing waste system roll-outs. Received ADC awards for the application.
- Clean Riverscore - scale-up partnerScale-up partner and funder joining in 2024. Clean Rivers is a UAE-backed foundation dedicated to transforming river systems into catalysts for sustainable development. CEO Deborah Backus leads the partnership expansion. Operates as portfolio entity of Erth Zayed Philanthropies.
- P4G (Partnerships for Green Growth)trust & foundationPartnership for Green Growth - strategic partner supporting Project STOP's mission to advance circular waste management.
- Nestlémajor - corporate partnerFirst food and beverage company to join Project STOP. Committed CHF 1.6 million in funding. Committed to making 100% of packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. Supported Pasuruan partnership for waste management in Lekok and Nguling.
- HP Inc.major - technical partnerFirst technology company to join Project STOP. As technical partner, HP bolsters circular waste management systems in East Java including materials recovery centers. Committed to creating world without waste and empowering local communities.
- Schwarz Groupcorporate partnerCorporate partner supporting Project STOP's circular waste management initiatives.
- Borougemajor - corporate partnerStrategic partner, originally joined in 2017 as supporting partner and elevated to strategic partner in 2019. Abu Dhabi Polymers Company, joint venture with ADNOC. Committed to giving new life to post-consumed plastics and scaling efforts in Southeast Asia.
- Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW)major - strategic funderFully funded the Jembrana city partnership. The Alliance is a CEO-driven international organization bringing together industry, government, communities, and civil society to end plastic waste. Focus on four pillars: infrastructure, innovation, education, and clean up.
- Siegwerkcorporate partnerCorporate partner contributing to addressing plastic pollution in Indonesia alongside Project STOP.
- Veoliacorporate partnerCorporate partner providing expertise in environmental services and waste management solutions.
- NOVA Chemicalscorporate partnerCorporate partner contributing funding and expertise to Project STOP's circular waste initiatives.
- Banyuwangi Regency Governmentcore - government partnerPrimary government partner for establishing Indonesia's first regency-wide circular waste management system. Provides leadership, policy support, and land allocation for waste management infrastructure. Led by Regent Ipuk Fiestiandani.
- Borealiscore - co-founderCo-founder of Project STOP alongside Systemiq. Borealis, a Vienna-based polyolefin company, provides primary funding and strategic direction. Stefan Doboczky, CEO of Borealis, has stated commitment to the project's expansion including funding the second MRF in Banyuwangi.
- Systemiqcore - co-founderCo-founder of Project STOP alongside Borealis. Systemiq is a systems change company focused on achieving Paris Agreement goals. Ben Dixon, Partner at Systemiq and Project STOP co-founder, leads technical implementation.
- Indonesian Ministry of Environment & Forestrymajor - government partnerNational government ministry providing vital support and policy framework for Project STOP operations across Indonesia.
- Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Indonesiamajor - government partnerNational government ministry supporting Project STOP's waste management initiatives in Indonesia.
- Ministry of National Development Planning / BAPPENASmajor - government partnerNational planning ministry supporting Project STOP's strategic development in Indonesia.
- Ministry of Public Works, Indonesiamajor - government partnerGovernment ministry supporting infrastructure development for waste management systems.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Project STOP competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sungai Watch: Bali-based NGO that installs river barriers and conducts coastal cleanups to intercept plastic waste before it reaches the ocean. Operates in the same Indonesian geographies as Project STOP with a similar mission of preventing plastic leakage, though focused on interception rather than full circular collection.
- Waste4Change: Indonesia-based social enterprise offering waste management services including segregated collection, drop points, MRF-style sorting, and corporate waste programs. Directly comparable as another Indonesia-focused circular waste operator serving businesses and municipalities.
- Rekosistem: Indonesian waste-tech company building digital waste management infrastructure and collection services with MRF operations across cities. Comparable as a tech-enabled Indonesian waste collection and recycling operator competing for the same municipal contracts and corporate plastic-offset demand.
- Plastic Bank: Social enterprise that collects ocean-bound plastic via a network of collection points, exchanging waste for income and verified plastic credits. Closely comparable to Project STOP's model of municipal-level plastic collection, MRF processing, and plastic-credit offsetting for corporates.
- Gringgo (Plastic Bank Indonesia): Indonesia's first waste-tech startup (acquired by Plastic Bank) that ran app-based waste collection and recycling in Indonesian cities. Operated an overlapping model of app-enabled household collection and MRF processing in the same geographies as Project STOP.
Others
- Alliance to End Plastic Waste: CEO-led industry coalition that funded Project STOP's Jembrana partnership and deploys capital to plastic-waste infrastructure globally. Comparable as a fellow ecosystem actor funding and supporting similar city-level waste systems in SEA, though organized as an industry coalition rather than operator.
- ClimeCo: Environmental services firm operating plastic-credit registries, project development, and corporate sustainability advisory. Comparable as a fellow plastic-credits market participant; complementary ecosystem player rather than direct operational competitor to Project STOP.
Emerging players
- The Circulate Initiative: Non-profit focused on accelerating circular economy investment in SEA, including capital mobilization for plastic waste infrastructure in Indonesia and Vietnam. Comparable as a fellow capacity-builder and investor-facing accelerator for the same circular-plastics opportunity set in SEA.
- Earthworm Foundation: International NGO working on supply chain circularity, including plastic waste collection in producer regions and integrating informal waste workers. Overlaps with Project STOP's mission of formalizing informal sector waste work and producer-funded plastic recovery, with broader multi-material scope.
- Prevented Ocean Plastic: Brand/initiative under Bantam Materials International that certifies and markets recycled plastic recovered from coastal collection projects. Comparable as a similar ocean-plastic-prevention ecosystem player with materials tracking and corporate purchaser integration.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Project STOP social profiles
Digital presenceProject STOP financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project STOP leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Project STOP funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Project STOP M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Project STOP
What does Project STOP do?
Project STOP partners with city and regency governments in Indonesia to design, implement, and scale end-to-end circular waste management systems that eliminate plastic leakage. Its offering combines household waste collection services, Material Recovery Facilities and material transfer stations for sorting and recycling, and a digital management app (Banyuwangi Hijau) for registration, fee collection, and route optimization, with the program transitioned to local government control once operational sustainability is achieved. The portfolio is rounded out by a Plastic Credits mechanism for corporate offsetting of plastic usage.
Is Project STOP a public or private company?
Project STOP is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project STOP founded?
Project STOP was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Project STOP based?
Project STOP is headquartered in Denpasar, Indonesia, in the Asia region.
How does Project STOP make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic/Grant Funding.
Who are Project STOP's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sungai Watch, Waste4Change, Rekosistem, Plastic Bank and Gringgo (Plastic Bank Indonesia). Others are Alliance to End Plastic Waste and ClimeCo. Emerging players are The Circulate Initiative, Earthworm Foundation and Prevented Ocean Plastic.
Does Project STOP have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project STOP.
What industry is Project STOP in?
Project STOP's product category is Waste Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAKAA, Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply), with a secondary code of BPADALAJ, Pollution Prevention, Chemicals & Waste (incl. Plastics). Its NAICS code is 56292 and its SIC code is 4953.