Clean Rivers
Clean Rivers is a UAE-based global non-profit founded in 2024 that funds and facilitates projects tackling riverine plastic pollution across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil, operating under Erth Zayed Philanthropies with anchor funding from the UAE government.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Clean Rivers does
Clean Rivers is a UAE-based global non-profit foundation founded in 2024 and headquartered in Abu Dhabi, operating as a portfolio entity under Erth Zayed Philanthropies under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The organization is dedicated to addressing riverine plastic pollution through three interconnected program areas: river cleanup (funding projects to clean and restore polluted river systems), waste management (supporting sustainable waste management infrastructure), and resource recovery and recycling (advancing innovations in plastic recovery). It does not develop proprietary technology products; its core work is funding, convening, and facilitating collaborative projects that foster circular economies to reduce waste leakage into waterways while creating socio-economic opportunities for local communities.
Clean Rivers' business model is that of a grant-funded non-profit rather than a commercial enterprise. Its capital base derives primarily from a US$20 million UAE government commitment to Indonesia initiatives, channeled through implementation partnerships with multilateral and development organizations including the United Nations Development Programme, the Asian Development Bank, Project STOP (a Borealis and Systemiq joint initiative), and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The organization serves government entities (UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs, Philippines government), riverine communities in target geographies, and international development partners. It does not sell products or services and does not disclose pricing or revenue.
The organization operates across three primary geographies: Indonesia (where its US$20M program is concentrated, including the Banyuwangi regency-wide waste management system serving 850,000+ people and creating up to 1,000 jobs), the Philippines (Pasig River rehabilitation partnership announced February 2025), and Brazil (Ellen MacArthur Foundation partnership for circular economy transition announced September 2025). It maintains a small staff of 11–50 employees led by CEO Deborah Backus, and pursues visibility through international forums including COP29, the World Government Summit 2025, Indonesia Sustainability Forum, and New York Climate Week.
Clean Rivers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clean Rivers
- Legal name
- Clean Rivers LTD
- Website
- https://cleanrivers.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Clean Rivers is a UAE-based global non-profit founded in 2024 that funds and facilitates projects tackling riverine plastic pollution across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil, operating under Erth Zayed Philanthropies with anchor funding from the UAE government.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clean Rivers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Non-Profit Services
- NAICS
- Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)
- SIC
- Sanitary Services (4950), Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI)
Keywords
Where Clean Rivers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Abu Dhabi
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clean Rivers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Funding and Grants: Clean Rivers operates as a non-profit organization funded primarily through philanthropic contributions, government grants, and international development funding. The organization receives support from the UAE government and operates as a portfolio entity under Erth Zayed Philanthropies.
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Clean Rivers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clean Rivers is a global non-profit that funds and facilitates collaborative projects fostering circular economies to reduce waste leakage into waterways. It operates three interconnected program areas — River Clean Up, Waste Management, and Resource Recovery & Recycling — primarily in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines) and Latin America (Brazil). The organization serves as the official implementation partner for bilateral government environmental initiatives, channeling government grants and philanthropic funding into partner-led projects that build sustainable waste management infrastructure and clean polluted river systems.
Product overview
Clean Rivers is a global non-profit organization dedicated to transforming rivers into catalysts for sustainable development. Rather than a traditional product portfolio, Clean Rivers operates three interconnected program areas: River Cleanup Programs (funding projects to clean and restore polluted river systems), Waste Management Systems (supporting efficient and sustainable waste management infrastructure), and Resource Recovery & Recycling (advancing innovations in plastic recovery and recycling). These programs work together to foster circular economies that reduce waste leakage into waterways while creating socio-economic opportunities for local communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- River Clean Up
- Waste Management Systems
- Resource Recovery & Recycling
Quantifiable outcome
- Prevent 30,000 tons of plastic waste from entering the ocean every year in Indonesia
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Clean Rivers
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Clean Rivers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Clean Rivers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Ellen MacArthur FoundationcorePartnership to develop a scalable model supporting a just transition to circularity in Brazil, ensuring freshwater systems are free from waste pollution and advancing inclusive socio-economic benefits. Joint roundtable during New York Climate Week focused on systemic shifts needed to accelerate circular economy transition and engage stakeholders in addressing household waste systems gaps.
- Project STOP (Borealis and Systemiq)coreFinancial agreement to fund the third phase expansion of Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau programme in East Java, Indonesia. The partnership will fund waste management infrastructure development, plastic recycling, organics management, behaviour change initiatives, and capacity-building. This creates Indonesia's first regency-wide integrated waste management system serving over 850,000 people and creating 1,000 jobs.
- Government of PhilippinesmajorLandmark partnership between UAE and Philippines to rehabilitate the Pasig River. Clean Rivers serves as implementing partner for this bilateral initiative to address riverine plastic pollution in the Philippines.
- Asian Development Bank (ADB)coreMoU signed at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan to collaborate on preventing plastic waste entering Asian and Pacific oceans from river systems. Partnership focuses on strengthening awareness of plastic pollution challenges, fostering circular economy programs in local communities, and piloting cutting-edge technologies for river clean-up and waste management.
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic partnership to address plastic pollution in Indonesia's rivers. Over three years, the partnership aims to remove 5,000 tons of plastic from six riverine areas (Kali Bekasi, Kali Mas, Porong, Bengawan Solo, Tukad Mati, and Tukad Badung) through debris removal and preventative measures. Clean Rivers provides funding to UNDP for the project as part of the US$20 million UAE commitment to Indonesia.
- Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the UAEcoreClean Rivers serves as official implementation partner for MoU signed between UAE and Indonesian governments to tackle plastic waste leakage into oceans. The partnership commits up to US$20 million to Indonesia initiatives targeting prevention of 30,000 tons of plastic entering the ocean annually. Cooperation areas include capacity building, stakeholder awareness, circular waste systems design, and river cleanups.
- Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs of IndonesiacoreGovernment counterpart for bilateral MoU with UAE to establish framework for collaboration on tackling plastic waste around Indonesia. Partnership focuses on exchanging information and best practices, reducing plastic pollution influx, and expediting river cleanups in Indonesia.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clean Rivers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- WaterAid: International non-profit focused on WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) in developing countries. Comparable non-profit, donor-funded model with overlapping developing-country focus, though narrower on plastic pollution specifically.
- WWF (World Wildlife Fund): Global conservation organization with programs on oceans, rivers, and plastic pollution. Significantly larger scale and broader portfolio, but overlaps on freshwater systems protection and circular-economy advocacy.
- Ocean Conservancy: Established U.S. environmental non-profit focused on ocean health, including marine debris and plastic pollution advocacy. Larger, older organization with broader ocean agenda but overlapping riverine plastic concerns.
Others
- UNDP (United Nations Development Programme): UN agency executing Clean Rivers' $20M Indonesia plastic removal program. Functions as implementing partner rather than competitor, but represents the multilateral channel through which much of Clean Rivers' impact flows.
- Asian Development Bank: Multilateral development bank that signed MoU with Clean Rivers at COP29 on preventing plastic waste from river systems. Comparable as a large-scale development financier, though not a direct mission peer.
Direct peers
- Project STOP: Joint initiative by Borealis and Systemiq to design and implement circular waste management systems in Southeast Asia — same programme Clean Rivers funds in Banyuwangi. Direct implementation peer with overlapping geographic and program scope.
- Plastic Bank: Social enterprise that stops ocean plastic by building ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities. Comparable to Clean Rivers on circular-economy, community-empowerment approach to plastic leakage in developing countries.
- The Ocean Cleanup: Non-profit organization that develops and deploys technologies to rid the world's oceans of plastic; uses river-based Interceptors to prevent plastic reaching the ocean. Closest comparable to Clean Rivers on mission (river-to-ocean plastic removal) and non-profit, donor-funded model.
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Charity focused on accelerating the transition to a circular economy — active Clean Rivers partner on the Brazil initiative. Direct peer on circular-economy mission and global plastic pollution advocacy.
Emerging players
- Sailors for the Sea (by Oceana): Ocean conservation organizations with plastic pollution and water-quality programs. Smaller and more advocacy-focused than Clean Rivers but overlapping on river-to-ocean pollution themes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clean Rivers social profiles
Digital presenceClean Rivers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clean Rivers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Clean Rivers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clean Rivers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clean Rivers
What does Clean Rivers do?
Clean Rivers is a global non-profit that funds and facilitates collaborative projects fostering circular economies to reduce waste leakage into waterways. It operates three interconnected program areas — River Clean Up, Waste Management, and Resource Recovery & Recycling — primarily in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines) and Latin America (Brazil). The organization serves as the official implementation partner for bilateral government environmental initiatives, channeling government grants and philanthropic funding into partner-led projects that build sustainable waste management infrastructure and clean polluted river systems.
Is Clean Rivers a public or private company?
Clean Rivers is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Clean Rivers founded?
Clean Rivers was founded in 2024. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Clean Rivers based?
Clean Rivers is headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does Clean Rivers make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Funding and Grants.
Who are Clean Rivers's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are WaterAid, WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and Ocean Conservancy. Others are UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) and Asian Development Bank. Direct peers are Project STOP, Plastic Bank, The Ocean Cleanup and Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Sailors for the Sea (by Oceana) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Clean Rivers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clean Rivers.
What industry is Clean Rivers in?
Clean Rivers's product category is Environmental Non-Profit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAK, Water Resources & Watershed Protection, with a secondary code of BPAGABAC, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH). Its NAICS code is 5629 and its SIC code is 4950.