• What advice would you give to other young people aspiring to make a significant impact in their field or start their own business?

I’d say stop thinking and start doing – I used to think I needed a huge plan or a lot of money to make a difference, but really, I just needed to begin. The rest comes later – good ideas are like snowballs that start a avalanche, most roll and go nowhere but those that pull others in, gain momentum.  My first step towards starting our own business from my scientific research was getting to understand the issue in person – collecting plastic along my local coastline with a few friends — and that turned into a small recycling experiment or three and being brave enough to share the ideas, failures and successes with supportive people and from there, things grew naturally. My advice is to pick something you genuinely care about, take one solid action, and keep learning as you go. You cant figure out everything ahead of time – you just need to be consistent and curious and accept failures as lessons to learn rather than flaws in you.

• What is your proudest achievement over the past 6 months?

It’s a bit boring but so crucial – that we’ve continued to grow and maintain our business whilst sticking firmly to our ethics – making products made completely from ocean-recovered plastics. It taken so many years of trial and error to get our system right – having enough faith to ignore all those who thought we were mad for being purists – but realising that so many years in we are financially self-sustainable as well as environmentally was incredible.

• What are your aspirations for the future?

I keep growing the project – we’ve recovered and recycled tonnes and tonnes plastic from beaches all up the west coast of the UK now – from Lands End to John o Groats (even going Orkney and Uist!). My dream has always been to have a permanent space to create, experiment and build this network of ocean plastic recycling – here in Cornwall where our beach waste is turned into valuable products locally. Long term, with our project currently to building a innovation lab – so we can recover, recycle and reimagine ocean plastic without ever crossing the Tamar — not just a clean-up initiative but a little sustainable industry.

• What/who motivates you?

Honestly, the our Cornish coast itself. I’ve always felt most at home in the water growing up here in Looe, and seeing how much plastic ends up there is a constant reminder of why I do this. I’m also inspired by people who take action without waiting for permission — other young founders, scientists, and divers etc who are trying new things to make change happen. It keeps me grounded and reminds me that progress is built on collaboration, not competition.

• What does being recognised as a 2025 30 u 30 winner mean to you?

It feels like a big milestone, not just personally but for what our project represents. When I started, ocean plastic recycling wasn’t seen as. something young Cornish people could do or tackle — it felt like a big idea for some big company or government to solve. So being recognised as part of the 30 Under 30 list shows how much me and a few friends can achieve. It’s proof that sustainability and entrepreneurship go hand in hand, you can and will be recognised as making a difference and it gives me hope that more young people will see working hard on your own passion or as part of a passionate team is what life is for.