TALLINN, Estonia (CHATNEWSTV) — Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, and Markus Villig, founder of Estonian mobility giant Bolt, will headline this year’s Latitude59 conference in May, organizers said Wednesay.
The two entrepreneurs, both of whom launched their ventures as teenagers, will appear in a fireside chat discussing innovation, mission-driven leadership, and environmental impact — key themes at the annual startup and tech event.
“We are very happy and grateful that Boyan Slat agreed to come to Estonia and share his insights,” said Liisi Org, CEO of Latitude59. “We’re eager to hear Markus Villig’s thoughts as well. These topics—integrity, perspective, rapid growth—will strongly resonate with the international startup community.”
Slat, a Dutch inventor who founded The Ocean Cleanup at age 16, is known for developing large-scale systems to remove plastic from oceans and rivers. “Clean oceans can be achieved in a manageable time and at a clear cost,” Slat said. “We have the tools—now we need to rally support to get the job done.”
Villig, who launched Bolt at 19 by coding the first version himself, echoed a commitment to community and sustainability. “When I was a teenager thinking about starting a company, seeing the success of Estonian entrepreneurs at Skype gave me the confidence to dream big,” he said. “Successful founders have a responsibility to give back.”
Latitude59, often called the “flagship tech event of the New Nordics,” will run May 21–23 in Tallinn. Last year’s conference drew more than 3,500 participants from 65 countries, including 900 startups and over 700 investors.
During his visit, Slat will also meet with environmental organizations and philanthropists, including leaders of World Cleanup Day and the Good Deed Foundation.
Founded in 2013, Bolt now operates in over 600 cities across 50 countries, offering ride-hailing, e-scooters, food delivery and car rentals. The Ocean Cleanup, meanwhile, has removed tens of millions of kilograms of waste from marine environments and aims to scale up efforts worldwide.
