Google will provide training, funding and assistance to Gringgo Indonesia Foundation to develop artificial intelligence (AI) as a means to sort and reduce plastic waste. The Bali-based organization is among 20 NGOs from 12 countries selected for the Google AI Impact Challenge. The foundation was the only South-East Asian recipient of the sponsorship.
Gringgo was launched as CashForTrash in late 2014 as a platform for recycling aimed at local schools to make recycling easier, rewarding and fun. The company states its mission as building a waste network that helps reduce ocean plastic pollution by 25% by 2020 in South East Asia & increasing recycling rates by 50% by 2022.
As a recipient the foundation will have access to USD 25 million in research funding from Google, in addition to assistance and capacity building from the tech giant’s AI division. Moreover, the foundation will join a Google Launchpad Accelerator program which will run for six months until November. Gringgo will also collaborate with Datanest.io, a Jakarta-based analytics firm to develop sustainable technology addressing the plastic waste crises in the country.
(Source: Jakarta Post)
