Supporting ASEAN’s Vision for a Circular Economy

WHO WE ARE

The Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network (IPPIN) is a regional initiative supported by the Australian Government through the Mekong–Australia Partnership, delivered by CSIRO – Australia’s national science agency, and implemented in collaboration with government, industry, and community partners across ASEAN.

Together, we are using the power of science, innovation, and technology to accelerate sustainable breakthroughs in plastics innovation.

Locally led. Grounded in partnership. Regionally connected.

IPPIN supports emerging solutions by connecting entrepreneurs, researchers, industry, policymakers, and funders—building partnerships that align with national and regional priorities for sustainable consumption, marine debris reduction, and inclusive innovation.

WHY IT MATTERS

Plastic pollution is a global challenge—but the best solutions are locally led and regionally connected.

Across Southeast Asia, countries are advancing action plans and circular economy roadmaps. Yet too often, innovators work in isolation—without the networks, resources, or policy connections they need to turn their ideas into impact—whether due to funding gaps, limited technical support, or policy constraints.

At IPPIN, we believe that real change doesn’t happen in silos. It requires a connected ecosystem—where entrepreneurs, researchers, industry, policymakers, and funders work together to turn good ideas into lasting solutions.

We help bridge the gap between research, innovation, and investment—supporting practical, scalable approaches that are grounded in local realities and shared across borders.

Since launching in 2022, IPPIN has supported 162 innovation teams across 15 countries, engaged over 4,000 participants, and built a dynamic, regionally connected innovation ecosystem.

Our work is grounded in partnership with the governments of Thailand, Viet Nam, and Indonesia, as well as other ASEAN collaborators.

OUR APPROACH

How We Connect Innovation to Systemic Change

We strengthen the foundations for lasting, inclusive impact by:

Backing entrepreneurs with locally tailored incubators and accelerator programs that turn ideas into scalable solutions.
Funding collaborative applied research through IPPIN Grants —turning local knowledge into actionable insights for policy, investment, and industry.
Enabling cross-border learning through Demo Days, policy dialogues, and regional innovation events that build shared momentum.
Catalyzing collaboration across governments, researchers, startups, and funders to accelerate circular economy transformation.

Together, we’re shaping a more sustainable, inclusive future—one innovation at a time.

Working together to scale regional solutions:

Transcript available from: https://www.csiro.au/en/about/Policies/Legal/Accessibility

Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network: Who we are & how we work

00:00:00 

[Music plays and a time lapse video shows clouds rolling above a coastal city, text appears: Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network (IPPIN)]

00:05:00 

[The video then shows workers in a large garbage landfill sorting rubbish, text appears: Every year, 90 billion tonnes of plastics are produced globally.] 

00:11:00 

[Music continues. Image changes to show plastic waste underwater to demonstrate to viewers the breath of the waste problem on land and sea, text appears: Only 9 per cent of that plastic is recycled.]

00:15:00 

[Music continues. Image changes to a wide view shot showing people mingling and drinking tea or coffee in a hotel lobby, then moves to two females at a table looking at a laptop screen with a man and women standing beside at papers on the table, text appears: At CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, we are on a mission to change the way we make, use and recycle plastic through regional collaboration in innovative science and technology.]

00:21:00 

[Music continues. Images changes to an IPPIN alumni team consisting of two females and four males presenting their innovation solution to audiences in a hotel conference room, then moves to a panel of three males and one female sitting on stage in front of a screen talking to audiences, text appears: That’s why CSIRO and the Australian Government have partnered with the Thai Government to create the Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network (IPPIN).]

00:25:00 

[Music continues. Image changes to show a man sitting at a table speaking to others at the table, then changes to show three females at a table with the middle person writing on a post it note, text appears: IPPIN supports start-ups and entrepreneurs with early-stage business propositions to tackle plastic waste in Thailand and the Mekong subregion ]

00:30:00 

[Music continues. Image changes to show CSIRO Southeast Asia Director and Chancellor to Singapore, Amelia Fyfield and Australian Ambassador to Thailand Dr Angela Macdonald PSM speaking to people their backs are to the camera, text appears: through a combination of structured and personalised programs.]

00:35:00 

[Music continues. Image changes to a wide screen shot from the back of the conference room showing Australian Ambassador to Thailand Dr Angela Macdonald PSM on stage speaking to a room full of people sitting at tables, text appears: Many of you have worked for many months collaborating with experts to develop ideas for market readiness.]

00:40:00 

[Images zooms in closer to Australian Ambassador to Thailand Dr Angela Macdonald PSM delivering her address to the audience. Music lowers as the Ambassador speaks.]

First line: Many of you have worked for many months

Second line: collaborating with experts to develop ideas for market readiness

00:46:00 

First line: from de-inking plastic materials

Second line: to recycling laminated packaging and paper and producing resin from plastics.

00:55:00

First line: So, it's really exciting to see the growth of these products

Second line: and of your journey from science to commercialising them.

01:02:00 

[Images changes to show audiences listening at tables. Music fades in and out.]

01:07:00 

[Image changes to IPPIN alumni, Dr Sikarin Tamiyakul from CIRAC speaking to the camera. Text appears on screen with his name and his teams solution for reducing plastic waste. Music starts again softly.]

The program provides us with a course to sharpen ideas for running a business.  

01:11:00 

The main highlight is that we shift the program to design thinking 

01:16:00 

and how to learn about business and meet with investors. 

01:26:00

 Right now, we have a chance to discuss this with many angel investors interested in our companies. 

01:33:00 

[Image changes to IPPIN alumni, Pataraporn Vongpiyasatit from Wake Up Waste speaking to the camera. Text appears on screen with her name and her teams solution for reducing plastic waste.]

The involvement in this program gave us an opportunity to get to know IPPIN team,  

01:40:00 

First line: to know other teams who have the same goals

Second line: to end plastic waste and who will be our future partners. 

01:46:00 

[Image changes back to the conference room floor with people working together at tables, you can see butchers’ paper with writing and post it notes as teams talk with one another, text appears: To date IPPIN has engaged with 2,600 people in program activities and supported 72 global entrepreneurial teams, including 15 from Thailand to scale-up sustainable and innovative technologies.]

01:56:00

[Image changes show CSIRO Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network Senior Program Manager, Andrea Sosa Pintos on stage addressing the audience]

First line: We can do better, we can be more sustainable,

Second line: we can create a better world for all of us

02:03:00 

[Image changes and pans across CSIRO Southeast Asia Director and Chancellor to Singapore, Amelia Fyfield and Australian Ambassador to Thailand Dr Angela Macdonald PSM on stage with a group of IPPIN alumni both male and female giving a thumbs up, text appears: Together, we’re leading a new frontier of plastics innovation. Will you join us?]

02:08:00 

[Image changes to show the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, CSIRO, Thailand Environment Institute, Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency and Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research logos; text appears beneath: An initiative of the Mekong-Australia Partnership]

END.

Transcript available from: https://vimeo.com/1001038235?share=copy

Learn how CSIRO's Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network is championing solutions to combat plastic waste in Thailand.