Founder18
Helena do Rego
17 Y/O•San Juan, United States•Other

Helena do Rego

North America Regional Winner of The Earth Prize 2026 — the world's largest environmental competition for students aged 13–19 ($100,000 prize pool); selected from 6,095 entries across 160+ countries.

What they built

SargaTex PR – a biodegradable biofabric made from sargassum seaweed that overruns Puerto Rico's beaches. Transforms an environmental nuisance into a sustainable material for short-use consumer items (flip-flops, beach and spa accessories), simultaneously addressing marine sargassum pollution and plastic/textile waste.

View Project

The F18 Thesis

Verified track record

  • Earth Prize 2026 North America Regional Winner — $12,500 prize, selected from 6,095 global entries
  • Featured by The Earth Foundation on LinkedIn (official press release, May 2026)
  • Earth Prize YouTube profile video published June 2026
  • Covered by Puerto Rico news outlets and international sustainability media
  • Earth Prize 2026 North America Regional Winner (May 16, 2026) — selected from 6,095 global entries. Coverage: The Earth Foundation official press release, LinkedIn, YouTube (Earth Prize), Puerto Rico news outlets. Source (source)
Updated July 8, 2026