Our efforts began with collecting floating waste in the waters of Copenhagen during guided kayaking tours. Tobias, a professional sea kayaking instructor, led groups through the canals, picking up plastics and other debris along the way. It quickly became clear that the problem persisted. The trash reappeared in the same areas the following day. Recognizing the need for broader participation, he launched the first free-of-charge kayak initiative in Copenhagen in April 2017, initially called Miljøkajakken. The program was met with immediate enthusiasm, with tours fully booked months in advance.

During the first two seasons, roughly 3.000 volunteers collected 10 tons of primarily plastic waste from Copenhagen’s canals and at various beach clean-ups. We realized that there was an opportunity to do something beyond just the aquatic environment in Denmark's capital. Many waters around Europe and the world are polluted, and people in Denmark saw this as a fun way of helping to clean them up. This is when we realized that we could make a change globally when working together with local communities around other cities and countries.

Things took a big turn on a surf trip, where Tobias met Oke, a business school graduate with start-up experience and a sharp eye for scaling impact. They connected over a shared love for the ocean and a belief that local action could drive global change.

When Oke joined in end 2018, he brought the strategy, structure, and entrepreneurial energy GreenKayak needed to grow. Together, they rebranded from Miljøkajakken to GreenKayak, marking the start of a new chapter. One that aimed to transform a local initiative into an international movement for cleaner oceans.

The growth that followed was rapid. GreenKayak quickly expanded beyond Denmark into four additional European countries, scaling the fleet from just 3 to 58 kayaks. By the end of 2019, more than 22,000 volunteers,locals, and travelers had paddled for cleaner oceans. That same year, GreenKayak received the Svend Auken Environmental Award, a testament to how the right vision, strategy, and momentum can turn a local idea into a movement that reaches far beyond its origin.. 

In 2020, we expanded to further cities and became a UNESCO Green Citizen project. A total of 17868 kg of trash have been collected that year only with the help of 12047 volunteers.

In 2021, we grew to a total fleet of 73 GreenKayaks placed across Europe. The European Environment Agency mentioned us in their rapport on plastics in Europe's environment. The season has been the most successful so far with 18.5 tons of trash collected and more than 12.4k people involved in the fight against ocean pollution.

In 2022, we expanded our reach beyond Europe and gave Tokyo a chance, offering volunteers the opportunity to clean up the local waters of the Japanese capital. However, due to the significant tidal differences and operational challenges, we ultimately had to close the Tokyo location. Despite this, the experience provided valuable insights for future international expansions.

In 2023, we expanded operations to the capital of Finland, Helsinki. We were especially thrilled to be represented in Finland as a Nordic country, meaning GreenKayak now has kayaks across the entire Nordic region—from Denmark to Finland

In 2024, we managed to secure further placement of kayaks in Germany. The first four GreenKayaks have been placed in Leipzig.

In 2025, we kept our focus on Germany, adding Lübeck and Flensburg to our network. This expansion means GreenKayak is now represented in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany’s northernmost state, bringing our mission to even more communities.

We are now present in various cities across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Germany. We also offer guided tours to groups, tours, events, and educational tour - in Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, and Helsinki.