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SEADLING, a Borneo-based biotech startup founded by Simon Davis, is working to create more inclusive and resilient seaweed value chains in Southeast Asia while improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers.

The company supplies high-quality seaweed seedlings (Kappaphycus sp.), along with training and technical support, helping farmers increase productivity and adopt sustainable practices. It also offers guaranteed buy-back contracts, reducing reliance on middlemen and ensuring stable incomes and market access.

SEADLING adds value through fermentation and biotech processing, producing functional ingredients such as prebiotics and vitamin K2, currently used in pet food with plans to expand into plant health and human nutrition.

In 2025, the company secured $1 million in seed funding, expanded production with a new facility in Malaysia, and began exporting to markets including the US, Singapore, and India.

Despite challenges in scaling operations, maintaining quality, and navigating global markets, SEADLING aims to achieve certifications, expand product lines, and grow internationally in 2026. Overall, the model demonstrates how seaweed innovation can deliver economic, environmental, and social benefits across coastal communities.

Cleaning brand Homethings is adopting Kelpi’s seaweed-based coatings for its refill sachets, marking a step toward more sustainable packaging solutions. The biodegradable, marine-safe material can decompose in under a year without leaving harmful residues, offering an alternative to conventional plastic packaging.

Both companies, certified B Corps, aim to accelerate environmental impact through scalable, low-toxicity materials. Homethings reports strong performance from the coating, combining sustainability with product functionality.

This development reflects a broader trend in seaweed-based packaging innovation. Startups like Uluu are scaling production of home-compostable, seaweed-derived plastics, while companies such as Notpla are deploying seaweed coatings in foodservice packaging to reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions.

Overall, seaweed-based materials are gaining traction as viable, sustainable alternatives to plastic, supporting circular packaging systems and reducing environmental impact.

Australia’s Industry Growth Program has awarded $6.9 million in grants to support innovative projects, including several focused on seaweed and microalgae, aimed at commercialising sustainable technologies.

Key recipients include Bioborne, which received over $2.2 million to scale an AI-driven closed-loop microalgae system for producing biofertilisers to boost crop yields. C Sea Solutions secured more than $2.1 million to scale production of Uluu, a seaweed-based alternative to plastic packaging, with plans to complete trials, obtain certifications, and begin commercial sales in cosmetics packaging.

Another project led by Seascape Restorations Australia received $750,000 to develop a photobioreactor system for cultivating native seaweed that can help reduce methane emissions, including advancing patented technology.

The funding supports broader goals of accelerating sustainable materials, climate solutions, and bio-based innovation, while helping startups and SMEs move from research to commercialisation.

A University of Miami research team has won the VISTA Award 2026 for developing carbon-negative concrete using algae-derived biochar. The project focuses on converting Florida-native algae into carbon-rich biochar, which is then chemically treated and pre-carbonated to improve its performance in cement.

The innovation addresses a key limitation of traditional biochar, which can weaken concrete. By functionalizing the biochar surface, the team enhances bonding with cement, enabling higher replacement rates of 20% to 30% compared to the usual 10%. The pre-carbonation step allows the material to capture and store CO₂ during cement hydration, reducing overall emissions.

Concrete production is a major contributor to global emissions, accounting for about one-third of CO₂ output from the construction sector. This solution aims to significantly lower that footprint while maintaining strength, durability, and workability.

The project also tackles algae overgrowth issues in Florida, turning an environmental problem into a valuable resource. The team plans further testing to validate long-term performance and move toward commercialization. Overall, the research highlights how algae-based materials can transform construction by combining carbon sequestration with sustainable infrastructure development.

Researchers have developed an engineered bacterial system that enables complete breakdown of alginate, a major polysaccharide in brown seaweed, unlocking its potential for industrial use. By introducing two enzymes, AlyB and AlyD, from a marine bacterium into C. glutamicum, the team achieved efficient depolymerization of alginate.

AlyB breaks alginate into smaller oligomers, while AlyD further converts these into simple sugars, working in a complementary manner. The study also identified a novel enzymatic activity in AlyB, marking the first report of such functionality in its enzyme family.

To demonstrate application, the resulting sugars were used to support engineered E. coli producing riboflavin (vitamin B2), showing potential for biomanufacturing.

This research paves the way for integrated bioprocesses that convert seaweed into valuable products such as food ingredients, biochemicals, and biofuels, advancing the use of seaweed as a renewable industrial resource.

Kelp farming in Nova Scotia is emerging as a promising green industry with economic potential, but it faces several structural and regulatory challenges. Kelp is a versatile, low-cost crop used in food, fertilizers, and cosmetics, and requires no external inputs such as freshwater or fertilisers, making it highly sustainable.

Organizations like the Ecology Action Centre (EAC) are supporting industry growth through research, education, and economic planning. While there has been a gradual increase in kelp farming activity, the sector remains small-scale and in early development. A key focus is improving market viability and identifying profitable product formats.

However, significant barriers persist. Processing capacity is limited, creating bottlenecks due to kelp’s highly perishable nature. Regulatory challenges also hinder growth, such as Health Canada classifying sugar kelp as a novel food, and restrictions from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency limiting market access for products.

Despite this, innovators are finding niche applications. For example, kelp-based products like soil enhancers and coastal restoration materials are showing promise. Research at Dalhousie University is also advancing cultivation techniques to improve yields.

Overall, while the sector faces hurdles in regulation, infrastructure, and market development, there is strong optimism that kelp farming can become a sustainable economic driver with continued investment, research, and policy support.

Irish seaweed is gaining prominence in the culinary world as chefs increasingly incorporate it into modern dishes, transforming a traditionally overlooked resource into a premium, sustainable ingredient. Varieties such as dillisk, carrageen moss, and sea lettuce, harvested along Ireland’s coastline, are now featured in breads, butters, soups, and seafood dishes, valued for their umami flavour and mineral-rich profile.

This shift is driven by growing demand for locally sourced, health-conscious, and sustainable foods. Seaweed requires no freshwater, fertilisers, or arable land, making it an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional ingredients. Harvesting is often done carefully by hand, ensuring long-term ecosystem health.

Nutritionally, seaweed is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, further boosting its appeal among chefs and consumers. Its versatility allows it to enhance both traditional Irish cuisine and contemporary global menus.

As a result, seaweed is moving beyond niche use and becoming a mainstream ingredient in upscale dining, highlighting a broader trend toward sustainable marine-based foods and unlocking new opportunities across the food value chain.