From Seaweed Nuisance to Innovative Solution: Carbonwave's $13 Million Plan to Upcycle Sargassum Blooms

Photo Source- Google.com

Carbonwave, a Boston-based startup, has raised $5 million in venture funding to "upcycle" Sargassum seaweed into biomaterials, led by an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers.

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At present, Florida’s west coast is gradually being hit by the largest-ever blob of Sargassum seaweed, with its outer edges already being washed up on local beaches.

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The original plan of the company was to farm seaweed for conversion into biomaterial, but it was pivoted as Sargassum blooms began to proliferate, as told by Carbon wave CEO Geoff Chaplin.

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The Atlantic and Caribbean regions have experienced an extraordinary bloom of a seaweed called Sargassum for the past 12 years.

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Sargassum, a plant, provides food and habitat to animals in the open ocean.

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Growing out of control during blooming, Sargassum causes huge floating mats in the ocean to wash ashore and clog beaches, creating unpleasant or unhealthy conditions for visitors.

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A record-setting bloom was experienced by the region, with around 9 million tons of sargassum turning up in March 2018.

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With the peak months of June and July yet to arrive, 13 million tons was the tally in March this year.

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Carbon Wave turns seaweed, a nuisance washing up on Florida beaches, into functional biologically created materials.

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