Public Funding for Kelpcrofters Ltd

BioMara is a UK biotechnology startup researching and designing biomanufacturing methods and developing future advanced bioproducts. BioMara products will have improved and differentiated properties following research-backed laboratory-based product development. BioMara's Innovate UK-funded feasibility project is focused on investigating sustainable, zero-waste processes in the design of a UK-based biorefinery pulling significant demand for UK-sourced ocean-farmed seaweed biomass. Through the valorisation of residual 'waste' biomass, BioMara will improve the existing processes, moving towards a zero-waste system resulting in an innovative cascading biorefinery concept with multiple revenue streams. Sustainability investigations will include a Life Cycle Analysis and targets for improvements or interventions throughout the value chain to improve the sustainability credentials of BioMara's 'sea-to-sellables' product portfolio. KelpCrofters, the upstream project partner, will investigate methods to reduce energy consumption/costs in stabilising and drying seaweed including the impacts of dewatering or ensiling. Innovative biomanufacturing technologies and processes will be researched and developed in this feasibility study focusing on the continuous and consistent production of valuable, sustainable products using traceable UK feedstocks for provenance. BioMara aims to effect social and economic impact by stimulating the creation of direct and indirect jobs, income diversification opportunities, more resilient coastal communities and support of government initiates like Net-Zero. BioMara's foundational strategy is to help grow the emerging UK seaweed industry by working with suppliers, coastal communities, academic institutions, and industry players in a thriving UK blue-bioeconomy. BioMara's underlying aim is to have a positive environmental impact, including carbon reduction and ocean regeneration. The seaweed industry development supports UN SDGs such as climate action and life below water (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 7-15)_._

The seaweed value chain offers huge growth potential for UK coastal communities post COVID-19 whilst addressing the climate emergency. Farmed seaweed is a sustainable biomass source with applications in food & nutrition, packaging materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Seaweed farms sequester carbon and absorb excess nutrients, bioremediating ocean acidification and eutrophication, while providing alternative livelihoods for fishermen and creating jobs across the value chain. This project will demonstrate the economic and environmental potential of the farmed seaweed value chain at scale by developing efficient, scalable and sustainable seaweed farming, harvesting and biorefinery process for converting seaweed into value-added food (protein & fibre), nutrition (fucoidan, beta-glucan, vitamins & minerals), and home-compostable biopackaging products. The project is a collaboration between KelpCrofting, a seaweed farming company based on the Isle of Skye, Efficiency Technologies, a bio-process equipment innovation company based in Milton Keynes, and Oceanium, a seaweed processing company based in Oban. This collaborative project seeks to apply innovation across the value chain to demonstrate its potential at scale. Project success will catalyse investment in UK seaweed farming and coastal biorefineries. By demonstrating the farmed seaweed value chain at scale, we will: • catalyse growth of nascent UK sustainable seaweed farming industry to support UK coastal communities post COVD-19 • improve the future resilience of UK fisheries and aquaculture sectors • support UK to meet climate targets • reduce UK reliance on fossil fuels and imports • enhance marine biodiversity • tackle plastic-waste crisis & support packaging industry to transition to circular economy • support UK transition to plant-based foods