When it comes to sustainable innovation, seaweed has become a hero on many fronts: From its carbon-sequestration ability to its potential as next-generation packaging materials, methane-reducing livestock feed, sustainable dyes and more, the marine super plant offers innumerable environmental benefits and practical, circular applications.
However, one type of seaweed has not received the same appreciation for its potential: sargassum — a prolific alga that plagues beaches across the Caribbean, USA, Mexico and West Africa. Known for its buoyant, brown, leafy appearance, this relentless invader devastates coastal environments and ecosystems — smothering vital habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds, and depleting oxygen levels in the water. To add insult to injury, the pungent odor emitted by decaying sargassum repels tourists — turning once-vibrant beaches into malodorous landscapes — which is devastating for coastal communities reliant on tourism revenue. Despite global efforts, eradicating sargassum remains a daunting endeavor.
Enter Thalasso AS — a Norwegian startup whose Ocean Harvester technology and micro-biorefineries offer a circular solution for both harvesting sargassum from affected coastal areas and transform it into valuable products. Co-founded by serial entrepreneur Frode Stolen Sønstebø and Paulina Zanela — who joined forces to establish a company dedicated to finding solutions for harvesting and sustainable management of sargassum seaweed.
“We envision the combination of innovation, sustainability and community empowerment shaping the overarching narrative of ocean conservation and economic development,” says Zanela. “Our harvester and micro-biorefinery illustrate this vision by utilizing sargassum as a valuable resource across multiple industries, supporting both innovative and sustainable practices.”
