Press Release: GORE AND SEAWEED SOLUTIONS COLLABORATE TO BOOST SEAWEED GROWTH
Gore engineered growth substrates and Seaweed Solutions’ industry expertise increases the potential for rapid growth of commercial seaweed farming.
Trondheim, Norway, 21st December 2021 – Seaweed Solutions AS, a pioneer in the farming of seaweed in Europe announced today a collaboration with the global materials science company W. L. Gore & Associates Inc. Through this collaboration, Gore will provide advanced materials engineering and analytical capabilities to complement Seaweed Solutions’ first-hand experience cultivating various types of seaweed for a range of applications. The organizations will work together to address key issues and enable increasedf efficiency and scalability of seaweed farming.
“Together, we believe Gore’s Growth Media and Seaweed Solutions can help unlock the global potential of seaweed. We share a common goal to enable large scale ocean farming of seaweed for a wide range of applications including food, feed, biochemicals, energy and other valuable products. We also share a passion for the environmental benefits the cultivation of seaweed can provide,” said Jason Horowitz a product specialist with one of Gore’s innovation teams.
The goal of this collaboration is to offer an optimal growth system (substrate and process) for seaweed to grow on, resulting in better yield and predictability for the seaweed farmer. A wide range of substrates has already been tested with promising results.
“We are honored to be working with the innovators in Gore on this important work. Improved yield at sea is crucial for seaweed farmers. We hope we soon are able to establish Seaweed Solutions’ seeded string using Gore substrate as the standard based on the significant value created for the farmer,“ said Jon Funderud, chief executive of Seaweed Solutions. “Terrestrial production of biomass has come to a point where our planetary boundaries are pushed to the limit. The ocean is now the new frontier where large scale agriculture can take place.”
Seaweed cultivation is rapidly gaining popularity as people are becoming more aware of the positive environmental impact as well as the health benefits seaweed provide to humans and animals. It is estimated that in Europe alone the emerging seaweed market will be worth 9 billion euros in just a decade. A technological push is now needed for seaweed to take its rightful share in the world market. Much can be learned from technological advances on land and the time is now right for the leading terrestrial innovators to address the ocean-based opportunities.
Gore is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Since 1958, Gore has solved complex technical challenges in demanding environments — from outer space to the world’s highest peaks to the inner workings of the human body. With more than 11,500 Associates and a strong, team-oriented culture, Gore generates annual revenues of $3.8 billion.
Seaweed Solutions was founded in 2009 with a vision to enable large scale ocean farming of seaweed. Seaweed Solutions farm seaweed and operates the largest seed production facility in Norway, supplying seeds to Norwegian and international farmers.