By Riley Kaminer
Miami-based Algas Organics is focused on transforming an environmental challenge into a commercial opportunity. Founded by Johanan Dujon in 2014, the startup is dedicated to addressing the problem of sargassum seaweed, which has become increasingly prevalent due to climate change.
Dujon’s journey began in his home country of St. Lucia, where the invasive sargassum seaweed started washing ashore in massive quantities. “I saw the sargassum seaweed inundate the coastlines, impacting the local fishery sectors and tourism. The government spent millions cleaning it up, only for it to return the next day,” Dujon told Refresh Miami. This prompted him to think differently about the seaweed problem. “I figured, how can we take this material that many see as a problem and create valuable products from it?”
The problem shows no signs of slowing down either, according to Dujon. “In 2011, there were about 9 to 10 million metric tons of Sargassum seaweed visible from space. As of 2022-2023, this has increased to approximately 23 to 24 million metric tons, nearly doubling in size.”
Initially, Algas Organics focused on converting seaweed into biofertilizer. As the company evolved, they expanded their scope to explore other uses. “We developed a patented fermentation process to remove heavy metals from the seaweed, which is a significant barrier for many potential uses,” Dujon said. This innovation opened doors to creating pulp for paper, extracting nutritional compounds, and even exploring biofuel production.
The business model of Algas Organics is two-fold: B2G (business-to-government) and B2B (business-to-business). The company gets paid by municipalities to collect and process the sargassum seaweed, which helps save landfill space and reduce costs. They then sell the processed materials to various industries.
COVID-19 forced the company to pivot, leading them to Florida. “Miami felt like a second home, and we found an incredible support network here,” Dujon noted, including taking part in the Endeavor Miami and Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) communities. These connections led to Algas Organics’ participation in a public challenge spearheaded by the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, where the company has been selected to pilot their solution.
The pilot program involves a mobile fermentation pod to process the seaweed directly from the beach. “We will have a retrofitted shipping container with fermentation tanks,” explained Dujon. “The seaweed is collected, processed, and then tested to ensure it’s free of heavy metals.” The success of this pilot could lead to large-scale adoption by Miami-Dade County.
Looking ahead, Dujon is excited about the potential applications of their processed seaweed. “The most exciting application is in the paper and pulp industry. If our material can help reduce deforestation, that would have a significant impact,” he said.
After bagging $20,000 as the runner-up at the Florida Early Stage Venture Conference last month, Algas Organics is raising a $4 million seed round to scale their operations and create jobs in South Florida – generating economic prosperity, improving the environment, and helping us keep slimy seaweed from ruining our day at the beach.
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