Mirova invests in Carbonwave
Funding expands production capacity into high-value products that replaces fossil fuel and animal-based products in the cosmetic emulsifiers, agriculture, textiles, and plastics industries.
Carbonwave, the world leader in upcycling the largest seaweed bloom on the planet into ultra-regenerative, plant-based, advanced biomaterials, today announced an initial closing of its $5M Series A round led by Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers dedicated to sustainable investment, with additional significant participation from Viridios Capital and Katapult Ocean.
This investment round brings the total funding to date to $12M1 and will be used to build large-scale cosmetics emulsifier production facilities in Puerto Rico to satisfy growing customer demand of biomaterials. The current Puerto Rico facility, used for R&D, has also successfully developed a leather alternative from Sargassum, which it will be launching soon. The Company has already developed Sarga Agriscience (Sarga Ag), a line of organic agricultural inputs made from Sargassum’s liquid compounds that increases yields, allows crops to survive drought more effectively, and reduces the need of nitrogen fertilizer. Sarga Ag products are being tested for large-scale application by some of the largest growers in the world. In June 2022, Carbonwave won the Carbon to Value Challenge with BASF, Seafields, and the Alfred Wegner Institute to produce PET plastics. Additionally, Carbonwave has already sold half a ton of its SeaBalance2000, the world’s first seaweed-based cosmetic emulsifier, which won ‘Best Functional Ingredient’ at In-Cosmetics Korea in 2022.
"In three short years, we've become the first company to build a scalable cascading biorefinery to create a commercially sustainable operation harnessing Sargassum into high-value products," said Geoff Chapin, co-founder and CEO of Carbonwave. "Support from our investors and partners has allowed us to catalyze our proprietary technology and manufacturing process to turn the Caribbean's seaweed crisis into an economic opportunity and a climate solution. We are producing viable alternatives that redirect demand from fossil fuel-based products by cost-effectively developing a wide range of regenerative, low-carbon, and plant-based alternatives that global industries are seeking to advance their sustainability and decarbonization initiatives, while contributing to the bio-circular economy."
"Mirova is thrilled to continue its support for Carbonwave with this follow-on investment into the company," said Simon Dent, Head of Blue Investments at Mirova. "We believe that Carbonwave's processing of Sargassum into high-value products is an excellent example of the Blue Economy at work, whilst also providing a unique solution to help address decarbonisation."
Historically, Sargassum seaweed mats have been a feature of the North Atlantic Ocean. However, in the last 12 years, warming ocean temperatures and increased fertilizer and pollution runoff have triggered a separate bloom–the largest seaweed bloom on the planet–in the Caribbean. Known as the great Atlantic Sargassum belt, this yearly bloom poses a suffocating threat spanning from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, where it clogs bays and beaches, threatens tourism, the local ecology and beyond. As it accumulates on beaches and in landfills, it will decompose, releasing vast amounts of methane, which increases the pace of global warming.
Traditionally, most commercial seaweed science has focused on extracting simple, raw compounds, from better researched species like Kelp. Carbonwave is the first company to chart a route to profitably process Sargassum and has developed a novel and proprietary method of extracting its unique biopolymers that are even more valuable than the simple compounds when extracted separately. This extraction method allows Carbonwave to be the first in the world to make a wide range of Sargassum-based biomaterials that can displace fossil fuel-based products, such as emulsifiers and textiles.
Carbonwave is uniquely suited to addressing the large-scale processing of Sargassum and its diverse product opportunities. Sargassum doubles its size every 10 days, and unlike other plants, does not require land, irrigation, or added nutrients to grow. Among seaweeds, Sargassum is one of the most promising: as a pelagic species, as it does not require a particular topography or fixed infrastructure to grow at scale (unlike Kelp)
"Our investment in Carbonwave reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting innovative nature-based solutions to mobilize positive action towards net-zero," said Eddie Listorti, CEO, Viridios Group. "Taking Sargassum seaweed, which would otherwise rot on beaches and release methane, and turning it into a range of sustainable products that can displace fossil fuel-based products from the marketplace is the type of innovation the world needs to tackle climate change.'
"We believe in investing in initiatives that propel economic and social progress with a focus on efforts that drive a more sustainable future. We have identified in Carbonwave an opportunity to support an innovative solution that leverages a plentiful ocean resource in a manner that has a direct positive impact on our environment," said Ignacio Álvarez, President and CEO of Popular Inc.
"In our mission to build a world where a thriving ocean and economic development can exist in harmony, we are committed to investing in and helping to scale the most impactful ocean-tech startups," said Jonas Skattum Svegaarden, CEO, Katapult Ocean. "Carbonwave joins Katapult Ocean as part of a growing number of Katapult investments into the seaweed space. With increasing opportunities for seaweed's application and the growing potential of scalability for the industry, we are very excited to work with this highly talented team, and we look forward to the journey ahead both through our accelerator program and beyond."
Carbonwave has two operations, one in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico; and the other in Carolina, Puerto Rico and exploring further ventures in the Caribbean to bring about new economic opportunities centered on environmental justice, sustainability, and positive social impact.
* The reference to a ranking or a label does not prejudge the future performance of the funds or its managers.
1 Source: Carbonwave, 2022
About Carbonwave
Carbonwave is the world's leading developer of ultra-regenerative, plant-based, advanced biomaterials from seaweed. The company transforms sargassum seaweed—a resource long considered waste, which does not need land or other inputs to grow—into biomaterials that can replace petroleum products and other harmful industrial inputs. Carbonwave is part of a new wave of companies that are building the next-generation economies that will heal the planet through materials that are regeneratively sourced from our oceans. For more information, please visit www.carbonwave.com.
Mirova
Mirova is an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers.
Portfolio management company – French Public Limited liability company
Regulated by AMF under n°GP 02-014
RCS Paris n°394 648 216
59, Avenue Pierre Mendes France – 75013 – Paris.
www.mirova.com
Natixis Investment Managers
Natixis Investment Managers is a subsidiary of Natixis.
Portfolio management company - French Public Limited liability company
RCS Paris n°453 952 681
43, Avenue Pierre Mendes France – 75013 – Paris.
www.im.natixis.com
This communication is for information only and is intended for investment service providers or other Professional Clients. The analyses and opinions referenced herein represent the subjective views of the author as referenced unless stated otherwise and are subject to change. There can be no assurance that developments will transpire as may be forecasted in this material.
Copyright © 2023 Natixis Investment Managers S.A. – All rights reserved
Carbonwave, the world leader in upcycling the largest seaweed bloom on the planet into ultra-regenerative, plant-based, advanced biomaterials, today announced an initial closing of its $5M Series A round led by Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers dedicated to sustainable investment, with additional significant participation from Viridios Capital and Katapult Ocean.
This investment round brings the total funding to date to $12M1 and will be used to build large-scale cosmetics emulsifier production facilities in Puerto Rico to satisfy growing customer demand of biomaterials. The current Puerto Rico facility, used for R&D, has also successfully developed a leather alternative from Sargassum, which it will be launching soon. The Company has already developed Sarga Agriscience (Sarga Ag), a line of organic agricultural inputs made from Sargassum’s liquid compounds that increases yields, allows crops to survive drought more effectively, and reduces the need of nitrogen fertilizer. Sarga Ag products are being tested for large-scale application by some of the largest growers in the world. In June 2022, Carbonwave won the Carbon to Value Challenge with BASF, Seafields, and the Alfred Wegner Institute to produce PET plastics. Additionally, Carbonwave has already sold half a ton of its SeaBalance2000, the world’s first seaweed-based cosmetic emulsifier, which won ‘Best Functional Ingredient’ at In-Cosmetics Korea in 2022.
"In three short years, we've become the first company to build a scalable cascading biorefinery to create a commercially sustainable operation harnessing Sargassum into high-value products," said Geoff Chapin, co-founder and CEO of Carbonwave. "Support from our investors and partners has allowed us to catalyze our proprietary technology and manufacturing process to turn the Caribbean's seaweed crisis into an economic opportunity and a climate solution. We are producing viable alternatives that redirect demand from fossil fuel-based products by cost-effectively developing a wide range of regenerative, low-carbon, and plant-based alternatives that global industries are seeking to advance their sustainability and decarbonization initiatives, while contributing to the bio-circular economy."
"Mirova is thrilled to continue its support for Carbonwave with this follow-on investment into the company," said Simon Dent, Head of Blue Investments at Mirova. "We believe that Carbonwave's processing of Sargassum into high-value products is an excellent example of the Blue Economy at work, whilst also providing a unique solution to help address decarbonisation."
Historically, Sargassum seaweed mats have been a feature of the North Atlantic Ocean. However, in the last 12 years, warming ocean temperatures and increased fertilizer and pollution runoff have triggered a separate bloom–the largest seaweed bloom on the planet–in the Caribbean. Known as the great Atlantic Sargassum belt, this yearly bloom poses a suffocating threat spanning from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, where it clogs bays and beaches, threatens tourism, the local ecology and beyond. As it accumulates on beaches and in landfills, it will decompose, releasing vast amounts of methane, which increases the pace of global warming.
Traditionally, most commercial seaweed science has focused on extracting simple, raw compounds, from better researched species like Kelp. Carbonwave is the first company to chart a route to profitably process Sargassum and has developed a novel and proprietary method of extracting its unique biopolymers that are even more valuable than the simple compounds when extracted separately. This extraction method allows Carbonwave to be the first in the world to make a wide range of Sargassum-based biomaterials that can displace fossil fuel-based products, such as emulsifiers and textiles.
Carbonwave is uniquely suited to addressing the large-scale processing of Sargassum and its diverse product opportunities. Sargassum doubles its size every 10 days, and unlike other plants, does not require land, irrigation, or added nutrients to grow. Among seaweeds, Sargassum is one of the most promising: as a pelagic species, as it does not require a particular topography or fixed infrastructure to grow at scale (unlike Kelp)
"Our investment in Carbonwave reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting innovative nature-based solutions to mobilize positive action towards net-zero," said Eddie Listorti, CEO, Viridios Group. "Taking Sargassum seaweed, which would otherwise rot on beaches and release methane, and turning it into a range of sustainable products that can displace fossil fuel-based products from the marketplace is the type of innovation the world needs to tackle climate change.'
"We believe in investing in initiatives that propel economic and social progress with a focus on efforts that drive a more sustainable future. We have identified in Carbonwave an opportunity to support an innovative solution that leverages a plentiful ocean resource in a manner that has a direct positive impact on our environment," said Ignacio Álvarez, President and CEO of Popular Inc.
"In our mission to build a world where a thriving ocean and economic development can exist in harmony, we are committed to investing in and helping to scale the most impactful ocean-tech startups," said Jonas Skattum Svegaarden, CEO, Katapult Ocean. "Carbonwave joins Katapult Ocean as part of a growing number of Katapult investments into the seaweed space. With increasing opportunities for seaweed's application and the growing potential of scalability for the industry, we are very excited to work with this highly talented team, and we look forward to the journey ahead both through our accelerator program and beyond."
Carbonwave has two operations, one in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico; and the other in Carolina, Puerto Rico and exploring further ventures in the Caribbean to bring about new economic opportunities centered on environmental justice, sustainability, and positive social impact.
* The reference to a ranking or a label does not prejudge the future performance of the funds or its managers.
About Carbonwave
Carbonwave is the world's leading developer of ultra-regenerative, plant-based, advanced biomaterials from seaweed. The company transforms sargassum seaweed—a resource long considered waste, which does not need land or other inputs to grow—into biomaterials that can replace petroleum products and other harmful industrial inputs. Carbonwave is part of a new wave of companies that are building the next-generation economies that will heal the planet through materials that are regeneratively sourced from our oceans. For more information, please visit www.carbonwave.com.
Mirova
Mirova is an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers.
Portfolio management company – French Public Limited liability company
Regulated by AMF under n°GP 02-014
RCS Paris n°394 648 216
59, Avenue Pierre Mendes France – 75013 – Paris.
www.mirova.com
Natixis Investment Managers
Natixis Investment Managers is a subsidiary of Natixis.
Portfolio management company - French Public Limited liability company
RCS Paris n°453 952 681
43, Avenue Pierre Mendes France – 75013 – Paris.
www.im.natixis.com
This communication is for information only and is intended for investment service providers or other Professional Clients. The analyses and opinions referenced herein represent the subjective views of the author as referenced unless stated otherwise and are subject to change. There can be no assurance that developments will transpire as may be forecasted in this material.
Copyright © 2023 Natixis Investment Managers S.A. – All rights reserved