A solution that turns macroalgae into bioplastics wins BluAct 2024
A solution that turns macroalgae into bioplastics wins BluAct 2024
AlgaBioTec, a project that aims to solve the accumulation of macroalgae in coastal areas by reusing them as valuable resources for society, is the winner of the fourth edition of BluAct. The programme was organized by CM Matosinhos, with the support of UPTEC – Science and Technology Park of U. Porto, INDAQUA Matosinhos and Conservas Portugal Norte.
The AlgaBioTec project is developing a technology to solve the accumulation of macroalgae in coastal areas. The aim is to collect and transform these algae into prolonged-release fertilizers for organic farming and biodegradable bioplastics to replace the plastics currently used.
AlgaBioTec won BluAct 2024 and received five thousand euros from INDAQUA Matosinhos, free participation in UPTEC’s School of Startups, and one-year incubation at UPTEC Mar.
“We weren’t expecting first place because we saw some teams with optimized ideas, but it’s incredible. We have the chance to transfer what happens in the laboratory into a real situation,” said Raquel Vaz, one of the winning project’s voices.
Manuela Álvares, Environment Councillor for CM Matosinhos, recalled that the municipality “removes tons of algae from the beaches [during the cleaning season], which then has to be taken to its final destination”. The AlgaBioTec project is, therefore, a “more sustainable option with fewer emissions”, she added.
Maria Oliveira, UPTEC’s Business Director, revealed that this is an obvious synergy “to bring in new projects”, adding that “there’s always one or two that stand out, such as projects for linking algae, polymer waste or plastics”.
The SUSPLUS project, a solution for managing the climate impact of companies with origins in the Faculty of Economics of the U. Porto and the Faculty of Engineering of the U. Porto, finished the program in second place and also won the prize of 2,500 euros awarded by Conservas Portugal Norte. SISMEM, a marine species monitoring and intervention system that uses Artificial Intelligence to analyze behaviour and environmental conditions, won third prize.
The grand final took place in Matosinhos City Hall and was attended by Manuela Álvares, Environment Councillor, Maria Oliveira, Business Director of UPTEC, Tiago Fragata, General Director of INDAQUA Matosinhos, and Rodrigo Souza, director of Conservas Portugal Norte.
December 3, 2024