About Kelp blue

We harvest cultivated kelp to produce ingredients for agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.

Our team learn more

To restore our planet to equilibrium, or even to abundance, we need to come together to find cost-effective, long term and environmentally sustainable solutions. At Kelp Blue, we believe we’ve found one such solution: growing and managing large-scale Giant Kelp forests.

The process

The Hatchery

The sorus tissue, the fertile material that is found on mature kelp blades, is taken to our hatchery. A safe and controlled environment where we nurture the kelp from near microscopic gametophytes, through to sporophytes - the multicellular leaf-like stage. Once big enough, the sporophytes are attached to a special wire and made ready to be planted in the ocean.

outplanting

At the out-planting stage, the twine is wrapped around our farm structures. Our farm uses lines and ropes onto which the holdfast - the root-like foot of the kelp - can securily attach. Our team of divers will secure the twine to the structures and regularly monitor the progress of the growing kelp.

Engineering

The farms are submerged in the ocean. In the deeper water we have installed structures that are anchored at around 15 metres below the surface – the perfect depth to maximise access to nutrients and light while keeping the young kelp out of the most violent movement of the waves.

marine monitoring

Our dedicated marine monitoring team regularly check on the kelp and keep track of the biodiversity observed. They use a range of different methods including methods like acoustics, visual observations, water sample analysis, and environmental DNA. We also regularly measure water quality and analyze dissolved organic carbon in the lab.

harvesting

Once the kelp grows to maturity and starts forming a canopy, some of the biomass is harvested to turn into sustainable alternatives for industries such as agriculture and packaging. Currently the kelp is harvested by hand, but we are working on a fully-automated solar powered emission-free harvester which would allow us to significantly scale up our operations.

processing

Our kelp is carefully processed to extract its bioactive compounds. Through innovative techniques, we concentrate these compounds into potent biostimulants that increase crop yield, improve soil health, reduce chemical dependency, and improve abiotic stress stress tolerance.

quality control

Quality control is at the core of our operations. Every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent performance, which is crucial for biostimulants to perform consistently in varying agricultural environments. Rigorous testing ensures that our products deliver reliable, optimal results, every time.

R&D

The R&D team valorizes all components of the kelp. Our new products include a bio-based leather alternative, as well as blended fabrics and coatings. We extract alginates and fucoidan, which can be used in cosmetics, nutraceuticals and as input materials for bio packaging or as gelling agents.

how we do it

Innovation is at the heart of what we do. It isn’t just about “tech”, innovation is actually very human— it takes heart, it takes soul; from everyone involved. Because big innovation has big impact on the planet and people.

Meet the team

We are so proud of our hard-working Kelpies, who work tirelessly to make our oceans a little better every day.

Jerome Maarman

Senior Dive Supervisor

Born in South Africa and raised in Luderitz, started working as a fisherman. Later completed his Commercial Diving course in Hermanus to start working as commercial diver in Walvis Bay. His passion for diving and the ocean became stronger every year. That's why he eventually decided to do his diving course to become dive supervisor. He loves to play and coach Basketball in his spare time and also likes fishing and swimming.

Angelique Dodds

PA to the CEO

Born and bred in Windhoek, Namibia, Angelique joined Kelp Blue with a BSc in Environmental Biology. She just submitted her MSc Thesis with a scholarship from the Kelp Forest Foundation. Angelique's passion for the ocean ignited at age 5 during trips to Swakopmund, continuing to fuel her work. Her love for the sea, which she describes as putting everything in perspective, is the driving force behind her career in marine ecology. Angelique spends her free time reading science fiction books to escape real life. The best advice she was given was, “Progress is better than perfection”.

Ed Heal

Operations, Equipment Capability, Integrity and Performance Manager

Ed is one of life’s energetic optimists who thrives working with passionate people on purposeful endeavours. Fresh from a second masters at Imperial he brings 35 years of senior leadership experience from a wide range of engineering, training and logistics roles with the UK’s Armed Forces. Orienteering, mountain marathons, desert expeditions, his 1960s car and family are his happy place.

Elia Bortoletti

Agronomist Lead

Even though Elia holds an MSc. in Sustainable Agriculture from Padua University Italy, he already learned the craft in his early years. Raised among the farming traditions of his family, he is now a third-generation farmer specializing in regenerative viticulture systems. He is passionate about the synergies between soil composition and artificial systems to shed light on the mysteries of agriculture. Elia is a supporter of AI and data processing for crop solutions and embraces agro-ecology. You can usually find him beside the beehives, sipping Jura vine – his favourite.

Jamie Coetzee

Biosystems Lead

Jamie is a passionate scientist with a bachelor degree in Chemistry from the University of Cape Town. She is a dedicated individual who is eager to contribute her knowledge to the innovative work we do at Kelp Blue. With her passion for marine organisms, she is looking forward to challenging and alleviating environmental challenges. Therefore, she loves to challenge and hone her science skills, in search for sustainable solutions. She is also an adventurous indivudal who constantly seeks new challenges. Loves to draw and envision life through several different microscopes. For Jamie, the best way to express herself is through art, style and music.

Tuwilika Melania Amunyela

Kelp Cultivation Engineer

There is no lack of enthusiasm and ambition in Tuwilika. Raised in the costal town of Walvis Bay, but born in Outapi, she holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Namibia. Her emphasis is on designing, building, and testing mechanical systems. As an introvert, she enjoys soothing walks by the beach, listening to music and reimagining non fiction books she reads.

Clarke Scott

Jetty Crewman

Meet Clarke, a friendly individual from Luderitz, who has a genuine passion for cars and boats. Working on vehicles is not just a job for him; it’s a love affair. Beyond his mechanical prowess, Clarke-Scott enjoys kicking a soccer ball around and embarking on adventures to catch crayfish and fish. Whether on the field or by the water, he’s adept at scoring goals and reeling in those aquatic delights.

Aina Iyambula

R&D Specialist

With an honours degree in Biochemistry and a Masters in Chemistry from the University of Namibia, Aina is a great asset to our R&D team. She has held a variety of roles where she gained experience in product formulation and pilot extraction techniques, including CO2 extraction. Aina has a passion for laboratory work and especially piloting production processes which will be very useful in our biotech team. In her spare time, Aina likes reading non-fiction literature.

Join the team See everyone

vision 2029

By 2029, our goal is to remove over 1 million tons of CO2 annually through 70,000 hectares of Giant Kelp farms located 30-100 km offshore from Lüderitz. These farms benefit from the Benguela Current, which is twice as productive as the Chile current and nine times more productive than the California current. This results in a 10%-20% increase in regional fish stocks and biodiversity, creating over 400 local jobs and indirectly supporting 800-1,000 more.

Careers

We’re not a ‘business as usual’ scale-up. We value originality and creativity, expect a healthy dose of common sense, that you are a problem solver by nature and that you’re comfortable getting on with tasks in an unstructured environment.

If you feel like you’re a good fit, please get in touch. You might be what we are looking for and we don’t even know it.

We’re always on the look out for those who want to join us on our journey to leave the planet in a better place. Send us an email with your resume to newkelpies@kelp.blue

Transform Your Farm with StimBlue+

Ready to boost your yields and enhance soil health? Contact our team of agronomists to learn how StimBlue+ can benefit your farm. Our team is ready to answer all your questions, comments, and requests.

Or give us a call, WhatsApp only:
+32 (0)4 70 80 64 57

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.