Founded in 2018, The Seaweed Company (TSC) produces seaweed at its own farms in Ireland, Morocco, India, and the Netherlands. Its portfolio includes seaweed derived products such as animal feed supplements for swine and poultry, cattle, companion animals and equine sectors, health supplements and food applications as well as biostimulants for use in crop production.
The funds from the Colruyt Group, the third and largest investment to date for TSC, will be used to significantly scale up production in the coming years.
“Colruyt was the sole investor in this third round. We have agreed not to disclose the investment amount. This round could be qualified in investment terms as our series A financing, after the first two seed and early stage investment rounds,” Wouter Zwagemakers, chief commercial officer (CCO), TSC, told us.
The startup is looking to make agricultural chains, from crop production to livestock and fish farming, more sustainable.
Zwagemakers said TSC has executed a variety of field trials with farmers and industry over the past two years. “This is a core and important element of our product development strategy. Our R&D science team that develops our products and coordinates the trial phase has extensive experience in marine biology/seaweed applications (Dr Stefan Kraan), crop science (Dr Anubhav Mohiley) and human/animal immunology (Prof Dr Theo Niewold).”
R&D trials
In relation to monogastrics, the company has been running trials in broilers, piglets, and weaned pigs, in the Netherlands.
