Seaweed Solutions: Argus Organics turns a coastal problem into a business opportunity

Riley Kaminer

Miami-based Algas Organics is focused on turning environmental problems into commercial opportunities. Founded in 2014 by Johanan Dujon, the startup is dedicated to tackling the growing problem of sargassum crops due to climate change.

Dujon's journey began in his hometown of St. Lucia, where invasive sargassum began washing up on shore in huge numbers. I saw it covering the coastline and devastating local fishing and tourism. Governments spent millions of dollars to remove it, only for it to come back the next day, Dujon told Refresh Miami. This prompted me to think differently about the seaweed problem. I asked myself, how can I turn this material that so many people see as problematic into a valuable product?

According to Dujon, the problem shows no signs of abating: In 2011, there were about 9-10 million tonnes of Sargassum seaweed visible from space. As of 2022-2023, this has increased to about 23-24 million tonnes, nearly double the amount.

Initially, Argus Organics focused on turning seaweed into biofertilizer. As the company developed, it expanded its scope to explore other uses. “We developed a patented fermentation process that removes heavy metals from seaweed, which represents a major barrier to many potential applications,” Dujon says. This innovation opened the door to making pulp for paper, extracting nutritional compounds and even exploring biofuel production.

Algas Organics' business model is both business-to-government (B2G) and business-to-business (B2B): the company is paid by municipalities for collecting and processing the sargassum, saving landfill space and reducing costs, and then sells the processed material to various industries.

COVID-19 forced the company to pivot and relocate to Florida. Miami feels like a second home, and Dujon notes they have a great support network here, including participation in Endeavor Miami and the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) community. These connections led Argus Organics to participate in an open challenge led by the Miami-Dade Department of Innovation and were selected to pilot their solution.

The pilot program involves using mobile fermentation pods to process seaweed directly from shore. “We'll have modified shipping containers with fermentation tanks,” Dujon explained. The seaweed will be collected, processed, and tested to ensure it doesn't contain heavy metals. If the pilot program is successful, it could be implemented on a larger scale in Miami-Dade County.

Looking to the future, Dujon is excited about potential uses for processed seaweed, the most promising being in the pulp and paper industry. “If our material can help reduce deforestation, that could have a huge impact,” he says.

Argus Organics, which won $20,000 as runner-up at the Florida Early Stage Venture Conference last month, is raising $4 million in a seed round to expand its operations, create jobs and economic prosperity in South Florida, improve the environment and stop slimy seaweed from ruining your day at the beach.

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I'm a Miami-based tech researcher and writer passionate about sharing stories about the South Florida tech ecosystem. I especially love learning about GovTech startups, cutting-edge applications of Artificial Intelligence, and innovators leveraging technology to change society for the better. I'm always open to pitches on Twitter @rileywk or at www.RileyKaminer.com.

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