Seaweedland (pictured), based in the Netherlands, has been operational for three years and supplies 2,000 kilograms of seaweed per year to Dutch Michelin-star restaurants © Seaweedland
AlgaeProBANOS has launched Open Call two of The Algae Accelerator, a six-month mentorship programme designed to help startups and SMEs across Europe’s algae value chain scale their innovations and bring sustainable bio-based solutions to market.
Following the success of the first edition, which drew applications from over 40 algae companies and enthusiastic feedback, this new round aims to further boost the growth of Europe’s fast-emerging algae sector – one of the key drivers of the blue bioeconomy.
“The feedback from our first wave of participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Startups not only refined their strategies but also built lasting connections with leading mentors and investors in the blue biotech ecosystem,” said Ferdinand Bulmer, project coordinator of AlgaeProBANOS, in a press release.
AlgaeProBANOS and its Algae Accelerator programme recently featured at the second EU Algae Awareness Summit in Berlin. The summit brought together high-level authorities and sector leaders to advance the EU Algae Initiative.
Programme details
Applications are open from 2 October to 4 December. The programme welcomes startups, SMEs, or small consortia (typically at Technology Readiness Level 3 or higher) from the European Union or Horizon Europe–associated countries.
Selected participants will receive:
- Innovation vouchers worth up to €10,000 for tailored mentorship from international experts in blue biotech, business scaling and EU regulation.
- Exclusive training and networking opportunities.
Interested parties can find full guidelines and apply on the Algae Accelerator webpage. The programme also invites experienced professionals to join as mentors, who will receive €10,000 in compensation for their contribution.
