CCMAR – Center for Marine Sciences in the Algarve is one of the main research centers in marine sciences in Portugal, bringing together about 250 specialists in the areas of marine biology, ecology, oceanography, environmental sciences, biotechnology, fisheries and aquaculture. It is an independent and non-profit research organization located in the University of Algarve. With regard to micro- and macroalgae biomass, it has developed several research projects, namely regarding the existence of bioactive compounds using in vitro and ex vivo bioassays, in algal biomass extracts. CCMAR developed a new high-speed method for the isolation of microalgae strains from environmental samples that resulted in the isolation of microalgae from different phyla, some with great potential for biotechnological applications.

The National Energy and Geology Laboratory (LNEG) is a research, demonstration and technological development organization whose mission is to promote technological innovation by orienting science and technology to the development of the economy, contributing to the increase of the competitiveness of economic agents in the framework of sustainable progress of the Portuguese economy. LNEG connects to GreenCoLab through its Bioenergy unit. Bioenergy Unit team members have over 30 years’ experience in lab and pilot plant production of microalgae using raceways, closed photobioreactors and fermenters, culturing parameters to increase high-value compounds, downstream processing, harvesting and extractions, wastewater treatment, CO2 mitigation, biofuel production, biorefinery and Life Cycle Analysis.

University of Aveiro (UAVR) is one of the most dynamic and innovative universities in the country, considered one of the best universities of the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings for the world’s universities that are aged 50 years or under. UAVR is a privileged partner for companies and other national and international organisations with which the University cooperates in numerous projects and for which it provides important services. During 2019, 628 research and technology transfer projects have been active in UAVR. From these 134 had or have international collaborations, of which 40 funded by ERASMUS+ and 48 by Horizon 2020. Among these projects are three ongoing ERC Grants and three more were approved for funding. The projects are developed under the 20 research centres hosted by UAVR which act in many different scientific areas. 95% of these research centres have been classified as very good or excellent in the last evaluation process promoted by the National Foundation for Science and Technology.

Allmicroalgae – Natural Products, S.A.’s mission is to provide high quality microalgae biomass, at extremely competitive prices, with differentiated service and continuous support, to partners and professionals who value and promote natural and healthy products. Allmicroalgae’s strategy is to supply microalgae with maximum food safety, and also with a higher quality than the products on the market. This strategy seeks to take advantage of the small supply of microalgae products (microalgae in powder, paste, or even extracts) that can be directed to the most demanding industries, which work or intend to work with this type of raw materials (e.g. dietary supplements, aquaculture, animal feed, cosmetics).

Necton – Companhia Portuguesa de Culturas Marinhas, S.A. is the company with longest experience of non-stop production of microalgae – every year, all year long, using outdoor PBRs. It has specialized since 1989 in the production of microalgae biomass for different commercial applications. Necton has a state-of-the-art production unit consisting of 4 tubular photobioreactors with 20 m3, with a total capacity of 80 m3, and a raceway with 200 m3. The company’s proprietary technology enables the cultivation of microalgae in fresh, marine and hypersaline water of many kinds. The Necton team is experienced in growing 11 different species of microalgae, including Nannochloropsis, Phaeodactylum, Skeletonema, Tetraselmis, Porphyridium, Isochrysis, Odontella and Dunaliella.

ALGAplus is a Portuguese company co-founded in 2011 by biologists driven by the passion for seaweed and the goal of transforming research knowledge into a business with positive environmental and socio-economic impacts in the era of climate change. At Ria de Aveiro lagoon, based on production technology innovation, Atlantic seaweed species are farmed year-round, in a sustainable land-based system, under the concept of circular bioeconomy.Mimicking nature, ALGAplus has implemented and optimized the Integrated Multitrofic Aquaculture technology, farming fish and seaweed, both organically certified according to EU standards.

SPAROS, Lda., is a scientific and technological SME dedicated to the development of new products and tailored nutritional solutions for the aquaculture, biomedical and ornamental markets. Besides the manufacture of its own brands, SPAROS is a key contract manufacturing facility for some of the major players of the EU aquafeed industry. SPAROS has also under its responsibility the management of an extensive network of experimental rearing facilities dedicated to testing the biological performance of novel ingredients and additives in fish, including marine biomasses.

Iberagar Sociedade Luso-espanhola de Coloides Marinhos SA is a specialist in hydrocolloids derived from seaweed. Established in 1964 as agar plant, Iberagar has specialized over the years in the extraction of biomolecules derived from marine macro-algae. The harvesting of algae biomass to produce agar-agar is the main commercial activity of Iberagar nowadays. The company has made a commitment to innovation and is engaged on the development of innovative products and process to face the challenges of a fast-changing world.

CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Center of Marine and Environmental Research is a leading research and advanced training institution funded in 2000 at the University of Porto. With a highly qualified multidisciplinary team of 550 researchers and well-equipped laboratories, it works at the frontier of knowledge and innovation, contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the sustainability of marine and coastal environments. To fulfill its mission and build a shared understanding and appreciation of the ocean, CIIMAR is heavily involved in partnerships, citizen engagement, ocean literacy and participates in relevant innovation and knowledge networks at European and global levels. CIIMAR uses knowledge-based approaches to promote the natural capital and sustainable management of marine resources through ecosystem health monitoring, aquaculture optimization, and biotechnological exploitation of resources for environmental and human health applications. Hosting LEGE_CC, one of the largest cyanobacteria and microalgae collections in the world, CIIMAR has technological platforms dedicated to the study and biotechnological applications of microalgae including genomics, proteomics, biodiscovery, and natural products chemistry, along with a diversity of photobioreactors.

Gopsis, Lda is a spin-off company from the Center for Marine Sciences in the Algarve, created in 2018, to provide consultancy and research services in macroalgae aquaculture and commercialization. Gopsis’ aims to respond to an increasingly emerging industry, that is still short on specialized know-how. Gopsis’ founder, Leonardo Mata (PhD) has 20+years of academic and industrial experience, having designed, developed, and operated several land-based macroalgae cultivation systems with different characteristics and volumes (> 300,000L) in Portugal and Australia, and successfully mastered the cultivation of a dozen of macroalgae species with biotechnological potential. Gopsis can be your industrial and/or R&D project partner to establish and prioritize research topics on macroalgae aquaculture and translate scientific and innovative methods into commercial outputs capable of simultaneously meeting the standards of scientific publications. Gopsis is now mostly active in Vietnam supporting the establishment of ocean-based, commercial cultivation of the red seaweed Asparagopsis spp. (www.greenergrazing.org).