Open Projects
Microalgae Aqualgae
Share article

https://goparity.com/projects/microalgae-aqualgae-122

Microalgae Aqualgae

Sustainable photobioreactor to produce marine microalgae.
Investment overview
Impact category
blue_economy
Investment type
loan
Yearly interest
5
%
Term
36
months
Risk level
The Risk Rating is the result of our credit risk assessment, which looks at the promoter’s financial strength and the project’s viability. It’s shown from A+ (lowest risk) to D (highest risk) and helps you compare projects and make informed decisions.
A
D
Invest now
Join 424 investors making an impact
Share article

https://goparity.com/projects/microalgae-aqualgae-122

Description
Impact
Financial viability

Ready to explore this investment opportunity?

Create an account or log in to view the full project details and invest.

Get started

Already have an account?

Log in
Promoter

What will you be financing?

With Portuguese DNA, Aqualgae is headquartered in Coruña (Spain) and has a manufacturing center in Viana do Castelo (Portugal).

The company is mainly dedicated to the design and manufacture of photobioreactors for the production of microalgae, and the supply of services in essential areas of aquaculture, such as the automation of processes and systems, the installation of equipment and sensors, and the development of platforms monitoring and control.

With a philosophy based on constant improvement and development of more sustainable and efficient solutions, Aqualgae is currently working on the development of an automated tubular photobioreactor to produce marine microalgae, using 100% recyclable materials that will reduce the use of thermoplastic polymers to less than 5%. Now, this equipment is composed mostly of methacrylate (PMMA), a thermoplastic polymer with an average lifetime of about 15 years, which releases toxic compounds if burned and that is difficult to recycle.

The methacrylate will be replaced by borosilicate glass, a 100% recyclable material, with an average lifetime of 50 years, inert in nature, and with better physical characteristics to be used in the production of microalgae.

The funds raised through this campaign will be used to manufacture two photobioreactors within 6 months and represent 80% of the project's global investment. The remaining amount will be invested by the company. First sales are expected later this year.


What is the impact?

Direct Environmental Impact (the project's): 

  • Contribution to plastic consumption reduction: traditional microalgae production systems are made up of plastic bags, with an average useful life of one month, which go to waste after this period of use and are not 100% recyclable. In turn, the photobioreactors currently used are made up of components such as metal and thermoplastic polymers that can represent up to 70% of their total weight. Although they have a longer service life, the change to the new borosilicate glass material will allow 95% of plastic materials to be eliminated.
  • Promotion of recycling: in addition to having much greater durability (on average 50 years compared to the average useful life of 15 years for polymers), glass is 100% recyclable and inert to nature.
  • Productivity improvement: compared to traditional methods of producing microalgae in plastic bags, productivity improvements of at least 400% are expected. In relation to methacrylate photobioreactors, the increase in productivity can reach 15%.

Indirect environmental impact (the company's):

  • CO2 absorption: microalgae are responsible for capturing CO2 - for every kg of biomass produced, at least 2 kg of CO2 are absorbed.

Impact indicators

CO2 avoided per year
clean energy
created by our projects
of sustainable
impacted

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

About the Promoter

About Adega Cooperativa Cantanhede

Direct Environmental Impact (the project's): 

  • Contribution to plastic consumption reduction: traditional microalgae production systems are made up of plastic bags, with an average useful life of one month, which go to waste after this period of use and are not 100% recyclable. In turn, the photobioreactors currently used are made up of components such as metal and thermoplastic polymers that can represent up to 70% of their total weight. Although they have a longer service life, the change to the new borosilicate glass material will allow 95% of plastic materials to be eliminated.
  • Promotion of recycling: in addition to having much greater durability (on average 50 years compared to the average useful life of 15 years for polymers), glass is 100% recyclable and inert to nature.
  • Productivity improvement: compared to traditional methods of producing microalgae in plastic bags, productivity improvements of at least 400% are expected. In relation to methacrylate photobioreactors, the increase in productivity can reach 15%.

Indirect environmental impact (the company's):

  • CO2 absorption: microalgae are responsible for capturing CO2 - for every kg of biomass produced, at least 2 kg of CO2 are absorbed.

Promoter website

https://aqualgae.com/

Team

[{"id":8,"promoter_id":199,"name":"Pedro Seixas","description":"PhD in Marine Biology and Aquaculture.","link":"","role":"Founder and director","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/62e/aa5/016/62eaa5016eff1611147923.jpg","avatar_id":63362},{"id":9,"promoter_id":199,"name":"Nuno Dolgner","description":"Master in Marine Biology, in Aqualgae Portugal he is responsible for the Aquaculture department.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuno-dolgner-273654104/?originalSubdomain=pt","role":"Aquaculture Manager","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/62f/133/ac0/62f133ac06d1b281867828.jpg","avatar_id":63784},{"id":10,"promoter_id":199,"name":"Guilherme Fonseca","description":"Mechatronics Engineering, at Aqualgae Portugal he is responsible for the Engineering Departament","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/company/aqualgae/","role":"Engineering Manager","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/62f/134/aec/62f134aec2e0c953708636.jpg","avatar_id":63785}]

Business Model

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Sign up to access the full details

Open account
Already have an account? Sign in
Project progress

0%

New opportunity. Be among the first to invest.
of full round

6000000

minimum

6000000

target

6000000

maximum

Closed

Discover other open projects you may like

See all projects

Great investments from people just like you

Goparity allowed me to dive into the investment world in a responsible and conscious way. With an incredible support team, I invested in project with meaning and impact!

Smiling woman with curly hair wearing a light pink top against a plain background.

Natacha Lemos Van Doorn

Investor since 2019

Five vertical yellow bars of different heights arranged in a wave-like pattern on black background.

It’s great to be part of Goparity’s family! Costumer Support treats me like I’m one of them, plus its business model allows me to support sustainable and eco-friendly projects. What more cloud I ask for? :)

Close-up of smiling person wearing sunglasses and a blue cap outdoors in sunlight.

Catarina Sousa

Investor since 2023

Icon of three stacked blue-grey square layers with rounded corners and white borders.

Economic development and ecological preservation shouldn’t have their back turned on each other, we should face the future with the opposite perspective if we want a future at all! Goparity allows that.

Smiling young man with short dark hair and beard wearing a grey checked shirt against a light background.

Pedro Pereira da Silva

Investor since 2019

A good option for those who like to invest in crowdfunding. Moreover knowingly it supports a more eco-friendly Portugal.

Smiling person wearing glasses and scarf standing inside a store with colorful shoes on shelves.

Tiago Almeida

Investor since 2020

Five vertical bars of varying heights arranged to form a symmetrical wave pattern.

Goparity has great Customer Support and makes me want to be friends with all the people behind the scenes who are so focused on creating a positive impact in the world.

Close-up portrait of a woman with light hair wearing a white knitted hat smiling gently.

Susanne Haefeli-Hestvik

Investor since 2017

Icon of three stacked green layers representing a stack or layers concept.

Joining Goparity was very simple and fast. One can see that there is a good team behind the scenes!

Black and white portrait of a man with curly hair and a mustache, arms crossed, wearing a dark shirt.

Hugo Ferreira

Investor since 2020

Auto-invest

Set your strategy once, grow it every month

Turn occasional investments into a disciplined, diversified strategy. Set your preferences, and Auto-Investment will match opportunities automatically — so your money work while life gets busy.

Investment strategy app screen with risk rating, auto investment info, and photos of solar panels and a boat crane.

Need financing?

Get an instant simulation and
receive an offer within 48 hours.

7.72% Portfolio IRR with stack icon, 60,000 Goparity users with user icon, large G logo on yellow background.

Download the app

Track projects, manage investments, and follow your returns.

Smartphone screen showing investing app with project progress and people impacted stats.