Australian start-up Uluu uses seaweed as plastic replacement to improve ocean environments

AUSTRALIA – Perth-based start-up Uluu uses naturally farmed seaweed to make pellets that can be turned into any form of plastic.

Uluu’s compostable polymer, called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), is made through a fermentation process that is similar to brewing beer and enables the company to keep its production process clean.

It is made out of seaweed sugars, seawater and saltwater microbes and has a durability similar to plastic but is biodegradable and compostable.

Uluu says that pellets can be used in various products such as cosmetics, fabrics and packaging. The material is entirely recyclable and biodegradable in natural environments.

The seaweed can be “tweaked to mimic all kinds of plastics” in the “world’s first” carbon-negative and home compostable polymer, using Australian biotechnology.

Uluu utilizes farmed seaweed rather than terrestrial crops or waste as a carbon source. The company says this provides economic advantages and the potential to scale enough carbon to decouple the polymer economy from fossil fuels.

Julia Reisser founded Uluu to produce a versatile range of safe, natural polymers that could replace plastics.

While breaking down, plastic replacement has eutrophication remediation and reduction of harmful bloom events caused by industrial runoff.

Meanwhile, early this year, announced plans to build a commercial plant worth US$100 million in 2025, according to Co-Founder Reisser.

“We are doing our pilot plant now. In 2024, we hope to do a demo plant. it’s not a commercial plant yet, but it’s quite large, and will allow us to release some products to the market,” said Reisser.

The announcement came a few months after the startup raised A$8 million (about US$5.3 million) led by Main Sequence, the deep-tech fund launched by Australia’s national science agency with participation from Albert Impact Ventures, Mistletoe and Possible Ventures.

Other investors through Main Sequence’s social impact community Voice Capital included Melvin Benn, the managing director of Festival Republic; Nathan McLay, Australian independent music company Future Classic; restauranteur Neil Perry AM; model and philanthropist Karlie Kloss; and Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker.

According to Reisser, the proceeds went into capex (capital expenditure), a pilot plant that allows the startup to do further engineering, research and development, but also have enough volume to be doing manufacturing trials with its prospective customers.

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