Yemoja creates platform for on-demand customised microalgae cultivation

Israel-based marine ingredient start-up company Yemoja has developed a new platform to cultivate on-demand pharmaceutical-grade microalgae.

The company claims that its cultivated microalgae can be customised to required nutritional compounds and functionalities.

Yemoja CEO Eyal Shalmon said: “There is a vast ocean of microalgae species not yet discovered, and only a dozen or so are commercially available.

“The market is still in the early stages of tapping into the immense potential of these marine ‘super crops’.

“Our mission is to boost the entire microalgae value chain with new varieties and yields and bring them to the mainstream of high-end nutraceutical food and cosmeceutical spheres with additional formulations in the pipeline.”

The company explained that it uses high precision fast-track photobioreactor technology for microalgae production.

Furthermore, it is capable of producing ‘algae-centred ingredients’ that can be made same as any bioactive compound or algae extract including fucoxanthins, polysaccharides, xanthophylls, carotenoids, enzymes, and more.

The start-up operates an indoor cultivation system that controls and maintains temperature, pH and light.

Yemoja CTO and co-founder Amikam Bar-Gil said: “Microalgae are sunlight-driven, single-celled factories, and by nature, highly resilient and versatile.

“They also are a powerful source of natural, vegan, bioactive ingredients. Our innovative approach serves to create pure, sustainable microalgae-derived products of the highest quality, and that can be naturally adapted into any desired matrix.”

The company has raised $4m in funding and is planning to generate additional capital by moving into Round B funding.