10068120Development of BioMara’s sustainable biorefinery for biomanufacturing new products from residual ‘waste’ streams and sustainability improvementsClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKBioMara is a UK biotechnology startup researching and designing biomanufacturing methods and developing future advanced bioproducts. BioMara products will have improved and differentiated properties following research-backed laboratory-based product development. BioMara's Innovate UK-funded feasibility project is focused on investigating sustainable, zero-waste processes in the design of a UK-based biorefinery pulling significant demand for UK-sourced ocean-farmed seaweed biomass. Through the valorisation of residual 'waste' biomass, BioMara will improve the existing processes, moving towards a zero-waste system resulting in an innovative cascading biorefinery concept with multiple revenue streams. Sustainability investigations will include a Life Cycle Analysis and targets for improvements or interventions throughout the value chain to improve the sustainability credentials of BioMara's 'sea-to-sellables' product portfolio. KelpCrofters, the upstream project partner, will investigate methods to reduce energy consumption/costs in stabilising and drying seaweed including the impacts of dewatering or ensiling. Innovative biomanufacturing technologies and processes will be researched and developed in this feasibility study focusing on the continuous and consistent production of valuable, sustainable products using traceable UK feedstocks for provenance. BioMara aims to effect social and economic impact by stimulating the creation of direct and indirect jobs, income diversification opportunities, more resilient coastal communities and support of government initiates like Net-Zero. BioMara's foundational strategy is to help grow the emerging UK seaweed industry by working with suppliers, coastal communities, academic institutions, and industry players in a thriving UK blue-bioeconomy. BioMara's underlying aim is to have a positive environmental impact, including carbon reduction and ocean regeneration. The seaweed industry development supports UN SDGs such as climate action and life below water (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 7-15)_._