Call for Proposals: Sargassum Innovation Quest

This initiative aims to find solutions that allow the potential of sargassum biomass to be harnessed and improve the resilience of coastal communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, through the use of advanced technologies and innovative practices.

Since 2011, the coasts of the Caribbean countries, Central America, and Mexico have experienced a massive proliferation of pelagic sargassum originating from the equatorial Atlantic. These masses of algae, carried by ocean currents, have made their way to the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, depositing over extensive areas of their shores (Franks, Johnson, and Ko 2016, Wang et al 2019).

After analysis and studies, experts have established connections between this increase in the occurrence of sargassum and factors such as climate change and oceanic eutrophication. It is likely that this phenomenon will continue to manifest, which has driven the need to raise the level of attention to these annual episodes in the Caribbean region. In such a scenario, managing sargassum has become a Herculean task, with high costs that are unsustainable for many countries.

Objectives

• Building Resilient Coastal Ecosystems, seeks the participation of various actors, such as startups, foundations, non-profit organizations, corporations, academic institutions, and social organizations. The call is for proposals of technological solutions that have already been tested experimentally and demonstrate the potential of scaling to commercial levels. These solutions should have business models that meet criteria for economic viability, positive social and environmental impact, sustainability, and innovation in the sector.
• The proposed solutions must:
  • Be innovative in nature and present a business model that, within the logic of the circular economy, contributes directly or indirectly to the transformation and valorization of sargassum for commercial purposes,
  • Focus on reducing the coastal accumulation rate of sargassum (accumulated biomass in coastal areas),
  • Promote social and economic inclusion of the poor and vulnerable populations,
  • Have a path for scalability or replication, as well as financial sustainability, through a company or private sector organization, and
  • Be implemented within a minimum period of 12 months and a maximum of 36 months.
• This challenge is part of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group’s strategy to promote innovation and applied technology for the adaptation and resilience of Latin American and Caribbean economies.

Priorities

• The technological proposals for managing sargassum can cover a wide range of areas, from efficient collection to its transformation into valuable products. Below are some of the technologies and approaches that are expected to be part of the proposals:
  • Sargassum Collection Systems: These include the use of floating barriers to contain sargassum, specialized vessels for its collection, and coastal management systems that minimize environmental impact during transport and final disposal of sargassum. These technologies aim to be efficient and environmentally responsible.
  • Pre-Treatment, Treatment, and Drying Technologies: Utilization of preferably renewable energies for efficient drying of sargassum, reducing its moisture content and facilitating further processing. This includes mechanical, chemical, or biological methods to prepare sargassum, such as cleaning and separating marine debris that may be mixed in and any polluting substance.
  • Transformation and Valorization: Development of technologies that convert sargassum into biogas, bioethanol, or biodiesel through processes like anaerobic digestion, fermentation, or transesterification. It also includes technologies to create composite materials from sargassum usable in construction or to process sargassum into fertilizers, compost, or agricultural substrates, optimizing its nutritional value and safety. Other applications could include the extraction of bioactive compounds for use in industries such as chemical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, textile, and footwear.
  • Monitoring and Analysis: Use of drones, satellites, and sensors for real-time monitoring of sargassum accumulations, facilitating rapid and efficient responses. Artificial intelligence and big data analysis also play a crucial role in predicting sargassum arrivals and optimizing collection and treatment operations.
  • Others: Other technologies aligned with the purpose and guidelines of the call, or a combination of the aforementioned technologies and approaches.
• Each of these areas not only contributes to the effective management of sargassum but also fosters innovation and collaboration across various sectors, supporting the development of sustainable and economically viable solutions.

Funding Information 

• Funding requests must fall within a range of US$300,000 to US$600,000 for NRTC, NRIG and CRIG modalities. Loan proposals should be within a range of US$500,000 to US$2,000,000. Please note that the proposing entity must contribute or be able to demonstrate access to funds for 50% of the project budget.

Eligibility Criteria

• Startups with proven solutions seeking scaling, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), corporations, academia and NGOs from any of the 48 member countries of the IDB are invited to participate in the challenge, as well as from one of the beneficiary countries of the Compete Caribbean program.
• If your organization is legally registered in one of the targeted countries (The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Honduras, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Granada, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) where the project will be implemented, you can apply to the Challenge.
• If your organization is legally registered in one of the 48 member countries of the IDB Group, other than one of the targeted countries where the project will be implemented, you may apply only in partnership with an organization registered and located in one of the targeted countries where the project will be implemented.

For more information, visit IDB.