Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD)
DECD and its partners work collaboratively to support business development through available resources that Maine has to offer. From millions of dollars in tax credits, reimbursements, research and development credits, to capital loans and even direct investment. Every year DECD helps Maine communities attract new investment, create jobs, and grow their infrastructure with unique programs.
Maine Office of Tourism
Maine Technology Institute (MTI)
Maine International Trade Center (MITC)
Maine North Atlantic Development Office (MENADO)
The Maine North Atlantic Development Office (MENADO) was formed in 2013 as an initiative of the Maine International Trade Center to increase trade, investment, and collaborative activity between the State of Maine and markets of the North Atlantic and to develop Maine’s engagement in Arctic affairs.
Arctic change will have a direct impact on Maine’s economy, coastline, and natural resources. MENADO develops strategic relationships throughout the region to ensure Maine’s place in the global conversation about the Arctic and empowers businesses in the state to leverage sustainable development opportunities. MENADO facilitates Arctic geopolitical and economic conversations as they relate to Maine interests and provides leadership and consultation with other states and communities wishing to enter the dialogue.
Gold Sponsor
North American Kelp
North American Kelp has been a trusted source for responsibly and sustainably harvested seaweed products for over 50 years. We have focused on harvesting Ascophyllum nodosum from our coastline to produce high-quality kelp meals, soluble powders, and liquid extracts. We have been harvesting the same seaweed beds since our company started in 1971. Many of these sectors are within an hour of our facility. The short time between harvest and processing means that our kelp products maintain their integrity and freshness while being minimally processed.
Our products are primarily utilized within the agricultural markets as ingredients for livestock feeds, fertilizers, soil amendments and composts, and wastewater treatment. The versatility and uses for Ascophyllum has increased over the years, and we are excited to be a part of the growth of the seaweed industry.
This is our second year participating in the Seagriculture USA conference. It was an incredible experience to meet and talk with other seaweed operations across the world. We hope to have another wonderful experience during this year’s conference. We look forward to seeing what the past year held for our counterparts in the industry, and what the future holds in the coming years.
Gold Sponsor
Ocean Rainforest
Ocean Rainforest is a pioneering blue growth company located in the Faroe Islands and in California, USA. We offer a collection of seaweed products, mostly for feed, food and cosmetic producers, as well as take part in research projects with a number of different partners.
Our inbuilt focus on research and innovation enables us to develop world-class cultivation methods - making us Europe's leading seaweed cultivator and a pioneer in our industry.
Our team shares the same values of passion, teamwork and pioneering, and through a diverse set of skills and years of combined experience, we continue to explore the potential of this versatile sea plant to meet growing market demand.
Our purpose is to improve people’s wellbeing and to make a unique contribution to our blue planet. We do this by applying science, innovation and expertise, to grow premium quality seaweed for our target customer segments.
Silver Sponsor
Murre Technologies
Murre Technologies has been supplying the EasyFarm system with which mussel seed cultivation is possible, for almost 20 years. Seaweed cultivation and processing is their next development. Murre Technologies is building a harvester that harvests the seaweed from the cultivation nets in the sea. Sowing seaweed is also part of the EasyFarm concept, which is why they supply the complete system for harvesting and sowing the seaweed. We have also developed a seaweed bubble washer to sort the sand and undersized waste such as crustaceans from the product during the washing process. The system is equipped with separation rollers for this, the washing water is continuously filtered through a separator drum. To reduce the iodine content, we use a blanching/cooling system.
In short, we are your partner in seaweed harvesting and processing!
Silver Sponsor
Toyota
Founded in 2008, the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) is exploring next-generation core technologies via fundamental research discoveries that enable breakthrough applications for a sustainable mobility society. TRINA is building the foundation for Toyota’s advanced product development through in-house research plus collaborative efforts with both internal and external partners across North America which has resulted in more than 1,200 granted patents and numerous high impact publications since inception.
Community Sponsor
New England Ocean Cluster
The New England Ocean Cluster's mission is to create value in the Blue Economy by discovering new opportunities for sustainable growth through connecting purpose-driven people and organizations. In June of 2020, the NEOC officially opened the Hús, its collaborative workspace located in the heart of Portland, Maine’s working waterfront. The building features 20 glass-front offices, a 14-desk work area, a cafe, and premium meeting spaces. The Hús, (Icelandic for House), now serves as the backbone for much of the NEOC's collaborative programming and an exciting gathering place for those active in the Blue Economy.
Community Sponsor
GreenWave
GreenWave works with coastal communities to create a blue green economy that ensures we all make a living on a living planet. Its farmer-led organization helps small- and medium-scale fishermen and shellfish growers integrate kelp into their businesses in a polyculture model known as regenerative ocean farming. GreenWave’s goal is to train 10,000 farmers and hatchery technicians by 2030, to catalyze the widespread adoption of regenerative ocean farming and yield meaningful climate, marine ecosystem, and economic impacts. GreenWave’s resources are intended to support the emerging industry as a whole, with priority given to the needs of fishermen, Indigenous groups, and other under-resourced coastal communities directly affected by climate change to ensure they benefit from the industry’s growth.
GreenWave launched an online Regenerative Ocean Farming Hub in April 2022 to accelerate resource sharing to a broad audience to rapidly expand adoption of the model. Hub components include an interactive farm design and budgeting tool; seed-to-harvest curriculum for new and experienced ocean farmers and kelp hatchery operators; a community forum to connect farmers, hatchery technicians, and other stakeholders to disseminate best practices; and Seaweed Source, a digital platform that connects regenerative ocean farmers and buyers.