IDB Lab, the innovation laboratory of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group), in collaboration with other agencies is launching the Sargassum Innovation Quest.
The initiative aims to harness the potential of the sargassum biomass and improve the resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean’s coastal communities through the use of advanced technology and innovative practice.
It says since 2011, the region has faced significant challenges from the influx of sargassum, impacting tourism, fisheries and coastal ecosystems.
The call is open to proposals for technological solutions from startups, corporations, foundations, non-profit organisations, and academic institutions, among others.
These solutions must be already proven at an experimental level and need to be scaled to a commercial level, with business models meeting economic viability, social impact, environmental sustainability and sectoral innovation requirements.