The design of Origin by Ocean's biorefining process is both environmental and industrial. Algae and seaweed are first harvested from coastal areas overridden with invasive blooms by local coastal entrepreneurs. Origin by Ocean’s projects have already sourced toxic blue-green algae from the Baltic Sea and invasive sargassum seaweed from the Dominican Republic. The algae then goes through a patented process in a biorefinery that removes nutrients from the ocean and extracts the valuable molecular substances. There is a huge variety of molecular products that can be made out of algae and seaweed for industry use. These chemicals can then be used by consumer brands to produce the products which they would have used oil-based chemicals before. This includes food, cosmetics, detergents, plastics, packaging, textiles and fertilisers. Wide-scale use of the technology would turn a massive environmental problem into an abundant resource for various industries that require chemical components.

The three main problems affecting our planet are all connected to the oceans and to each other. 1. Ocean eutrophication. The oceans of the world are plagued with invasive algae blooms caused by nutrient runoffs from years of industry and agriculture. It thrives off of three things humans keep putting into the ocean: nitrogen, phosphorus and heat. 2. Loss of biodiversity. The ocean is home to millions of species. Marine life is suffocating from eutrophied dead zones from runaway invasive algae blooms, weakening the ocean ecosystem and its ability to withstand disturbances, and to play its role as a global ecological and climate regulator. 3. Climate change. The ocean and algae absorb the majority of carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere. The rising concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is driving up ocean surface temperatures and causing ocean acidification.Origin by Ocean aims to meet the growing demand for sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products.

What sets the design apart is its innovative approach of making the problem the solution. The process empowers coastal communities to collect the seaweed from their eutrophied shores and sell it back to the industry that created the problem in the first place. This creates a win-win situation where the industry can access sustainable raw materials while coastal communities can benefit from the economic opportunity. Furthermore, our process is part of a larger ecosystem that aims to make the chemical industry more sustainable and environmentally friendly. By making the switch from oil to algae-based ingredients, we are decarbonising the five trillion dollar chemical industry and setting a foundation for a circular economy which can combat the climate crisis. Reclaiming the oceans requires reclaiming the origin of the chemical products in our everyday consumer products too. Instead of oil, their origins will be algae-based: ecological, decomposable, and renewable.