Californian designer Julia Marsh is the CEO and co-founder of Sway, a venture-backed materials company which produces compostable packaging made from seaweed. Julia's work is inspired by a lifelong affection for the ocean, and the belief that designers must take part in solving the planet’s greatest challenges. Sway is on a mission to replenish the planet by supporting healthy ocean ecosystems, eliminating plastic waste, and creating a more inclusive climate movement.

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Check out ⁠⁠Inside Seaweed Newsletter⁠⁠! Just one short email per month, no spam and you can cancel at any time. Would you like to get a super short email from me every month, with three actionable insights for your seaweed business? I will search the seaweed industry for the most important lessons, the most useful conclusions and relevant actions, condensed into a half page that I will share with you, each month. It's easy to sign up and just as easy to cancel. If you'd like to give it a try, head over to ⁠⁠insideseaweed.com ⁠⁠

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[1:05] Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize.

[7:55] Supply chain: sourcing ingredients and seaweed species.

[14:00] The price of raw seaweed biomass and materials.

[15:20] Using non-food grade biomass and benefits for farmers.

[17:00] Current and future challenges in supplying seaweed biomass and materials.

[20:40] Thoughts around the flow of information within the industry.

[24:50] Opportunities and untapped potential for entrepreneurs.

[28:35] Considering the holistic value of seaweed in developing subsidies and policies.

[31:35] Design as key factor behind Sway's success.

[32:40] Imagining a positive and exiting future and how this could be communicated.

[35:00] How those who are closest to the problem are closest to the solution.

[36:25] What will drive B2B customers to adopt bioplastic in future.

[42:05] Competitors and competitive advantage of seaweed-based bioplastic.

[43:40] Biological circularity and how it can be applied to seaweed and bioplastic.

[46:35] Partnering with small-scale seaweed farmers. *

Useful Links: Julia Marsh: ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Sway: ⁠Website⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize

Macro Oceans: website

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Get in touch on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, or by emailing me directly at fed@insideseaweed.com - Please send in your feedback: what do you want to hear more or less of? any suggestions? Would love to hear what you think!

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Next year Seagriculture conferences:

Seagriculture EU: 18 - 20 June 2024, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Embark on a journey that is truly one of a kind! Seagriculture EU 2024 is not just a conference, it is a unique experience – a limited edition. Join the exclusive site visit to Ocean Rainforest: It will be a full-day trip to explore their facilities, experience a scenic drive on the Faroe Islands and gain insights from captivating presentations.

Register until 1 December with Late Bird rates at www.seagriculture.eu

Seagriculture USA: 11 - 12 September 2024, Ketchikan, Alaska

Alaska's suitability for seaweed cultivation lies in its clean, cold, and nutrient-rich coastal waters, along with long daylight hours during the summer, making it an ideal environment for seaweed growth. On top of that Alaska is home to some of the most breathtaking natural landscapes in the world. Visiting Alaska can be an adventure of a lifetime, offering experiences and memories that will stay with you forever.

Register until 31 December with Early Bird rates at www.seagriculture-usa.com

About the Seagriculture conferences: Seaweed cultivation in Europe and the US is showing promise in terms of growth, however challenges in regulations, cost, and market viability could affect the pace of this growth in the future. The Seagriculture conferences focus on addressing those challenges in the seaweed industry, fostering collaboration among various stakeholders, and emphasizing the importance of sustainable ractices, innovation, research, and regulatory adaptability for long-term success.