With an emphasis on its application to the widest range of industries, the collaborative platform GreenCoLab is growing and seeking to establish the Algarve as a significant worldwide hub for knowledge and business in the algae sector. Founded in 2018, the private non-profit organisation aims to facilitate the collaboration between industry and research in the field of macro and microalgae science.

Hugo Pereira, the laboratory’s general coordinator has told Lusa that “GreenCoLab aims to be one of the major hubs in the algae sector here in the Algarve, as we have a unique ecosystem. Here, just in this part of Faro and Olhão, we have different entities working with algae that are highly respected.”

As he continues explaining, “Algae have been used for many years in the past for a variety of applications. They were used in agriculture and also in food. These practices later fell into disuse and now, a few years ago, we have started to focus again on algae biotechnology as a more sustainable matrix for use in different industries”.

This company provides specialised laboratory and consultancy services to entities that need them in a wide range of industries, particularly agricultural (fertilisers), cosmetics, human food, and aquaculture. It employs thirty highly specialised staff members and offers internships to about twenty students. After being heavily reliant on both national and European public backing at first, GreenCoLab has progressively grown its company. Its managers have assured that sales are rising, especially since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.