About Kelp blue

We harvest cultivated kelp to produce ingredients for agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.

To restore our planet to equilibrium, or even to abundance, we need to come together to find cost-effective, long term and environmentally sustainable solutions. At Kelp Blue, we believe we’ve found one such solution: growing and managing large-scale Giant Kelp forests.

The process

The Hatchery

The sorus tissue, the fertile material that is found on mature kelp blades, is taken to our hatchery. A safe and controlled environment where we nurture the kelp from near microscopic gametophytes, through to sporophytes - the multicellular leaf-like stage. Once big enough, the sporophytes are attached to a special wire and made ready to be planted in the ocean.

outplanting

At the out-planting stage, the twine is wrapped around our farm structures. Our farm uses lines and ropes onto which the holdfast - the root-like foot of the kelp - can securily attach. Our team of divers will secure the twine to the structures and regularly monitor the progress of the growing kelp.

Engineering

The farms are submerged in the ocean. In the deeper water we have installed structures that are anchored at around 15 metres below the surface – the perfect depth to maximise access to nutrients and light while keeping the young kelp out of the most violent movement of the waves.

marine monitoring

Our dedicated marine monitoring team regularly check on the kelp and keep track of the biodiversity observed. They use a range of different methods including methods like acoustics, visual observations, water sample analysis, and environmental DNA. We also regularly measure water quality and analyze dissolved organic carbon in the lab.

harvesting

Once the kelp grows to maturity and starts forming a canopy, some of the biomass is harvested to turn into sustainable alternatives for industries such as agriculture and packaging. Currently the kelp is harvested by hand, but we are working on a fully-automated solar powered emission-free  harvester which would allow us to significantly scale up our operations.

processing

Our kelp is carefully processed to extract its bioactive compounds. Through innovative techniques, we concentrate these compounds into potent biostimulants that increase crop yield, improve soil health, reduce chemical dependency, and improve abiotic stress stress tolerance.

quality control

Quality control is at the core of our operations. Every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent performance, which is crucial for biostimulants to perform consistently in varying agricultural environments. Rigorous testing ensures that our products deliver reliable, optimal results, every time.

R&D

The R&D team valorizes all components of the kelp. Our new products include a bio-based leather alternative, as well as blended fabrics and coatings. We extract alginates and fucoidan, which can be used in cosmetics, nutraceuticals and as input materials for bio packaging or as gelling agents.

how we do it

Innovation is at the heart of what we do. It isn’t just about “tech”, innovation is actually very human— it takes heart, it takes soul; from everyone involved. Because big innovation has big impact on the planet and people.

Meet the team

We are so proud of our hard-working Kelpies, who work tirelessly to make our oceans a little better every day.
Alba Aguilar Pastor
Iberia Sales Lead
Alba, an agronomist engineer from a farming family in Córdoba (Spain), has over 12 years of experience in crop management. Specializing in soil and plant biology, she integrates digital solutions for sustainable agriculture. When Alba is not helping farmers improve their practices, she’s tending to her own olive tree farm.
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Aina Iyambula
R&D Specialist
With an honours degree in Biochemistry and a Masters in Chemistry from the University of Namibia, Aina is a great asset to our R&D team. She has held a variety of roles where she gained experience in product formulation and pilot extraction techniques, including CO2 extraction. Aina has a passion for laboratory work and especially piloting production processes which will be very useful in our biotech team. In her spare time, Aina likes reading non-fiction literature.
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Greater Mukumbira
Chief of Staff
A passionate believer in leveraging the power and enthusiasm of the youth to change the planet. Has extensive experience bringing multi-disciplinary teams together and providing the necessary support and structure to creative thinkers. Greater loves cooking and running and has been known to lose flip-flops in the sand dunes.
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Elizabeth Nandjaya
Agronomist
With a degree in Crop Science from the University of Namibia, Elizabeth is a true nature enthusiast whose heart finds peace in shades of green. Her love for plants extends beyond the classroom into her garden, where she spend her free time nurturing life and reconnecting with nature. When Elizabeth is not in the garden, you’ll find her exploring flavors in the kitchen or singing her heart out – both passions that bring joy and harmony to her life.
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James Nampala
Production and Maintenance Supervisor
James holds an honours degree in fisheries and aquatic science from University of Namibia and a diploma in marine engineering from NAMFI. He worked as a marine engineer on fishing vessels for two years. He has experience in maintenance of different machinery such as large diesel engines, diesel generators, boilers, Turbocharger, freshwater generators, pumps and filters.
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John Körner
Finance Manager Namibia
Meet John – a family man, outdoor enthusiast, and the designated “Braaier” at gatherings. With three sons, he cherishes family beach days, finding peace and inspiration in the sea’s life support. Excitedly joining Kelp Blue, John is all about sustainability and embracing Namibia’s new industry. Beyond his culinary skills, he enjoys exploring diverse dishes, playing volleyball, and pursuing new ventures post-study life. Here’s to John, creating good vibes and contributing to a sustainable future!
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Henrico Bock
Senior SHEQ Coordinator
Growing up on a goat farm in Namibia, Henrico's passion for knowledge and curiosity were nurtured by his grandparents, inspiring a lifelong dream of becoming a scientist. He pursued a BSc Honours in Microbiology and an MSc in Biology, focusing on the poultry industry. His love for science ultimately led Henrico to Kelp Blue, where he is thrilled to contribute to cutting-edge innovation. Here, he is living his dream by implementing ISO 9001 and 45001 standards, while fostering a strong safety culture and driving excellence.
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Daniel Hooft
Founder, CEO
Daniel has over 20 years’ experience in various executive roles gained with Royal Dutch Shell in 7 different countries. He has a track record of delivering extraordinary business results by identifying technical and commercial opportunities and acting on them decisively. Daniel is passionate about the sea and the complex Anthropocene world we live in.
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vision 2029

By 2029, our goal is to remove over 1 million tons of CO2 annually through 70,000 hectares of Giant Kelp farms located 30-100 km offshore from Lüderitz. These farms benefit from the Benguela Current, which is twice as productive as the Chile current and nine times more productive than the California current. This results in a 10%-20% increase in regional fish stocks and biodiversity, creating over 400 local jobs and indirectly supporting 800-1,000 more.

Careers

We’re not a  ‘business as usual’ scale-up. We value originality and creativity, expect a healthy dose of common sense, that you are a problem solver by nature and that you’re comfortable getting on with tasks in an unstructured environment.

If you feel like you’re a good fit, please get in touch. You might be what we are looking for and we don’t even know it.

We’re always on the look out for those who want to join us on our journey to leave the planet in a better place. Send us an email with your resume to newkelpies@kelp.blue

Transform Your Farm with StimBlue+

Ready to boost your yields and enhance soil health? Contact our team of agronomists to learn how StimBlue+ can benefit your farm. Our team is ready to answer all your questions, comments, and requests.

Or give us a call, WhatsApp only:
+32 (0)4 70 80 64 57

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