Efrat Lev, the new CEO of Seakura, an Israeli firm, discusses the company’s strategic shift from producing seaweed for the food sector to focusing on environmental applications.
Lev, who took the helm in January, has a background in public relations. She transitioned to the seaweed industry after her tech startup faced severe setbacks following the October 7 attacks in Israel. Her startup lost key team members and was forced to halt operations.
“I’ve known Yossi Karta, Seakura’s founder, for over 13 years. He was an early investor in my tech startup. After the attacks, I had to pause my startup. Two team members enlisted in the army, our COO relocated to protect her family, and our intern was killed in the Nova party,” Lev recalls.
Karta invited Lev to join Seakura, despite her lack of experience in seaweed cultivation.
“I told him I knew nothing about seaweed or aquaculture, but he trusted me and needed me to start immediately. So, here I am,” Lev says.
A Bold Change in Strategy
Initially, Seakura concentrated on growing Ulva and Gracilaria seaweeds for the food industry and cosmetics.
“Our goal was to sell high-quality biomass to the food sector and explore opportunities in South Korea’s cosmetics market,” Lev explains.
However, upon joining the company, Lev decided a major shift was necessary.
“Even though I lacked experience in seaweed, I understood the importance of business focus. I needed a month to grasp seaweed cultivation. The costs were high, the market for Ulva in food was minimal, and maintaining the current course was impractical,” she notes.
Lev collaborated with CTO Dr. Yossi Tal to explore seaweed’s potential.
“Seaweed acts as a biological sponge. We needed to find a market where this property could be utilized,” Lev says.
She decided to concentrate on a pilot project with Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture, which had previously been underappreciated by Seakura’s management.
“I halted all other projects and focused on the pilot as proof of concept. We aimed to partner with a local desalination plant,” Lev explains.
Within six months, Seakura achieved its pilot goals, established a partnership with a local port, and moved into the growing desalination market.
Early Achievements and Expanding Impact
Seakura’s success led to a partnership with Mekorot, Israel’s National Water Company. The pilot project demonstrated the company’s technology could effectively remove pollutants from desalination brine.
“Desalination plants discharge brine containing contaminants like nitrates, phosphorus, heavy metals, and residual chemicals. This pollution harms marine ecosystems and can impact human water supplies,” Lev says.
Seakura’s seaweed, particularly Ulva and Gracilaria, excels at absorbing pollutants due to its rapid growth and resilience. One tonne of dried Ulva can absorb significant amounts of CO2, nitrogen, phosphorus, lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and iron.
“Our system not only meets environmental regulations but also provides high-quality biomass for animal feed, organic fertilizers, and cosmetics. This creates additional revenue streams and promotes a circular economy,” Lev adds.
Feedback on Seakura’s systems has been positive, with companies like Mekorot praising their effectiveness in regulatory compliance and environmental conservation.
Looking to the Future
Seakura plans to expand its operations and technology, aiming to build large-scale seaweed farms both in Israel and internationally. To support this growth, the company seeks to raise around $2 million.
“Seakura has been funded privately, but we need more investment to scale globally, enhance our technology, and launch new projects. We’re exploring venture capital, government grants, and strategic partnerships,” Lev explains.
Mekorot is considering further investment to scale Seakura’s technology across more desalination plants. The company recently won a bid to clean pollutants from Ashdod Port, marking another environmental milestone.
Seakura aims to establish three large-scale seaweed farms in the coming years and increase its market presence. The company is committed to continuous research and development to improve its technology and address new environmental challenges.