Conference Programme
Conference Programme
Seagriculture EU
15 - 17 June 2027
Ostend, Belgium
Conference Programme
Tomorrow’s seaweed industry:
from novelty to MAINSTREAM
Tomorrow’s seaweed industry: from novelty to MAINSTREAM
Seaweed has proven its potential. Now it is time to make it mainstream.
Across food, agriculture and a growing range of industries, the focus is shifting from promising concepts and niche applications to real products, scalable solutions and established markets. What will it take for seaweed to become a widely used ingredient, raw material and resource – and who will drive this transition?
Join us in Ostend in June 2027 as industry pioneers, innovators and market leaders come together to explore the next chapter for seaweed: from novelty to mainstream.
Program is tentative and subject to change.
Site visit to Nordic SeaFarm: Tuesday 15 June 2027
On 15 June 2027, an immersive international Site Visit in Ostend will showcase the Belgian coast’s innovative aquaculture, seaweed and blue economy sectors through guided visits, live demonstrations, tastings, and networking opportunities.
Conference day 1: Wednesday 16 June 2027
Session 1: Making seaweeds a mainstream food ingredient – The road to supermarket shelves
Seaweeds offer exciting opportunities as nutritious, sustainable and versatile ingredients for the food industry. Yet, despite its potential, seaweeds remain largely absent from everyday European food products. What is holding back its wider adoption, and what will it take to bring seaweeds to supermarket shelves? This session explores the key challenges and opportunities, from nutritional benefits, taste and consumer acceptance to product innovation, regulatory requirements and industrial scalability. Researchers, food innovators and industry pioneers will share their insights and experiences on how to turn seaweeds from niche ingredients into mainstream components of our daily diets.
Session 2: Seaweed education – Inspiring next generations
How can education help accelerate the transition of seaweeds from novelty to mainstream?
Education plays a crucial role in building awareness, inspiring innovation and preparing future generations for the growing seaweed industry. From introducing seaweeds to children and students to equipping professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to develop new applications, education is key to unlocking the sector's full potential. This session will showcase inspiring educational initiatives, innovative learning tools and practical training programmes that help bring seaweeds into schools and industry.
Session 3: Seaweed sharks – Turning innovation into business
Inspired by the popular Dragons' Den format, this interactive session puts four ambitious seaweed entrepreneurs, start-ups and innovators in the spotlight. Each participant will pitch their innovation to a panel of experienced investors, industry leaders and business experts, who will challenge its commercial potential, scalability and market readiness. The ultimate question: What will it take to turn promising seaweed innovations into successful mainstream businesses? Expect bold ideas, challenging questions, valuable insights and lively discussions!
Session 4: Engineering tomorrow's seaweed industry – Smart technologies and innovative equipment
What technologies and equipment will drive the transition of seaweed from a niche activity to a mainstream industry? Smart technologies, innovative equipment and automation are essential to making seaweed production more efficient, scalable and economically viable. This session highlights the latest technological innovations supporting the development of tomorrow's seaweed industry.
Conference dinner at De Cierk in Ostend
Get ready for a special culinary experience at Seagriculture EU 2027! On 16 June 2027, we invite you to a unique seaweed-inspired Conference Dinner at De Cierk in Ostend, where Seaweed Chef Donald Deschagt will bring the versatility and flavours of seaweed to the table.
Conference day 2: Thursday 17 June 2027
Session 5: East meets west – What Europe can learn from Asia's seaweed industry
What can Europe learn from Asia, where seaweed has long been an established part of everyday life and a thriving industry? Asia leads the world in seaweed cultivation, processing and consumption, with well-established value chains and a wide range of commercial applications. As Europe's seaweed industry works towards becoming mainstream, there is much to learn from Asia's experience. This session brings together leading Asian industry experts to share practical insights into large-scale production, innovative food products, consumer acceptance and successful business models.
Session 6: Seaweeds beyond the plate – Exploring the future of non-food applications
From sustainable agriculture and cosmetics to innovative biomaterials, bioplastics and bio-based chemicals, seaweeds offer exciting opportunities to transform industries well beyond the food sector. But how do we turn promising innovations into commercially successful products? This session showcases inspiring examples of seaweed-based non-food applications, highlighting breakthrough technologies, emerging markets and real-world success stories. Discover how researchers, entrepreneurs and industry pioneers are unlocking the potential of seaweeds and paving the way towards a future where seaweed-based solutions become part of our everyday lives.
Session 7: From testing to scaling – How mariparks and living labs can accelerate the seaweed industry?
Bridging the gap between research, innovation and commercial-scale production remains a major challenge for Europe's seaweed industry. Mariparks, living labs and dedicated test facilities can play a crucial role by providing access to infrastructure, expertise and real-world testing environments. This session explores how these collaborative innovation platforms help companies develop and validate new technologies, reduce investment risks and accelerate their journey towards commercialisation. Through practical examples and experiences from across Europe, speakers will demonstrate how shared facilities and industry collaboration can support the growth of tomorrow's seaweed industry.
Seaweed elevator pitches – Big ideas in just 5 minutes
The future of the seaweed industry is full of exciting ideas, innovative technologies and emerging opportunities. In this fast-paced and interactive session, researchers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and industry professionals take the stage to present their latest innovations, projects and business concepts in just five minutes. Covering the entire seaweed value chain, from cultivation and processing to new applications and market opportunities, these elevator pitches offer a unique opportunity to discover fresh ideas, connect with potential partners and get inspired by the next generation of seaweed innovations. Five minutes. Five slides. One big idea.
*The conference program is subject to change*
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