Speaker

About the speaker:

Okke is leading the charge to set-up the first processing plant for Kelp Blue in Namibia. His can-do attitude, combined with a healthy dose of Dutch ingenuity make him a perfect fit for the role of mechanizing the bio-refinery model Kelp Blue is pursuing. He’s never comfortable with the easy path, and before Kelp Blue his most recent role was establishing and running an organic avocado oil processing factory in Awassa, Ethiopia. He holds a Master's degree in Supply Chain Management and a Bachelor of Technology from the University of Groningen. 

Company info:

At Kelp Blue, we plant Giant Kelp forests around the globe to boost the health of the oceans and lock away CO2 forever. We harvest only the kelp canopy for sustainable biostimulants, agri-foods, plastic replacements, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.

Presentation:

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 solution: growing and managing large-scale Giant Kelp forests. These underwater forests safely lock away vast amounts of CO2 in the ocean forever, help sustain healthy marine ecosystems, and provide food and shelter for countless species. Moreover, kelp can be sustainably and repeatedly harvested to produce ingredients for agriculture, pharmaceuticals and textiles.

At Kelp Blue, we want to have a positive social impact on the coastal communities we operate in. That’s why we set up a workforce development plan to train local people in relevant professions and to create local careers and jobs. We also engage the communities to increase ocean awareness and to inspire people to pursue nature-based solutions.