QuintaQuanta Silver Coast

Transmutation of algae and native halophytes from the silver coast (Portugal).

Resumen de la inversión

Categoría de impacto

Economía azul

Tipo de inversión

Préstamo

Interés anual

4.7

Plazo

meses

Nivel de riesgo

B-

QuintaQuanta is an innovative concept, aligned with the Blue Growth concept defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: a strategic, innovative approach to improving the use of aquatic resources while simultaneously increasing social, economic and environmental benefits for communities dependent on fisheries and aquaculture. The promoter company is Mermaid Fragrance, Lda.

QuintaQuanta is dedicated to the identification, enhancement, and promotion of the natural heritage of native algae and halophyte plants, from the Portuguese Silver Coast (West), as well as the production of aromatic plants, in a biodynamic way.

Photographer: Pedro Cabral.

Bold algae are harvested by hand and halophytes and aromatic plants are produced in a dynamic farming mode on their own land with biological certification or harvested in places where they grow spontaneously and in the wild. The transformation processes consist of drying, steam dragging to produce dehydrated extracts and essential oils, and Hydrosols/Hydrolates. All processes, from harvesting to transformation, follow the guidelines of biodynamics, which ensures their sustainability.

On top of this, QuintaQuanta promotes knowledge sharing about native algae and halophyte plants from the Portuguese Silver Coast in partnership with universities and competent entities. This contributes to the regulation of the macroalgae sector in Portugal and Europe, which is essential for the sustainable management of marine biological resources. The project also includes studies at a global scale using algae to reduce emissions of methane, a major greenhouse gas.

To respond to the new socio-ecological challenges that lie ahead, as well as the needs of emerging markets, QuintaQuanta intends to expand its range of products and is therefore starting to develop extracts of various types, such as resinoids and absolutes through innovative and environmentally sound production methods. The funds raised through this campaign will be invested in the improvement of infrastructures, the reinforcement of equipment, the creation and maintenance of jobs, and the work of prospecting markets, with a view to the growth of the operation.

¿Cuál es el impacto?

Direct:

Sustainable use of land, biological production, and biodynamics: halophyte and aromatic plants are produced on their own land with biological certification or harvested in places where they occur spontaneously. All processes follow the guidelines of biodynamics (Demeter certification), which ensures their sustainability. Now, there are already 6 hectares being converted to agriculture and soon more land will be used to produce aromatic plants. Additionally, the promoter demonstrates the viability of biodynamic practices to farmers in the region, who use conventional farming practices and who are faced with the devaluation of their products.
Job creation: in this first phase, it is planned to maintain 4 full-time jobs, 3 part-time jobs, and seasonal work teams.

Indirect:

Promotion of scientific knowledge: promoter's partnerships with universities, technological centers, and customers increase knowledge sharing about the characteristics of macro-algae and native halophyte plants in Portugal and their uses, increasing the availability of products of natural origin. QuintaQuanta is also investigating the feasibility of applying clean methods in the production of extracts, which are alternatives to the use of hydrocarbon-based solvents, often used in the perfumery and cosmetics sector. In addition, it is involved in an international research project that seeks to include algae in animal feed to reduce methane emissions, contributing to the mitigation of climate change.
Valorization of the natural heritage: the harvesting of seaweed for fertilizing the land, feed, and the pharmaceutical industry was once an important economic and social activity in several locations in Portugal. QuintaQuanta counteracts the decline of these activities by promoting their appreciation.
Promotion of the local economy: maintaining jobs generates income in an area with limited job offers. In addition, a sea science and technology park, the Smart Ocean, will be born in Peniche, with which QuintaQuanta intends to establish synergies, with a positive impact on the local economy, joining 10 other companies in the areas of food security, digitalization, restoration of ecosystems and decarbonization of the oceans.

Indicadores de impacto
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jobs

created by our projects

hectars

of sustainable water and land management

Contribución a los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible
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Sobre el promotor

About

Mermaid Frangrance, Lda

Fundada en 2020 por Mário Pedro, la empresa cuenta actualmente con tres socios y tiene presencia en los mercados minorista y de perfumería y cosmética. En breve, entrará también en el mercado alimentario.

Mermaid Fragrance dispone además de un almacén en Peniche, medios de producción (unidad de destilación compuesta por un alambique de columna doble en acero inoxidable con capacidad para 1200L) y vehículo propio. El almacén y el laboratorio se encuentran en proceso de certificación orgánica.

Además de la comercialización de productos ya conocidos, también se dedicará a proyectos de investigación para la caracterización de algas autóctonas y el descubrimiento/comprobación de sus beneficios, así como a su aplicación en la mitigación del cambio climático.

Paralelamente, ha logrado despertar el interés de entidades como Astier Demarest, ODYCEA y otras que desean establecer alianzas de larga duración para la implementación de proyectos piloto con potencial de dar origen a nuevas áreas de negocio, como por ejemplo la producción biodinámica de plantas aromáticas.

El empresario consiguió obtener una financiación de Mar2020 que le permitió adquirir equipamiento de mayor capacidad, como los alambiques y columnas, y empezar a producir en mayor cantidad, optimizando la producción. Con este paso, Mário Pedro fundó en 2020 la empresa Mermaid Fragrance Lda y motivó a un grupo de especialistas en áreas que van desde la química hasta la logística, el marketing y la gestión de proyectos para crear el concepto QuintaQuanta.

Todos los procesos siguen las directrices de la biodinámica, estando el empresario en proceso de obtener la certificación Demeter. QuintaQuanta surge así como pionera en la producción biodinámica de plantas halófitas y aromáticas. Con la investigación que desarrolla, será en breve también pionera en las vertientes de la transformación.

Sitio web del promotor

https://quintaquanta.com/

Equipo

[{"id":137,"promoter_id":202,"name":"Mário Pedro","description":"Pedro started to explore the activity of producing seaweed, halophyte, and aromatic extracts for various purposes, about a decade ago. It was discovered that the geological, oceanographic, and climatic conditions of the western region of mainland Portugal provide the occurrence of rich and abundant biodiversity with special chemical characteristics on a global scale. In 2017, he left his job as a fishing observer and established himself as an individual entrepreneur, to dedicate himself to his passion: the valorization of algae and native plants from the west coast.","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/m%C3%A1rio-pedro-86340343/","role":"Project manager","member_photo":"https://991934249232-prod-octobercms-public-storage.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/public/64d/112/c07/64d112c07d139801102609.png","avatar_id":107021}]

Modelo de negocio
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