A University of Connecticut startup has secured $175,000 in federal funding to develop an edible food coating made from seaweed extract that extends the shelf life of fresh produce. Atlantic Sea Solutions Inc., which does business as Atlas, received a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The company, […]
A University of Connecticut startup has secured $175,000 in federal funding to develop an edible food coating made from seaweed extract that extends the shelf life of fresh produce.
Atlantic Sea Solutions Inc., which does business as Atlas, received a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The company, based at UConn's Technology Incubation Program, was the only Connecticut business among 60 grant recipients in the latest funding round.
The green technology company will use the seed funding to develop a prototype coating that could double the shelf life of perishable foods while reducing shrinkage and spoilage, according to UConn Today.
The coating does not alter the flavor of food, according to the company.
Mingyu Qiao, an assistant professor of innovation and entrepreneurship in UConn's College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, co-founded the company and serves as president.
Anuj Purohit, a research associate and food scientist in the nutritional sciences department, is the co-founding CEO.
"Given the extremely competitive nature of the grant, we were absolutely delighted," Purohit said.
The coating technology addresses a growing challenge for Connecticut's emerging kelp farming industry, which produces sugar kelp primarily for food, but has struggled to find buyers. The coating represents a new commercial application for seaweed beyond existing uses in pharmaceuticals and food additives.
"There's been growing interest among state farmers in cultivating seaweed in Long Island Sound for its environmental benefits, but they don't know how or where they can sell it," Qiao said.
The company team includes Chief Business Officer Matt Cleaver, who has experience in the produce industry and raising capital for agriculture startups.
Atlas previously qualified for UConn and federal National Science Foundation I-Corps grants and participated in the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Summer Fellowship last year. The company has filed for a patent with assistance from UConn's Office of the Vice President for Research.
Qiao said the company plans to pursue additional SBIR grants to scale operations and eventually build a seaweed biorefinery in Connecticut to produce the coating for national and international markets.
The assistant professor position Qiao holds was created in 2022 as part of an initiative by UConn President Radenka Maric to hire "innovation faculty" to foster entrepreneurship and grow the state's economy.
"This grant demonstrates that the original plan is working and that we might be able to successfully replicate this model at UConn to launch more startups," Qiao said.
