Turning the Desert Green and Red

May 8, 2018

Microalgae produce almost all the nutrients that humans need to survive. But, to truly harness microalgae’s tremendous potential, their cultivation must overcome significant technological and economic barriers. Algatech, an Israeli company, has succeeded in surmounting these obstacles. It operates a state-of-the-art microalgae cultivation site, producing algae-based products in the heart of the Arava Desert in southern Israel, just north of the Red Sea. Algatech is considered one of the most advanced and innovative companies in microalgae agriculture. The company is a true Israeli success story.

Algatech’s triumph begins with microalgae, the single-celled wonder-species. Microalgae naturally accumulated almost all nutrients required for human life. Despite their enormous potential, only 10 out of over 200,000 known algae species have been commercialized so far due to economic and technological limitations. However, this modest Israeli company has built a sizeable, high-performance algae cultivation plant in Kibbutz Ketura in the Arava Desert. Like a lustrous pearl glowing in the heart of this desolate land, Algatech has succeeded in overcoming the odds, drawing water from a rock.

Algatech is considered one of the most forward-looking microalgae innovators in the world. The company produces unique varieties of microalgae used as raw material to produce biological ingredients for the dietary supplement and cosmetics industries.

“Since its establishment 20 years ago in Kibbutz Ketura, Algatech has developed winning competencies,” says Hagai Stadler, Algatech’s CEO. “The company has an amazing team whose mission is to make an impact by bringing all the good that is in microalgae to the world.”

Stadler says that the potential of the microalgae industry and the Arava Desert’s ideal conditions for microalgae cultivation can bring prosperity to a barren land—and position Israel as the global capital of marine biotechnology knowledge and expertise.

Source: Excerpt of article by Assaf Kamar, Ynetnews

Photo Credit: www.algatech.com