#23: Seadling with Simon Davis – Southeast Asia and why production scale-up will happen in the tropics, the potential of red seaweeds, lessons from the East and opportunities for innovation.

Inside Seaweed

Simon Davis is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of SEADLING, a seaweed biotechnology startup, that has been leading innovation in the seaweed sector in South East Asia since 2018. Simon has been active in the seaweed industry for 8 years, serves on the advisory board of UN Global Compact’s Safe Seaweed Coalition and is a passionate advocate for the pivotal role that seaweed will play as a source of new materials for a sustainable future whilst combatting carbon and restoring abundance to our oceans.

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01:01 - Simon's Career Break and Sailing Journey

02:05 - Discovering Seaweed During Travels

03:46 - Simon's Deep Dive into the Seaweed Industry

05:08 - The State of Seaweed Farming in Southeast Asia

07:44 - Innovation Gaps in the Seaweed Industry

08:05 - Comparing Asia vs. Europe/North America

09:37 - The Scale and Potential of Seaweed Farming in Southeast Asia

10:09 - Opportunities for Innovation

11:02 - Exploring New Seaweed Species and Applications

11:56 - The Role of Local and International Stakeholders

12:57 - Bridging the Gap between East and West

14:08 - Learning from China

15:24 - The Future of Seaweed Cultivation

16:18 - The Potential of Equatorial Seaweed Farming

17:10 - Lessons from Asia

18:00 - The Importance of Diversification in Seaweed Products

19:11 - Seedling's Focus on Pet Food Ingredients

20:36 - The Role of Seaweed in Animal Feed and Biostimulants

21:22 - The Future Directions of the Seaweed Industry

22:13 - Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

23:01 - Simon's Call for Talent at Seedling

24:05 - Avoiding Past Mistakes in Seaweed Industry Development

25:06 - The Need for Diversification and Resilience

26:02 - Potential Contributions from Global Entrepreneurs

27:42 - The Challenges of Innovating in Southeast Asia

29:30 - The Importance of Expanding into more Applications

30:14 - Quality Standards and Certifications

31:18 - Seedling's Approach to Innovation

32:06 - Developing Seaweed-Based Products

33:22 - Seedling's Farming Partnerships and Supply Chain

34:06 - Research and Innovation in Tropical Seaweeds

36:16 - The Importance of Building Relationships in Asia

37:37 - Seedling's Focus on Pet Food and Biostimulants

38:58 - Seedling's Product Development and Market Expansion

40:19 - Exploring New Seaweed Species and Varieties

41:07 - The Potential of Red Seaweeds

42:05 - Opportunities in Red Seaweed Applications

43:27 - Encouraging Global Entrepreneurs to Explore Red Seaweeds

44:08 - Seedling's Call for Talent Across Various Roles

45:21 - How to Connect with Seedling

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Useful Links:

Simon Davis on LinkedIn

SEADLING: Website, LinkedIn and Email

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Get in touch on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, or by emailing me directly at fed@ins