Two Leading Market Innovators Share Insights in Our Sustainability Series
IDG is thrilled to showcase Proteus Ocean Group and NutrientLoop; market leaders and innovators.
Proteus Ocean Group
Aquanaut Fabien Cousteau, Jacques Cousteau’s first grandson and CEO of Proteus Ocean Group, discussed his plans to build PROTEUS™, the world’s most advanced underwater research station. As an ocean observatory and research platform, PROTEUS™ will enable researchers to investigate solutions for medicine, food sustainability, renewable energy, climate change, and more.
Fabien was inspired to build PROTEUS™ after his experience on Mission 31, where he spent 31 days working in the world’s only undersea laboratory, Aquarius. Although Aquarius is only the size of a school bus, this expedition led to:
- Three years’ worth of research
- More than 12 scientific papers
- Nearly 10,000 press articles
- Seven disruptive technologies tested
- And more
If Aquarius, which is now 36 years old, could produce these outcomes in just a month, Cousteau encouraged participants to imagine what could be achieved with modern technology over a sustained amount of time. Further, PROTEUS™ would cost a fraction of what we spend on space stations, providing cost-effective product testing and training to various businesses.
Click here to learn more about PROTEUS™.
NutrientLoop
Brian Griffin, NutrientLoop’s Head of Finance, outlined the compelling potential of insect protein from black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). From their factory in South Africa, NutrientLoop harvests BSFL using food waste otherwise destined for landfill, such as fruit processing cuttings, wine yeast, and spent brewers’ grains.
BSFL production requires far fewer resources to produce high-quality protein compared to fish and livestock. Further, the insect’s waste provides a novel organic plant enhancement fertilizer as a profitable byproduct.
Currently, NutrientLoop is using BSFL protein to develop food for pets and livestock. But will insect protein soon be available for human consumption in North America?
Griffin speculated that it is indeed likely in the coming decade. Billions of people around the world have been consuming insect protein for thousands of years. For people unaccustomed to eating bugs, it will be a matter of getting used to the idea. Seeing insect protein on the shelves as pet food will likely help this process along.
