Post #67: BioBright – Nature-Based Tech for Cleaner Ports

Meeting BioBright via NOA2025

One of the privileges of being involved in the NOA2025 Ocean Accelerator with Narwhale Ventures is getting to work with founders who are rethinking how we solve environmental problems at scale. That’s exactly what I found in Vanessa Barzasi, founder of BioBright.

Vanessa brings a thoughtful, grounded approach to innovation — blending sustainability, science, and practical engineering to create solutions that can work in the real world. As part of the NOA2025 cohort, I’ve been lucky enough to get to know her and the BioBright concept a bit more, and it’s a perfect example of a startup working on high-impact innovation without the need for flash or fluff.

In this post, I’ll briefly explore what BioBright is building, why their work matters, and where they could be headed next.

Hope you enjoy! Please feel free to reach out to Vanessa directly - happy to connect.

The Problem: Pollution in Coastal and Port Environments

Coastal cities and port hubs play a vital role in the global economy — but they also carry a heavy environmental burden. From airborne pollutants and chemical runoff to nutrient overload and heavy metal contamination, the environmental toll can be significant, especially in densely trafficked marine zones.

Ports, in particular, face increasing scrutiny as environmental regulations tighten and the cost of non-compliance rises. It’s estimated that failure to meet new environmental standards could cost some ports up to £50 million annually — whether in the form of fines, reputational damage, or delayed sustainability targets. A 2021 study found that 60% of monitored UK estuarine and coastal waters failed to achieve “good ecological status” under the EU’s Water Framework Directive — with pollution from industry and urban runoff cited as key contributors. Meanwhile, heavy metals like copper and zinc from port activities have been detected at levels up to 5–10 times higher than natural background concentrations in some UK marine sediments.

This is where BioBright comes in.

Their work directly addresses the need for accessible, scalable environmental solutions that don’t require a complete infrastructure overhaul. Rather than reimagining how ports work from scratch, BioBright is finding ways to layer nature-based filtration and real-time monitoring tools into existing systems — giving operators more control and insight without the headache.

It's a big problem, but their approach is refreshingly practical.

BioBright’s Solution: Harnessing Algae to Tackle Port Pollution

At the core of BioBright’s innovation is a nature-based technology platform that uses algae to actively clean marine environments while capturing carbon. Their approach is simple but powerful: deploy algae in specialised structures attached to harbour walls or buoys, where they get to work absorbing pollutants and removing CO₂ from the environment.

Their system tackles a variety of common marine pollutants, including:

• Copper (Cu²⁺) and Zinc (Zn²⁺) – from anti-fouling paints and maritime operations

• Nitrate (NO₃⁻), Phosphate (PO₄³⁻), Ammonia (NH₃), and Ammonium (NH₄⁺) – often originating from vessel discharge, urban runoff, and industrial or agricultural inputs

Through photosynthesis, the algae absorb CO₂ and release oxygen, improving local water and air quality. What’s more, BioBright’s algae grow rapidly and efficiently, outperforming typical species in pollutant uptake and carbon absorption.

To bring this to life, BioBright has developed interlinked technologies:

a) Algae Cultivation Structures

Specially engineered frames are affixed to harbour infrastructure or floating buoys. These structures enable high-efficiency algae growth, make harvesting easier, and are designed to avoid algae dispersal, ensuring they don’t interfere with port operations or marine traffic.

b) Algae-Based Bioremediation

Their high-efficiency algae outperform standard species in absorbing pollutants and CO₂. In daytime, they capture emissions and purify the water; at night, they release only minimal CO₂. Once mature, the algae can be harvested and turned into biofuels or fertilisers, supporting a more circular port economy.

c) Real-Time Monitoring Platform

Sensors embedded in the water and atmosphere continuously measure pollutant levels and track algae performance. This data is visualised via a custom online dashboard, giving port authorities live insight into air and water quality — essential for sustainability monitoring and regulatory compliance.

By integrating these systems, BioBright offers an environmental solution that’s modular, scalable, and actionable — no major infrastructure overhauls required. It’s a smart, data-led response to a growing environmental problem.

Future Vision: A Smarter, Greener Port Ecosystem

BioBright’s long-term vision extends far beyond a few algae-covered buoys. The company is building towards a future where smart marine environments are the norm — blending natural ecosystems with responsive, data-rich technology that serves both the planet and port stakeholders.

By layering biological filtration with real-time environmental data, BioBright’s solution could:

• Help ports meet tightening ESG and emissions regulations without needing radical infrastructure changes.

• Enable circular economy strategies, turning marine pollution into valuable bioproducts like fertilisers and biofuels.

• Create a replicable model that can be applied in other coastal urban environments globally — from estuaries and marinas to canal networks and aquaculture facilities.

While the system is still in the early stages of adoption, the underlying idea is powerful: make marine pollution visible, measurable, and manageable — then create value from solving it.

This is especially timely as regulations tighten around EU and UK ports, and carbon offset requirements begin to expand across supply chains. With investors and industry players looking for nature-based, measurable climate tech, BioBright sits at a promising intersection.

Final Thoughts

What makes BioBright exciting isn’t just the tech—it’s the mindset. Rather than taking a “rip it up and start again” approach, they’re embedding living solutions directly into the existing port landscape, using nature and data to clean up one of the dirtiest corners of the global economy.

BioBright are practical, mission-driven, and committed to testing and iterating their solution in real-world conditions—exactly what’s needed at this stage of the climate and biodiversity crisis. Grateful to be able to meet with Vanessa and support in any way I can.

If you’re interested in nature-based port infrastructure, bio-innovation, or just want to follow a startup doing something cool in the marine space, keep an eye on BioBright.

And if you’d like an intro or more info, feel free to get in touch.

H