Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture Materials
The Challenge
Viable Gear, a company committed to developing sustainable alternatives for the aquaculture industry, was seeking expertise in polymer science to improve the functionality of their natural material-based products. Introduced through the network Everything S, the company was looking for a solution to replace synthetic plastic rope used in aquaculture applications with a 100% natural polymer that could withstand the harsh marine environment. The challenge required deep application of polymer physics and engineering principles to create a biodegradable material that delivers competitive performance—without generating microplastics.
The Partnership
We partnered with Viable Gear to support the technical development of a thermo-processible resin using alginate, a natural polymer that typically forms non-reprocessable solids. Our team provided input for their NOAA SBIR Phase II proposal and explored ways to enhance performance and control degradation in marine environments. Drawing on expertise in scalable manufacturing, we also recommended alternative processing methods to help overcome material limitations and move toward a manufacturable solution.
The Outcome
Viable Gear made meaningful progress in tuning their material for performance in marine environments, achieving durability benchmarks critical for aquaculture use. While degradation control remains an area for continued refinement, our partnership enabled them to move closer to a manufacturable product and to secure Phase II SBIR support.
In addition, we delivered strategic recommendations on manufacturing technologies that could be adopted at scale, providing Viable Gear with a practical roadmap to continue advancing their material science while pursuing commercialization.