#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