A startup called Marine Biologics is breaking down seaweed into its base components so they can be used for a range of consumer applications, from foodstuffs to cosmetics to bioplastics.

Seaweed forests have become a much-plumbed well for anyone seeking solutions to some of the world's biggest environmental problems. Companies with a climate-conscious bent are using seaweed instead of petroleum-derived materials to make products like sustainable shopping bags and furniture. Growing more seaweed forests has been hailed as a way to sequester carbon, while harvested seaweed is being put into livestock feed in an effort to cure methane-laden cow burps.

Now, a company called Marine Biologics wants to catch a ride on the seaweed wave by whipping these oceanic greens into a fermented slurry. The startup’s goal is to eventually collect millions of pounds of seaweed, liquefy and preserve it, then analyze that congealed goo and separate it into its base components. From there, the minerals, proteins, or carbohydrates can be broken down, extracted, and used for ...