New Zealand and Iceland are islands whose populations are strongly shaped by their proximity to the ocean. Both nations are highly dependent on the ocean, and the sustainable use of marine resources is therefore important for the survival and economy of the nations.
Last week, three Matís employees visited New Zealand, CEO Oddur Már Gunnarsson, Rósa Jónsdóttir project manager and Sophie Jensen, project manager, to take part in the workshop "Algal research and opportunities". The workshop was organized by Cawthron Institute which is one of New Zealand's largest scientific institutes with a special focus on environmental issues. Participants included representatives from New Zealand stakeholders such as NewFish, AgriSea, Plant & Food Research and Scion Research. International guests who attended the workshop were from the Kelp Forest Foundation, RISE, SAMS, Nordic Seafarm, Ghent University, UiT, Blu3, Nofima and Universidad de Los Lagos.
The goal of the workshop was to establish joint research and commercial projects with a focus on the production and utilization of algae.
On February 28, 2023, Oddur Már Gunnarsson, CEO of Matís, and Volker Kuntzsch, CEO, wrote Cawthron Institute under a partnership agreement. The aim of the agreement is to establish a cooperation platform between Iceland and New Zealand in the field of research related to marine resources. The collaboration will support the development of knowledge and the promotion of research, from idea to market. Increased cooperation and mutual support will strengthen Matís and the Cawthron Institute to strengthen the blue bioeconomy.
