Phycocyanin is the brilliant blue pigment-protein in spirulina, a colorant of natural origin and clean label, prized across food, cosmetics and, increasingly, the life sciences. Almost everything on the market today is food-grade. We are building the process to deliver it at pharmaceutical purity, at industrial scale.
Building the future
of phycocyanin
We are developing industrial-scale spirulina cultivation in closed photobioreactors, for the extraction of high-grade phycocyanin.
- Closed cultivation
- Batch traceability
- Made in Brazil
A B2B biotechnology venture in formation, developing the technology to produce high-grade, traceable phycocyanin at scale, with pharmaceutical grade as the ultimate goal.
The ambition
One molecule, on its way to a pharmaceutical standard
Why phycocyanin
Blue is one of the rarest colors in nature, and industry leaned for decades on synthetic dyes derived from petroleum, now under growing regulatory pressure. Phycocyanin is a blue of natural origin, water-soluble, recognized as a safe colorant by agencies including ANVISA, the FDA and the European Union.
Why pharmaceutical-grade
The most demanding, least-served tier. Purity and traceability are what unlock the highest-value applications.
The process*
From cultivation to extraction
01
Closed photobioreactor
Light, CO2 and temperature under control
02
Spirulina biomass
Harvested and concentrated, batch by batch
03
Phycocyanin
Extracted and purified
Why now
Phycocyanin's moment
Several market shifts are converging on the same point, and all of them call for a natural blue that is pure and traceable.
Pressure on synthetic dyes
Petroleum-derived blue dyes face growing regulatory scrutiny across multiple markets.
Clean-label demand
Food, beverage and cosmetics are moving toward ingredients of natural origin and clean label.
Natural blue is rare
There are few natural sources of a stable, water-soluble blue. Phycocyanin is one of them.
Life-sciences pull
Interest is rising in high-purity phycocyanin for analytical and biomedical applications.
The approach
Designed around the closed photobioreactor, from inoculation to extraction
Closed cultivation
The design keeps the culture isolated from the open environment, with parameters held within defined ranges. It is engineered for consistency from inoculation to harvest.
Traceable by design
Every batch designed to be documented end to end, from a finished lot back to its cultivation cycle.
Planned for Brazil
The operation is planned for Brazil, under the ANVISA regulatory framework and close to South American demand. No license or certification has been obtained to date.
Closed System
A photobioreactor is a closed vessel for growing microalgae under controlled conditions. Most spirulina is still grown in open ponds, exposed to the environment. We take the closed path. The Algacore column describes the intended architecture, not an existing facility.
Open pond (raceway)
- Exposed to the open air
- Subject to contamination and evaporation
- Variable conditions, batch to batch
Tubular photobioreactor
- Target: sealed from the outside environment
- Target: light, CO2, temperature and flow under control
- Target: consistency batch to batch
The science
Grounded in the biology of spirulina
The goal: traceable purity from the very first batch.
Optical signature*
Identifiable by its own light
Phycocyanin absorbs light with a characteristic peak near 620 nm. That signature, and how sharp it is, is what separates food grade from pharmaceutical grade.
- Absorption peak
- ≈ 620 nm characteristic
- Purity (A620/A280)
- target ≥ 4.0 analytical grade
- Color strength
- E18 → E40+ concentration
- Traceability
- by batch end to end
The path
From process to pharmaceutical grade
Process technology
Engineering closed-photobioreactor cultivation and the extraction of phycocyanin, alongside incorporating the company and raising the first round.
Pilot & qualification
Pilot production and qualification toward Good Manufacturing Practices (ANVISA GMP).
Pharmaceutical grade & E40+
High-purity phycocyanin and high color-strength concentrates (E40 and above), for the most demanding applications.
Process technology
Engineering closed-photobioreactor cultivation and the extraction of phycocyanin, alongside incorporating the company and raising the first round.
Pilot & qualification
Pilot production and qualification toward Good Manufacturing Practices (ANVISA GMP).
Pharmaceutical grade & E40+
High-purity phycocyanin and high color-strength concentrates (E40 and above), for the most demanding applications.
Who we are
Two founders, complementary strengths
Before Algacore, we were childhood friends. We grew up side by side and, years later, chose to build this company together, pairing scientific and operational rigor with the commercial and strategic vision a B2B deep-tech venture demands. It's that lifelong trust that steadies every decision we make.
Raul Paes de Barros
Co-founder · Science & operations
Pharmacist-Biochemist (FCF-USP) · Business Administration (FEA-USP)
Leads the project's scientific and operational development, from the design of the cultivation and extraction process to brand positioning.
raulbarros@algacore.com.br
Rodrigo Gaspar
Co-founder · Business & strategy
Business Administration (ESPM-SP)
Drives the commercial, financial and strategic fronts, from operational modeling to market analysis and business development.
rodrigogaspar@algacore.com.brFrequently asked questions
What people usually ask us
Straight answers about the pigment, the technology and where the project actually stands.
What is phycocyanin?
A blue pigment-protein produced by spirulina. In the literature its absorption peak sits near 620 nm, in the orange-red range, which is what gives it the deep blue color. It is used as a natural colorant and studied as an input for diagnostics and research.
Why spirulina?
Because it is the most studied and most cultivated organism for phycocyanin production. According to the literature, phycocyanin can make up a relevant share of the cell's total protein under the right cultivation conditions, which makes it the natural feedstock for the pigment.
Why closed photobioreactors instead of open ponds?
Most of the world's spirulina grows in open ponds, exposed to the environment. Our project takes the closed path: the design goal is to keep the culture isolated from the outside, with light, temperature and nutrients under control, aiming for purity and traceability an open pond can rarely deliver.
What stage is the project at?
The very beginning. Algacore is a venture in formation: there is no registered company yet, no plant built and no product. The founders are raising a first round to take the first formal steps.
Do you already sell phycocyanin?
No. There is no product available today and no supply can be contracted at this stage. The contact form is for talking, not for buying or reserving anything.
What is the intended regulatory path?
The intention is to follow the regulatory routes that apply in Brazil for each use of the pigment, starting with the least complex uses and moving up as the project matures. No authorization, registration or certification has been obtained so far, because there is no operation yet.
How do we talk to the founders?
Through the form at the end of this page or via contato@algacore.com.br.
Let's talk
Build Algacore with us
We are at the very beginning, in formation and raising our first round. We want to talk with people who follow deep tech closely, whether to invest further down the road or to help shape the product specification.
Investors
Talk to the founders about the project, the technology and the plan.*
Talk to the founders →Partners & clients
Tell us about your application and help shape the spec.
Talk about partnering →The figures and curves shown come from the scientific literature on Arthrospira platensis or are design targets. None of them is an Algacore analytical result, and no illustration depicts a facility of ours. This site is for information only. It does not constitute an offer, invitation or solicitation to invest, nor a public offering of securities, and it is not a promise of any result or return. Algacore is in formation, operates no production unit and sells no product.