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.
B2B biotechnology
Building the future
of phycocyanin
Industrial-scale spirulina, cultivated in closed photobioreactors for the extraction of high-grade phycocyanin, with confidence.
- Closed photobioreactors
- Traceable by batch
- Built in Brazil under ANVISA
A B2B biotechnology company 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
Closed photobioreactors, controlled from inoculation to extraction
Closed cultivation
The culture is 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.
Built in Brazil
Under ANVISA jurisdiction and close to South American demand, shortening the path into the regional market.
Sealed vessel, not open pond
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.
Open pond (raceway)
- Exposed to the open air
- Subject to contamination and evaporation
- Variable conditions, batch to batch
Tubular photobioreactor
- Sealed from the outside environment
- Light, CO2, temperature and flow under control
- Consistency by design, batch to batch
The science
Grounded in the biology of spirulina
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.
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.
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 company'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.brLet's talk
Build algacore with us
We are forming our founding partnerships, with investors who back deep tech and partners ready to secure future supply.
Investors
Back a B2B biotech building toward pharmaceutical-grade phycocyanin. Talk to the founders about the round and the roadmap.
Talk about investing →Partners & clients
Reserve future supply and help shape the spec with an LOI or MOU. Tell us about your application.
Talk about partnering →