BLUELABS(CEO Jeong Sang-ho), a startup developing a water purification agent with a heavy metal adsorption function using discarded oyster shells, announced on the 12th that it had attracted seed investment worth 300 million won from Next Dream Angel Club and Korea University Technology Holding Company.
BLUELABS is a startup that develops a water purification agent with a heavy metal adsorption function using oyster shells, which are emerging as a nuisance in the local community and marine environment, as a raw material. It solves the problem of oyster shell disposal, which has recently emerged as a social issue, without a solution, and at the same time develops industrial utilization measures. It is presented and is receiving attention. It was also selected as the 14th K-water cooperation startup in 2022 and the 5th Samsung Electronics C Lab Outside.
During the product development process, BLUELABS focused on the excellent water purification ability of oyster shells and, through research and development, launched Oyster Puri, which has an excellent ability to absorb harmful substances such as heavy metals in industrial water purification agents. Oyster Puri is a product produced by recycling discarded oyster shells as a raw material. At the 35th US-Korea Conference on Science and Technology held in Washington, D.C. in August last year, heavy metals using oyster shells were introduced. In the process of presenting a poster for a water purifier with an adsorption function, it was confirmed that Korean and American scientific engineers received positive responses and that a product tailored to demand could be developed and verified.
An official from Next Dream Angel Club, who made the investment, said, "We noted that 'Oyster Puri', a water purification agent using oyster shells, has an excellent adsorption function for harmful substances such as heavy metals compared to activated carbon used in existing water purification agents." While this is a fossil fuel made from anthracite, the company's product is made using 100% eco-friendly raw materials using oyster shells, and the newly established Fishery By-Products Intermediate Processing Business No. 2023-1 license and regulatory freedom from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups were granted due to the revised law. “We decided to make this investment because it is possible to secure stable procurement of oyster shells through cooperation with Tongyeong City, such as by promoting a public-private consortium in the special zone,” he said.
Jeong Sang-ho, CEO of BLUELABS, said, "Through this seed investment, we plan to strengthen our R&D infrastructure and speed up technology development for commercialization of Oyster Puri products. In addition, we will establish an organic cooperation system with Tongyeong City, the largest oyster production area in Korea, to support local governments and regions. “We will create a leading example of coexistence among startups and achieve visible growth with a differentiated ESG strategy that simultaneously solves local and customer problems,” he said.
Meanwhile, BLUELABS has market potential as a heavy metal adsorption process before biological filtration is required as the inspection and management of hazardous substances in raw wastewater and effluent water has become essential for manufacturing plants or factories as a system to survey the emissions of specific water hazardous substances discharged from workplaces has been introduced.
