Cosmetics from algae
The idea for Berrichi originates from Berit Joosep from Estonia. Berit Joosep struggled with her own skin problems, had allergies and suffered from dry skin and inflammations. This forced her to look for natural alternatives to over-the-counter skin care products. Her search for a compatible skin care product developed into a comprehensive quest to find the best of natural beauty traditions from all over the world. Berit Joosep believes that “clean and natural is the best for the skin”. And the Baltic Sea has untapped potential for natural products. The Estonian entrepreneur discovered the power of algae and super oils and needed to do research in order to develop a marketable product.
Photo: Terja Atonen
A cooperation network brings product development forward
Together with her husband Janno Joosep, who runs the company Furcella OÜ, Berit Joosep got in touch with the ALLIANCE network. ALLIANCE matches blue biotechnology experts with businesses who need a specific expertise. Not every Baltic Sea region country can provide all the resources and expertise necessary to complete the journey from an idea to a marketable product. However, the required service is very often available in a nearby country. Initially, the entrepreneurial couple cooperated with chemists from Tallinn University. Then the “blue detective”, Mariann Nõlvak from Tartu Biotechnology Park, spotted them and invited Furcella to join the ALLIANCE and its mentoring programme for start-ups. The ALLIANCE helped Furcella and made direct connections to new suppliers of material for the cosmetics, such as organic oils and the vitamin Retinol A. The suppliers based in Germany fulfilled Furcella’s high expectations concerning sustainable production and now help to keep production going.
More bio based products from the Baltic Sea
Including Furcella, the ALLIANCE’s portfolio includes 26 organisations from eight countries - from start-ups to fully-fledged businesses. They are united in their shared aim of providing new marine bio-based products and services “made in the Baltic Sea region”. “The ALLIANCE network is familiar with the structure and specific disciplines of the blue biotechnology sector and can respond to its demands. It offers help to companies that want to promote sustainable use of Baltic Sea resources. This makes each of the SMEs more competitive internationally and allows them to go beyond their own domestic markets,” explains Angela Schultz-Zehden of the Submariner Network for Blue Growth EEIG, who is a member of the ALLIANCE project management team.
Baltic Sea macro-region moving forward
The company Furcella and the blue biotechnology network ALLIANCE demonstrate in the Baltic Sea region how Interreg fosters European integration for a more competitive Europe. And competitiveness is all about innovation. Because of its promising approach to enhancing the innovativeness in marine biotechnology all across the Baltic Sea region, the ALLIANCE is a flagship of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. In the future, the ALLIANCE is planning to streamline the overall service offer. And Berit and Janno Joosep are also continuing to work with ALLIANCE. Currently, their products are being certified for their organic standard by a company which they located via ALLIANCE members. As a next step, they are trying to find a “blue” solution for the packaging of their algae-based natural creams, for example tubes or boxes produced from algae.