Wavemaker Impact, a Southeast Asian climate-tech venture builder, has introduced Zentide, a startup focused on transforming tropical seaweed into sustainable bio stimulants and bio fertilizers. The launch is backed by a significant investment of $525,000, which will enable Zentide to enhance product development, scale operations across Indonesia, and form strategic partnerships to expand its reach. Zentide is actively seeking collaborations with organizations that share its vision of sustainable agriculture and environmental responsibility.
Modern agriculture is at a critical juncture, facing challenges such as degraded soils, excessive reliance on synthetic fertilizers, and growing emissions. These issues disproportionately affect smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia, yet the solution may be found in an unlikely source tropical seaweed. This underutilized resource is emerging as a sustainable powerhouse capable of transforming farming practices and combating climate change.
Zentide’s founder and CEO, Zachary Nice, who brings over 20 years of leadership experience across logistics, marketing, and climate-focused initiatives, emphasized the company’s commitment to unlocking the potential of natural resources. He believes that the company’s mission not only aims to scale their business but also to scale their impact on sustainable agriculture and environmental preservation. “With Wavemaker Impact’s support, we’re not just scaling our business we’re scaling impact,” Nice stated.
The company, based in Jakarta, Indonesia, is focused on leveraging tropical seaweed as a key resource to create sustainable bio stimulants and bio fertilizers. By doing so, Zentide aims to improve soil health, reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers, and contribute to greater climate resilience. Seaweed’s rapid growth and impressive carbon-sequestering capabilities make it an ideal resource for reshaping agricultural practices.
Zentide’s solutions are designed to address multiple pressing issues in agriculture. The firm’s products not only help enhance soil health but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making them a key tool in the fight against climate change. Additionally, the company’s operations aim to empower coastal communities by creating economic opportunities for seaweed harvesters, thus benefiting both local populations and the environment.
Zentide’s commitment to community collaboration and environmental stewardship is central to its mission. The company is dedicated to creating scalable solutions that will benefit farmers and coastal communities while contributing to global sustainability efforts. By turning seaweed into a viable alternative to synthetic fertilizers, Zentide aims to help farmers reduce their environmental footprint and improve the resilience of agricultural practices in the face of climate challenges.
The startup’s approach exemplifies the kind of innovative solutions that Wavemaker Impact seeks to support. Wavemaker Impact is focused on building companies that target the largest drivers of emissions, including agriculture, energy, industrial processes, built environments, and transportation. According to Guillem Segarra, Principal at Wavemaker Impact, Zentide is a perfect example of a startup that embodies the mission to tackle climate change through innovation. “By harnessing the untapped potential of tropical seaweed, Zentide is creating real solutions for farmers, communities, and the planet,” Segarra stated.
Wavemaker Impact, which was launched in 2021, aims to co-found sustainability startups with experienced entrepreneurs. The organization’s goal is to build a portfolio of companies by 2035 that can reduce 10 percent of the global carbon budget. Their inaugural $60 million fund focuses primarily on Southeast Asia, with limited partners that include organizations such as the United States International Development Finance Corporation, British International Investment, Triple Jump, JG Summit, and Qarlbo Energy.
Each startup backed by Wavemaker Impact is designed to be a “100×100” company—one that has the potential to abate 100 million tons of CO2 emissions and generate $100 million in revenue annually. With Zentide, the hope is to revolutionize agriculture by tapping into the sustainable power of tropical seaweed, addressing both the immediate needs of smallholder farmers and long-term environmental challenges.
