Seaweed chemical company Soarce expands with manufacturing plant

Orlando-based green chemical startup Soarce is opening a 5,000-square-foot pilot manufacturing plant near its Lake Nona labs in early 2025 to scale production of eco-friendly, seaweed-derived industrial chemicals and meet surging client demand after pivoting from artisanal fashion textiles to chemistry-focused products. By using fast-growing, invasive Caribbean seaweed and proprietary in-house processes to efficiently break down biomass and enhance its compounds, Soarce supplies greener chemical solutions to customers in furniture, apparel and artisanal paints, including a fire-retardant, UV- and infrared-blocking product used by Hewlett Packard’s largest distributor. COO Mason Mincey said the new facility will double output, with stringent quality control testing every 10 kilos in converted Lake Nona labs, and position the company to expand its product lines while setting a manufacturing standard that benefits both the local community and the environment.