Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi – KEZAD Group has agreed to lease space to Astha Biotech, a UAE-based company, to establish a new microalgae production facility in Al Ain.
Astha Biotech will invest AED 44M in the project, which will involve setting up a 38,000 square metre facility to grow various strains of microalgae such as Spirulina, Haematococcus pluvialis, and Chlorella.
“We are delighted to welcome Astha Biotech, an infrastructure company focusing on the green economy. At KEZAD Group, we are creating new infrastructure to help companies enhance their sustainability efforts, including moving towards a greener economy,” said Mohamed Al Khadar Al Ahmed, CEO of KEZAD Group.
The facility plans to capture up to 1,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually from local industries to use as a carbon source for growing the microalgae.
“We are extremely proud to be part of Abu Dhabi’s ambitious sustainable development programme. Our project aligns with our values as we aim to find new solutions for organic dietary supplements and contribute to environmental decarbonisation,” added Zouheir Bensaid, CEO of Astha Biotech.
Initially, Astha Biotech will focus on producing microalgae for the dietary supplements market.
The microalgae will be grown sustainably using closed culture processes and photobioreactors.
The new facility anticipates hiring and training 30 highly skilled employees. This marks the UAE’s first company dedicated to microalgae production for health, cosmetics, food, and aquaculture applications.
