iwi

iwi makes omega-3 oils and protein shots from microalgae grown in the desert of Texas and New Mexico, where conventional farming is deemed impossible. Their closed-loop system recycles saltwater and excess nutrients while their algae efficiently sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Their products are not only more sustainable than fish or krill oils; they’re also healthier with 50% higher human absorption rates.

Omega-3 supplements are important for heart health, brain health, and inflammation. Typically, omega-3s are produced from fish or krill oil, but fish don’t produce omega-3 themselves; they get it from eating algae. As of 2018, over 90% of wild fisheries were overfished or at maximal capacity, with fish populations in coastal areas near depletion. Krill overfishing leads to cascading problems, as krill is a critical food source for other species and plays an important role in carbon sequestration by consuming phytoplankton. 

iwi is skipping the middle fish by extracting omega-3 oils and proteins straight from the microalgae. iwi’s algae strain is salt-water-based and highly resilient to extreme heat and cold, making it ideal for a desert climate limited to non-arable land while creating jobs in low-income geographies. Their production yields almost 6,000 lbs of essential amino acids per acre using zero arable land or freshwater, a much higher yield compared to growing crops in fields, making microalgae an important source of nutrients for the growing global population. Moreover, iwi’s health benefits derive from a composition of matter patent for EPA oil in polar lipid form with 1.5x higher bioavailability than fish oil, driving superior impact on inflammation reduction, brain, and heart health compared to fish oil. The superior health benefits compared to traditional fish oil have been demonstrated in two separate clinical studies.

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