Nereid Biomaterials

Nereid Biomaterials is a Santa Barbara-based startup founded in 2022 that specializes in developing ocean-degradable "living materials" to replace traditional plastics in marine applications. Their technology utilizes polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymers embedded with naturally occurring, PHA-degrading marine microbes. By integrating these microbes directly into the material during manufacturing, the company creates products that remain stable during their intended service life but begin to degrade upon contact with seawater. This process ensures complete biodegradation into carbon dioxide and water, effectively eliminating the long-term accumulation of microplastics in marine environments. The company’s interdisciplinary team, composed of material scientists, microbiologists, and oceanographers, operates at the intersection of industry, academia, and government to innovate for the Blue Economy.

The company serves sectors that rely on expendable ocean hardware, such as ocean sensing, aquaculture, and the fishing industry, by providing sustainable alternatives that address the problem of abandoned or lost equipment. Nereid has successfully prototyped and fabricated various ocean-degradable components, including internal parts for ocean sensors like the MINION float, injection-molded aquaculture buoys designed for specific lifespans, and biodegradable eel trap entrances (ETEs) to reduce ghost fishing hazards. These solutions help manufacturers and researchers meet their operational goals while minimizing their environmental footprint. Supported by programs such as the National Science Foundation’s Convergence Accelerator, Nereid partners with industry brands to scale their biomaterials for global supply chains, aiming to protect marine ecosystems from pollution.