When marine biologist Joel Wynhorst and food scientist Alexis Chung crossed paths during their PhDs, they didn’t expect their research would one day combine into a startup with global potential. But through Curtin University’s Accelerate program, Organic Ocean came to life, offering a natural, science-backed solution to one of the most common modern ailments: chronic inflammation.
Their flagship product, SeaSoothe, is a 30ml daily shot of seaweed designed to support people living with joint pain, irritable bowel issues, autoimmune symptoms, and other inflammation-related conditions. “Our whole approach is to address the root cause — oxidative stress and systemic inflammation — using whole food bioactives that your body can actually absorb,” says Joel.
A startup grown from the sea — and the lab
The heart of Organic Ocean lies in the unique combination of Joel’s expertise in seaweed cultivation and Alexis’s background in food bioprocessing. “Together we’ve created something that’s never really been done before in Australia,” says Alexis. “We grow seaweed in a fully controlled land-based system using sunlight and seawater. It’s cheap, sustainable, and avoids all the pollutants found in wild-harvested seaweed.”
What’s more, their processing method doesn’t rely on the typical heat-based drying techniques that degrade antioxidant compounds. “Most products on the market are powdered and heat-treated, which destroys a lot of the good stuff,” explains Joel. “Our process retains bioactivity so your body actually recognises it as food, not just a supplement.”
Seaweed is known as a powerful bioaccumulator in the wild, meaning it absorbs everything in its environment, good and bad. That makes cultivation in a clean, closed system critical to delivering a safe, effective product. “With our method, we can influence how the seaweed grows, adjust nutrient levels, and optimise for the most beneficial compounds,” says Alexis.
Solving their own problem — and millions of others
This isn’t just another wellness product built to ride a trend. Alexis has long struggled with chronic inflammation herself, including neuropathy and unexplainable joint pain. “I couldn’t even type parts of my thesis at one point because my fingers were so sore,” she shares. “This product was developed as much for me as it was for anyone else.”
That personal connection gives Organic Ocean a kind of motivation money can’t buy. “We’re not doing this to chase VC funding,” says Joel. “We both could have gone into academic research careers, but we saw an opportunity to make a real difference.”
In Australia alone, one in two people suffers from some form of long-term health issue, and research suggests that inflammation plays a big part in it. The market only grows when you look globally, particularly in high-stress places such as Southeast Asia with a lack of access and availability to fresh produce. “There’s a huge opportunity here,” says Joel. “But we want to grow this business organically — both figuratively and literally — so we stay aligned with being a truly sustainable business. We don’t chase trends, we chase impact!”
What’s next: farmers markets, feedback, and focus
Over the next 12 months, the focus is clear: connect with customers, validate the product, and refine the brand. Organic Ocean is aiming to launch its flagship product SeaSoothe within the next 3 months, in convenient 30ml daily shots. “We’re starting simple: listen to what people want, how they use it, and what kind of results they feel,” says Alexis.
They’ve also just been accepted into CSIRO’s ON Prime program, where they’ll conduct over 100 customer interviews. “Product-market fit is everything,” says Joel. “We’ve built the science — we now need to find the best way to package it for the people who need it.”
While they’re open to investment in the future, it’s not a priority right now. “We want to make sure that the product works as we intend it to, build early traction, and generate revenue ourselves,” says Joel. “Our system is low-cost by design, so we don’t need millions to get started.”
The Curtin Accelerate effect
For both founders, the turning point was joining Curtin Accelerate. “Before the program, this felt like a side project,” Joel admits. “Now it feels like a real company — with momentum, a mission, and something the world actually needs.”
Alexis adds, “The support, the network, and being surrounded by people solving real problems — it was empowering. I came out of it more motivated than ever.”
The program also helped shift their mindset. “We used to think: here’s our amazing seaweed, now let’s find a use for it,” says Joel. “But what we learned is you have to start with the customer’s problem and build backwards. That alone was invaluable.”
Organic Ocean is a startup with soul. Rooted in science, motivated by lived experience, and built with sustainability at its core, it’s exactly the kind of venture Western Australia needs more of — where innovation isn’t just about technology, but about bettering lives. If SeaSoothe lives up to its promise, the waves it’s making in the lab might soon ripple around the world.