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Ever wondered what happens when innovative minds tackle agricultural waste? Meet Tom Bessell, co-founder of ALBON, who's revolutionizing how we think about wastewater and soil health.
Tom joins us from Dig South to share his startup's groundbreaking approach to environmental challenges. Albon has developed proprietary photobioreactors that harness microalgae's natural ability to clean agricultural wastewater. The process removes phosphorus, nitrogen, and grease from contaminated water while simultaneously capturing atmospheric carbon. But the innovation doesn't stop there - the nutrient-rich algae is transformed through pyrolysis into biochar, a powerful soil amendment that helps farmers improve crop yields and water retention naturally.
What makes this technology particularly fascinating is its circular nature. The dirtier the wastewater, the faster the algae grows and the more nutrient-dense the resulting biochar becomes. It's a perfect example of turning a problem into an opportunity. Tom explains how their technology can help revitalize over-farmed soils by reactivating natural carbon cycles that industrial agriculture has disrupted. Currently piloting with the Sydney local government, Albon is eyeing future expansion into meat and dairy processing facilities where wastewater is especially nutrient-rich.
Tom's entrepreneurial journey offers valuable lessons in adaptation. What began as a carbon capture concept in late 2023 evolved into their current wastewater treatment model after the initial approach proved impractical. This pivot demonstrates how environmental innovation often requires flexibility and responsiveness to real-world
King & Columbus is a full-service marketing and advertising agency based in South Carolina that helps brands grow through a mix of creative storytelling and data-driven strategy. They offer everything from branding and content creation to media planning, digital advertising, and PR—focused on delivering measurable results across digital, social, and traditional channels. https://kingandcolumbus.com
Title Sponsor: Charleston American Marketing Association
Presenting Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions
Annual Sponsor: SCRA; South Carolina Research Authority
Quarterly Sponsor: King and Columbus
CAMACast Cohosts: Stephanie Barrow, Mike Compton, Rachel Backal, Tom Keppeler, Amanda Bunting Comen,
Silicon Harbor Hot Take Host: Stanfield Gray, https://digsouth.com
Produced and edited: RMBO Advertising
Photographer | Co-host: Kelli Morse
Score by: The Strawberry Entrée; Jerry Feels Good, CURRYSAUCE, DBLCRWN, DJ DollaMenu
Studio Engineer: Brian Cleary and Mathew Chase
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