Muscat – Oman Investment Authority (OIA) has announced an investment in the US-based company Tidal Vision, which uses an environmentally friendly, zero-waste process to turn discarded crab and shrimp shells into a valuable industrial chemical called chitosan.

The investment was made during Tidal Vision’s Series B funding round, in which the company successfully raised over US$140mn from strategic investors.

OIA aims to localise innovative solutions to meet domestic market needs through such international investments, it stated.

Founded in 2014, Tidal Vision specialises in converting renewable natural resources into sustainable, eco-friendly materials. The company develops biopolymer solutions based on chitosan, a natural, biodegradable and non-toxic biopolymer derived from crustacean shells.

Tidal Vision has successfully commercialised the large-scale production of chitosan, offering a higher-quality and lower-cost alternative. The company is also committed to sustainability by repurposing byproducts from the fishing industry, reducing waste and supporting the circular economy.

Chitosan-based solutions have applications across various industries, particularly in addressing pollution and climate challenges. The material is widely used in water treatment, agriculture, textiles and fertilisers as a natural alternative to conventional chemicals such as aluminum sulphate, activated carbon, pesticides and plastic films.

Additionally, in the oil and gas sector, chitosan can be used for treating high-salinity water, a major challenge given that industrial operations in this field produce approximately nine barrels of saline water for every barrel of oil extracted. Its use in agriculture also presents opportunities for seed coating and biopesticides, contributing to greater sustainability in the sector.

OIA continues to invest in innovative, environmentally friendly technologies and products through its Future Generations Fund.