Tunistrong Technologies Inc.
Utilizing Tunicates - a problem marine invader - to make
High Performance Biomaterials.
- Our product focus is nanomaterials made from cellulose.
- Tunicates are the only animal source of cellulose which is superior in strength and environmental benefits when compared to cellulose from plants.
- Our nano materials will offer new unique options for customers formulating composite materials who need ingredients to add strength with little added weight from a chemically pure and natural biologic source.
- We are a pre-commercial company and this is an introductory web site!
Tunicates as a Bycatch
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- Tunicates are a marine filter feeding invertebrate animal which have spread across world and have become resident in Atlantic Seaboard waters
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- Ciona intestinalis is a species of Tunicate that has proliferated in estuarial waters on Prince Edward Island Canada
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- They are a nuisance because they compete for food with commercial shellfish like Blue Mussels. They grow in colonies on the gear used to grow blue mussels
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- The mussel growers clean “Ciona” off the mussel lines and “growing socks” creating a bycatch and a source of biomass
Creating Value from a Nuisance Species
Company Vision
Founded in 2022, Tunistrong is a forward thinking Prince Edward Island (PEI) based sustainable biotechnology company dedicated to the valorization of Tunicates, an invasive marine animal which causes significant challenges for aquaculture on PEI and around the globe. The challenges Tunicates create in PEI are immense, worsening as the climate warms, and leading to increased costs and decreased productivity for our aquaculture community.
Tunistrong acts as a Tunicate cleaning service, removing existing Tunicates from the marine environment and utilizing it to produce Tunicate derived cellulose and Tunicate derived proteins. We are committed to the concept of ‘first do no harm’ and have worked with aquaculture industry stakeholders to develop a Tunicate collection strategy which works in symbiosis with the standard practices of local mussel farmers.
Tunistrongs vision is to work with local, national and global stakeholders to directly address the Tunicate problem on PEI, while creating the World’s first and only commodity source of Tunicate nanocellulose and various other Tunicate derived products in a manner that is symbiotic, practical and benefits both Island aquaculture and the growing global market for sustainable materials. Together with our partners we aim to clean up our waterways responsibly, contributing to PEIs Tunicate mitigation strategy, while creating a new aquaculture industry centered on cleaning and utilizing Tunicates for the benefit of our local aquaculture community and our global family.
Dr. Matthew J Dunlop
President & CEO
Tunistrong was founded based on Matt’s PhD Thesis Research
Chemist and Tunicate Subject Matter Expert
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