Diego López Mendoza

Colombian bioengineer developing algae-based solutions to combat deforestation

Diego López Mendoza is the creator of Biomarine Solutions, a Colombian biotech firm producing carbon-negative materials from microalgae since 2022. His breakthrough came when he engineered algae strains capable of sequestering 5x more CO2 than traditional methods while generating bio-plastics and protein supplements. The company's 'EcoBrick' construction material has replaced 20% of cement usage in Bogotá's affordable housing projects. López Mendoza's 2024 partnership with the Amazon Fund produced floating algae farms that simultaneously clean waterways and create jobs for Indigenous communities. His team's open-source algae cultivation kits have been adopted in 12 countries through the Global Algae Alliance. Recently honored by National Geographic as an 'Emerging Explorer,' his work integrates climate action with biodiversity conservation. The documentary 'Green Tides' chronicles his efforts to scale algae-based solutions across Latin America. Current projects include algae-derived pharmaceuticals and carbon-negative concrete for infrastructure projects in climate-vulnerable regions.