FINANCE FOR IMPACT is proud to announce the launch of an exciting advisory project under the Green Assist initiative, supporting the Grand Port Maritime de la Guyane (GPM Guyane) in its groundbreaking VALOSARG program.
Since 2011, the Greater Caribbean has faced devastating environmental and economic impacts due to massive influxes of sargassum seaweed. French Guiana has been on the front lines of this crisis, positioned near the Lesser Sargasso Sea. GPM Guyane aims to turn challenge into opportunity, with a pioneering vision: sustainably harvesting sargassum offshore and transforming it into renewable energy, biostimulants, plant proteins, and cosmetic ingredients.
FINANCE FOR IMPACT, led by Thierry Senechal, will provide technical and financial advisory support to structure a robust, investment-ready business model for VALOSARG. This includes developing an offshore collection system, an onshore transformation facility, and a circular economy approach to create green value chains for French Guiana and the Greater Caribbean.
Key objectives of the advisory assignment include:
- Developing a business and financing model based on circular economy principles and discounted cash flow analysis.
- Ensuring environmental integrity through a Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) assessment.
- Creating investment-grade materials to attract public and private financiers.
- Establishing a new Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to drive implementation and scale-up.
With a project timeline stretching to 2030, VALOSARG aims to position French Guiana as a regional leader in nature-based marine innovation, while contributing to renewable energy goals, coastal protection, and green job creation. The project is fully aligned with the French International Sargassum Initiative, the Strategic Port Plan 2024–2028, and broader efforts to foster resilient, sustainable blue economies.