Runa Ray

Runa Ray is a fashion environmentalist, designer, and innovator pioneering the intersection of biotechnology, fashion, and ocean conservation. As the Founder and CEO of Kelptex, she is leading the development of next-generation biomaterials made from seaweed and recycled textile waste to replace fossil-fuel-based textiles and plastics.

With two decades of experience in couture and sustainable design, Runa’s work explores how fashion can regenerate ecosystems and communities. Kelptex blends seaweed with landfill-bound textile waste to create biodegradable, circular, and scalable non-woven materials—produced without toxic chemicals, dyes, or pollutants. The process eliminates wastewater discharge entirely and uses only a fraction of the water required in traditional textile manufacturing, contributing to significant water savings.

By upcycling waste streams and eliminating polluting processes, Kelptex not only reduces environmental burden and textile waste but also creates livelihood opportunities for coastal and artisan communities.

​Her mission through Kelptex is to build a global seaweed-based industry that drives innovation while restoring marine health and reducing industrial dependence on toxic materials.

A recognized speaker at COP, The United Nations, Monaco Ocean Week, World Bank and the European Union Algae Summit, Runa has been featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar and other leading editorials,  for her groundbreaking work in sustainable fashion. 

Roshan B

Roshan brings over a decade of hands-on experience in sustainable materials manufacturing through his leadership at Seed Paper India, one of the country’s pioneering eco-production units. With deep expertise in transforming agricultural and textile waste into high-quality, scalable products, Roshan oversees all production and manufacturing for Kelptex.

His background includes developing biodegradable paper, scaling artisanal and semi-industrial processes, and working closely with coastal and rural communities to create livelihood opportunities through sustainable fabrication. Roshan’s practical knowledge of material behavior, drying systems, quality control, and batch-level manufacturing forms the backbone of Kelptex’s production pipeline.

An engineer educated at the Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering and an alumnus of Bishop Cottons Boys School, Bengaluru, Roshan has now grown to be called the Seeding Man of India. His sustainable initiatives have led to a lot of curiosity and wide coverage in various national and international media. Articles have been published in the Forbes India Magazine, The Hindu, Indian Express, NDTV and even interviewed by the Australian Radio. 

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Anoushka Concepcion

Anoushka Concepcion’s career in aquaculture spans over two decades and includes positions in the commercial industry, research, university extension and outreach, and the federal government. A strategic thinker and problem-solver, her programming focuses on expanding sustainable marine aquaculture nationally and globally. In her role as Regional Aquaculture Coordinator with NOAA Fisheries, she nurtured strategic partnerships between diverse stakeholders including government agencies, nonprofits, and industry leaders to foster informed decision-making that balanced conservation of marine habitats with practical economic solutions. As an extension educator with Connecticut Sea Grant and University of Connecticut’s Cooperative Extension, she developed cohesive programming that aligned community needs with sustainability goals. She created and led multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the National Seaweed Hub and led the organization’s diverse Seaweed Extension and Outreach Program including the creation of the region’s first mobile seaweed laboratory. 

Anoushka earned her B.S. in Marine Biology from the UNC at Wilmington and M.S. in Fisheries, Animal, and Veterinary Sciences from URI. Between earning degrees, Anoushka managed microalgal production at Shrimp Improvement Systems, LLC in the Florida Keys. She currently serves as Chair of the Strategic Advisory Council for the UN Global Compact’s Global Seaweed Coalition, where she manages a council of experts to furnish perspectives and guidance on seaweed’s role in the global economy, society, and environment. Anoushka also serves on the Executive Board of the US Aquaculture Society and Board of Directors for the non-profit Minorities in Aquaculture where she provides strategic input on the internship program and serves as a mentor to young women of color interested in a career in aquaculture. Her role with KelpTex includes fundraising, strategic planning, research and business development. Anoushka is passionate about providing the world’s population with sustainable, climate-friendly solutions. 

Philippe Potin

Philippe Potin holds a PhD in Marine Biology, specialising in the biochemistry of degrading enzymes of seaweed cell wall polysaccharides and biological properties of added-value derived oligosaccharides. For over 25 years Philippe has led research on oligosaccharide signaling and defense metabolism of marine algae at the well-known Station Biologique de Roscoff. He has over 110 peer reviewed articles and 8 patents including on the biological properties of algal oligosaccharides and novel enzymes from brown algae and marine bacteria. During the last decade, he coordinated large integrative research projects such as IDEALG research in France and of the EU H2020 SC2 Blue Growth Innovation Action GENIALG to develop seaweed cultivation and biorefineries. He was elected as a Full Member of Académie d'Agriculture de France in 2024. He is currently the scientific director of the Safe Seaweed Coalition, the first global partnership established to support the safety and sustainability of the seaweed industry as it scales up and to unite a fragmented market through a unified vision and goals.