Founded in 2020 by Tanguy Blévin (CFO), Maxime Roux (CCO/CMO), Camille Callennec (CEO) and Théo Joy (CTO), Ostrea Design was born out of a meeting with oyster farmers and an observation: every year in France, this sector produces nearly 250,000 tons of shell waste, of which only 5 to 10% is recycled, with the rest being sent to a technical landfill (CET). The Ostrea Design team therefore decided to create the first eco-material “made in France” (Brittany), low-carbon and 100% recyclable based on oyster, mussel and scallop shells. And the result is clear: compatible with the requirements of the RE2020, the oyster shell emits only 3 kilos of CO2 per square meter produced, compared to 97 kilos for PVC or 48 kilos for ceramic.
Actively participating in the decarbonization of the building industry
The Ostrea material is composed of 65% recycled seashells, coupled with a mineral matrix made of low-carbon cement with no added polymer resin. To do this, the shells are air-dried to remove all the raw and living materials, then crushed to obtain flakes of different sizes which are then mixed with the low-carbon cement in the company’s Rennes workshop. The resulting material is scratch, water and stain resistant and is fully recyclable as aggregate.
Already well established in the fields of furniture (table tops) and worktops, Ostrea Design intends to take advantage of this first round of financing to expand into the flooring market and thus actively participate in the decarbonization of the construction sector.
“This first round of financing is an opportunity for the company to evolve and take another step forward in its objective to decarbonize one of the world’s most emissive sectors. The confidence of the investors will allow us to accelerate the industrialization of the Ostrea material and the design of the flooring, for which the first pilot projects are planned for the end of 2023.” – Camille Callennec, CEO of Ostrea Design
“Reducing the carbon footprint of construction activities is at the heart of VINCI’s environmental strategy. This is why Leonard, the Group’s foresight and innovation platform, has committed itself to working alongside Ostrea, whose solution of bio-sourced, local and renewable materials offers a virtuous alternative to the materials used in development” — Julien Villalongue, Director of Leonard
Ostrea benefits this year from the support of Leonard, which accompanies startups for 6 months to launch and develop innovative projects in construction, mobility and energy.
