Frank Neumann entered the seaweed sector as a lateral entrant, bringing a background in civil engineering from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. In 2004, he played a pivotal role in founding WavEC Offshore Renewables in Lisbon, where he led the recovery of the Pico wave power plant project in the Azores and eventually served as Associate Director. He also held a position on the board of directors of the EU Ocean Energy Association (EU-OEA). In 2012, Frank joined Seaweed Solutions (SES), operating in both Portugal and Norway. He initially focused on developing large-scale offshore cultivation systems for bioenergy applications. Following a strategic shift at SES in 2015, he continued as a part-time Senior Technology Advisor, concentrating on the full kelp production cycle. In 2016, he established in2sea Lda in Portugal to support innovative and sustainable blue economy initiatives. Between 2018 and 2019, he served as team coordinator for the newly established Atlantic International Research Centre (AIR Centre), working under the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Education. Frank has also contributed to global seaweed sector development as a member of the Advisory Board of the Safe Seaweed Coalition, the forerunner of the Global Seaweed Coalition (GSC).