The EcoSpire app was developed as part of a collaboration between the IGZ and HTW Berlin, specifically the Creative Media research group, and offers users a fun way to learn about algae cultivation. The app translates research findings into an interactive learning environment and demonstrates how digital tools can help make sustainable cultivation methods more accessible.

The starting point is the question of how biological growth processes can be visualized in a way that is both scientifically sound and intuitively accessible. Across four sequential phases - from seedling propagation to large-scale cultivation - users adjust environmental parameters such as light, temperature, and nutrient supply. In the process, they see how different settings affect growth. Using augmented reality, users can bring the lab right into their own living rooms. In their real-world environment, they can experiment with life-size virtual cultivation systems and grow algae themselves. This interactive, immersive form of knowledge transfer boosts engagement and motivation and creates memorable learning experiences.

The app was developed using data from the SeaWheatCost platform and serves as an example of how digital tools can clearly communicate research findings and make them accessible to a broad audience. The project’s results were presented at the Green Vision Festival in Potsdam, the sustainability conference at HTW Berlin, and HTW Berlin’s Transfer Week. In addition, a user test followed by an evaluation at a vocational school in Berlin, as well as its integration into a biology course, are planned.