The AURA Award 2026 goes to PureRaw!

When many people think of algae, they think of murky water and slippery stones in a swimming lake – we, on the other hand, think of one of the most promising raw materials of our time. And because we are no longer alone in this way of thinking, we were presented with the AURA Award 2026 on July 30, 2026, by Environment Minister Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann.  

What is the AURA Award? 

The AURA Award is the award from the Ministry of Science, Energy, Climate Protection and the Environment of the State of Saxony-Anhalt for sustainable entrepreneurship.

It was established back in 2013, and since 2024, the new focus has been on sustainability. 

Since then, three small and medium-sized enterprises from Saxony-Anhalt have been honored every year for doing one of three things particularly well: 

The goal of the prize is to make sustainable achievements visible and to present successful examples from the state's economy.

The winners are selected by a jury, and the award is presented by Environment Minister Willingmann personally.  

Along with us, URWAHN Engineering GmbH from Magdeburg and the Gebäude- und Wohnungsbaugesellschaft Wernigerode were awarded this year. You can learn more about the prize on the official website of the AURA Award.  

Why the jury chose algae 

A raw material that consumes less 

Algae require significantly fewer resources (e.g., water) to produce than many traditional raw materials. They grow considerably faster than land plants. And they do not require fertile farmland because they can be cultivated on shallow bodies of water, for example, or in space-saving pipe systems and bioreactors.

They therefore do not compete with the cultivation of grain, vegetables, or fruit, but instead open up entirely new areas. 

In addition, there is what they contain: important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, and – depending on the algae – omega-3 fatty acids and natural dyes. 

Sustainable in production as well 

Both with the raw material and in production, we take care to keep our footprint small. The use of renewable energy plays a major role here, as does the application of solutions that get by with as little water as possible.

Exactly this combination was the deciding factor for the jury: algae as a sustainable raw material that is also processed sustainably. 

"Sustainability has many faces in Saxony-Anhalt. With algae, Knufmann GmbH is relying on a climate-friendly all-rounder with huge potential. Furthermore, sustainability is also taken into account in their own production, for example through the use of renewable energy and solutions for low water consumption. When ecological foresight, sustainability, and economic success come together as they do here in Klötze, it is definitely worthy of an award. That’s how sustainable business 'made in Saxony-Anhalt' works."

(Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann, Minister for Science, Energy, Climate Protection and the Environment of the State of Saxony-Anhalt) 

More than nutrition: algae in cosmetics and sustainable materials 

For Kirstin, it all started with sustainable food from algae. Today, the PureRaw product range includes around 200 products: micro- and macroalgae, natural omega-3 supplements, food and dietary supplements, as well as other plant-based products. 

And the fields of application are constantly growing, because algae have long been used not only in food, but also in cosmetics.  

"If we want to solve the challenges of the future, we have to break new ground. For me, algae are among the most promising raw materials of our time. They uniquely combine sustainability, innovation, and health – they hold enormous potential for nutrition, health, sustainable materials, and many other applications. That is why, for the past 16 years, we have been pursuing the goal of translating scientific findings into high-quality products, sustainable applications, and practical knowledge." 

(Kirstin Knufmann, Founder and Managing Director of Knufmann GmbH) 

Science meets practice 

Our ambition is to translate the latest findings into products and practical knowledge. And that is the reason why we don't work alone.

We cooperate closely with Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and other partners from science and industry. What is researched there should reach the kitchen, the bathroom, and the industry. 

A prize for a 14-member team 

Knufmann GmbH currently has eight employees; together with the closely connected company departments, 14 people at the Klötze site are currently working on products, formulas, knowledge, and ensuring that orders arrive reliably with customers.  

And this location is exactly what is important to Kirstin Knufmann: 

"This special award is a confirmation of our path and shows that sustainability, innovation, and economic success are not a contradiction. At the same time, the prize is an incentive to continue making the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel and Saxony-Anhalt visible as a location for sustainable innovation." 

What this means for you 

With the AURA Award, an independent jury and the state's Ministry of the Environment examined what we do and recognized it. 

In concrete terms, this means for you: When you buy spirulina, chlorella, or an omega-3 supplement from us, you are buying a product that: 

Added to this is our knowledge from 16 years of working with algae, which flows into our product development every day. 

What happens next