On June 16, Professor Kyle J. Lauersen delivered a conference talk at AlgalBBB 2025. His presentation, titled “Algal biotechnology and metabolic engineering in resource circularity”, offered a comprehensive overview of the field’s evolution and future directions. He described the historical context of algal biotechnology and the concept of the green cell factory, highlighted new developments in bioprocess design and current thinking around algae as waste recovery vehicles, and discussed the importance of regional considerations for algal biotechnology in the Middle East and other desert environments.