The company

Igea Biochemical Srl is a company specializing in the creation of sanitizing and odor-eliminating products. IGEA Nautica is the specific line that deals with these processes on board vessels and was born from a passion for the health of people, the environment and the sea. Making the boat a safe place for everyone is our priority. Change and respect for the environment guide us in making our green products.

Vincenzo Russo, founding partner and sole director

Vincenzo Russo, an ecological entrepreneur, was born in Palermo in 1960. From an early age he nurtured a great passion for outdoor sports, which led him to make his debut in the B series with U.S. Palermo Basket at the age of 15. The then president Renzo Barbera called him “a natural,” and together with the coach he was confirmed on the first team roster. Basketball will be a faithful companion in life. At the end of his career, in the 1990s, with some teammates, Russo tested his entrepreneurial streak and founded the “Palermo Eagles“, a basketball club that was taken to the B1 series, advancing 5 leagues within about 6 years.

A passion for outdoor sports is the beginning of a life spent in contact with nature, as also evidenced by the founding of the Luogo Marchese farm in Castelbuono, PA. A love that, in Palermo, could only embrace the sea as well. In his 20s, Russo bought his first boat, which he moored at the Roosevelt – Mondello. His beloved ’54 Riva Super Ariston arrived in 1980. He will never sell it again.

His love of nature and the sea marks his destiny, including his private destiny. He marries a Hawaiian geologist and with her discovers a shared passion for sailing. And it was through many sea voyages that Russo developed an acute sensitivity to ecological issues.

Meanwhile, he has already solidified his entrepreneurial edge. He founded the Mediterranean Medical Center, a national vanguard in the field of dental clinics. He derives the model from a seminar at Boston University, but the Italian declination is the child of a brilliant intuition: founding a state-of-the-art facility on implant dentistry that trains professionals in the field. The facility, based in Sicily, is a success.

But it is at the birth of his grandchildren that ethical issues and a focus on ecology, along with an entrepreneurial streak, are welded into a new venture. In fact, Russo founded Igea Biochemical, a company specializing in completely green boat cleaning products. The mission is clear: to help make the planet a better place for the next generation, including his grandchildren.

Seven years of in-depth study led him to create a line of zero-impact products for every boat cleaning need, from interior and exterior spaces to tank and pipeline hygiene. And the results can be seen immediately. One year after its market presence, Igea Biochemical in its nautical declination, Igea Nautica, receives Honorable Mention for its SaniTank product at the 61st Genoa Boat Show. A revolution in boat cleaning that is, therefore, already underway, and is being recognized by a panel of world experts. Through its two lines Pure and Sani, Igea Biochemical produces controlled foam and highly biodegradable products that eradicate the reasons for any odor in the boat.