All participants on the Ocean Foundry platform have free access to a range of facilities, including a co-working office, R&D space, wet and dry labs and multi-species systems © Hatch Blue
Operating within the Hawai’i Ocean & Science Technology (HOST) Park, and in continued partnership with the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai’i Authority (NELHA), Hatch Blue’s Ocean Foundry is an incubator platform for the development of innovative talent in the aquaculture sector in their drive to solve key aquaculture and sustainability challenges.
The Ocean Foundry platform is open to entrepreneurs, industry and researchers from Hawai’i and all around the world that are seeking to develop their ideas and innovations further and build successful scalable businesses in collaboration with Hatch Blue.
Based at Hatch Blue’s office in HOST Park – a 900-acre facility that is home to over 50 aquaculture and ocean technology companies, with a seawater supply system that supports ocean- and land-based aquaculture production – the Ocean Foundry platform is uniquely positioned where R&D intersects with the world’s largest multi-species subtropical aquaculture location.
“The Ocean Foundry platform is for individuals, teams or companies at any stage of development that want to take their product, technology or service to the next level with focused on-site support from Hatch,” says Dylan Howell, operations manager for the initiative. “It’s a unique opportunity to be in an environment where they can test what they're developing in very predictable conditions and, if they need, in a very short time frame, because they won’t need to apply for permits or build any physical infrastructure or testing facilities – it’s a plug and play scenario.”
Masaki Nakada, founder and CEO of NeuralX – a tech startup that specialises in AI-based solutions for aquaculture – has found his participation on the Ocean Foundry platform invaluable, especially in validating the company’s product concept, which was hindered due to a lack of suitable customers for proof of concept (POC) in California.
“This changed when we began collaborating with Hatch. Their guidance was instrumental in facilitating a POC experiment in Hawaii, providing us with invaluable data from an actual fish farm,” reveals Nakada. “This not only enhanced our simulation engine but also allowed us to validate our product concept in a real-world setting with genuine customers. Such an opportunity was precisely what we needed to elevate our company to the next level. Without the support of the Ocean Foundry, securing partners for experimental purposes could have taken months.”
© NELHA
All participants on the Ocean Foundry platform have access to the following, at no cost:
Facilities – co-working office, R&D space, wet and dry labs, and multi-species systems;
Ad hoc aquaculture business coaching and support;
Global mentorship;
Collaborative community and networking events;
And an introduction to the Hatch Blue pipeline.
All that is required from selected participants is a commitment to be on-site at the Hatch Blue office in Hawai'i on a flexible, but semi-regular basis.
It is a rolling application process, so candidates can apply at any time. Hatch Blue is keen to attract local and international talent to utilise its platform of resources, services, insights, and professional networks. Anyone working on interesting IP, a scalable technology or innovative research that is relevant to the aquaculture sector and has the potential to be a globally successful business is invited to apply.
For more information email Dylan Howell at dylan@hatch.blue, or apply via the Hatch Blue website.
