Meet Latin America’s emerging female seafood entrepreneurs

The studio, which is run by Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures, has gained the long term support of ASC, Builders Initiative, Innovaciones Alumbra, Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, The Beyster Foundation and most recently Sea Forward Fund, offering a unique opportunity to build the region’s female-led seafood supply chain. It is taking place in La Paz, Baja California Sur, for the next two weeks and is set to include a community day in order to introduce the companies to the wider aquaculture community, including potential investors.

“Early last year we delivered our first Women in Ocean Food programme in Latin America with the support of some incredible partners and backers. We’re excited to be back again this year with another exciting cohort and the news that we have secured funding for the next three years to continue to deliver this critical initiative supporting female led businesses in the Latin American and the Caribbean region. Places for this year’s programme were very competitive, with an increase of over 60 percent in applications from last year - demonstrating the growing need and demand for initiatives like this. We are looking forward to engaging, supporting and challenging these diverse and ambitious teams to increase their chances of future success in their respective sectors and regions,” explains Wayne Murphy, managing partner and co-founder of Hatch Blue.

“CI Ventures is thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Hatch Blue to support female entrepreneurs across Latin America, all working to build up the region’s sustainable blue economy. This year’s cohort covers such a great range of business models, and shows that the talent exists. However, attracting investment funding is still a challenge for them, so, this year, we’re adding in more content focused on exploring non-dilutive financing options. Venture capital is not the only financing model out there, and it’s important founders understand what types of capital are best suited to their business model and long term goals,” notes Gracie White, director of oceans investments at CI Ventures.

The participants in the new cohort come from a range of Latin American and Caribbean countries and cover a wide variety of fields - from seaweed to shrimp, farmed oysters to wild fisheries. And interested parties are invited to apply to meet the companies at the forthcoming Community Day on 16 January from, 2-8pm. Lunch will be provided as well as networking drinks. The location will be provided upon successful acceptance to the event. Register your interest here

The 11 participants

1. Albacora Pesca Artesanal: Bogotá, Colombia. Works with local artisanal fishers, promoting responsible fishing practices, and providing fresh, traceable seafood directly to consumers and restaurants.
2. Aqua Viridi Microalgas e Serviços Ambientais: Manaus, Brazil. Developing microalgae-based products in the Amazon region for various applications, from aquaculture nutrition to industrial bioproducts.
3. Asociación Afro Agropecuaria y Turística El Pasito: El Paso, Colombia. A women-led rural association in Colombia's Cesar Department, dedicated to empowering women through sustainable farming of fish such as tilapia, cachama and bocachico, as well as community-based tourism, by strengthening women's skills in production, commerce, and negotiation while preserving ethnic heritage.
4. Jóvenes en el Rescate Pesquero de las Costas: Puerto Angel, Mexico. Enhancing the value of sustainably caught skipjack tuna from an artisanal primary production system, while ensuring adherence to certified health and safety measures.
5. Kosten Bio: Puerto Madryn, Argentina. Developing an algae-based biomaterial functionalised with bioactive peptides designed using artificial intelligence. This innovative technology enables customisation to target specific microorganisms affecting each type of food, enhancing conservation, freshness and overall food safety.
6. Laks Food: Valparaiso, Chile, Reprocessing by-products from salmon, shrimp and mussel farming, preserving essential nutrients to create premium, high-value, ready-to-eat products.
7. Marea Rosa: Machala, Ecuador. Empowers small scale female shrimp farmers through training and research. It develops sustainable production chains to access national and international markets, offering a high-quality shrimp brand that improves producer profitability without increasing consumer prices.
8. Marulho: Ilha Grande, Brazil. Transforms discarded fishing nets into sustainable products like tote bags and keychains, addressing the problem of ghost gear and promoting environmental conservation.
9. Oyster Mex Granja Marina: San Buto, Mexico. A sustainable aquaculture company specialising in oyster cultivation. They produce fresh, high-quality oysters from waters certified for their quality and focus on responsible farming practices.
10. Pacific Bioculture: Mazatlan, Mexico. This biotechnology company transforms low-value marine resources, like sea cucumbers, into products for the food supplements and nutraceutical sector.
11. SOS Biotech: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Transforming invasive sargassum seaweed into sustainable products across sectors like agriculture, cosmetics and bioplastics.