Fish 2.0 announces effort to boost US aquaculture start-ups

Fish 2.0, a global organization that connects seafood start-ups with investors in an effort to enhance the sustainability of the seafood industry, has announced a track open to U.S. aquaculture businesses in 2018-2019. 

The program will begin in November with a workshop and networking event in Baltimore, Maryland, then the Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi, in February, and concluding on the West Coast with a workshop in Seattle, Washington in April.

The programs are free to participate in, but space is limited so pre-registration is necessary, and registration must be completed by 28 September. The top-ranking participants will be invited to make pitches at the 2019 Fish 2.0 Global Innovation Forum, which will take place in Silicon Valley, California.

The 2018-2019 cycle will be the fourth hosted by Fish 2.0, which has garnered praise from participants, more than 75 percent of which were able to make connections with partners, customers, or investors during the program, according to the organization.

“The Fish 2.0 process alone is helpful to any entrepreneur looking to be part of the sustainable seafood space – the feedback from workshops, other participants, and reviewers really focused our message and drive,” says Sara Rademaker, founder of Maine-based American Unagi and a finalist in the 2017 competition. “On top of that, it’s connections, connections, connections. We were able to directly connect to investors in the seafood space and continue to see value from those connections.”

It’s not only seafood start-ups that value Fish 2.0 - the organization has also partnered with NOAA Fisheries. 

“Expanding marine aquaculture is vital for supporting our nation’s seafood production, year-round jobs, and enhancing coastal resilience,” NOAA Fisheries COO Paul Doremus said. “By supporting sustainable aquaculture innovation, we can increase and diversify U.S. seafood production to deliver economic, environmental, and human health benefits.”