Investor directory

Aqua Spark

Aqua-Spark is an investment fund with a focus on sustainable aquaculture businesses around the world. The small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) they invest in are working toward the production of safe, accessible aquatic life, such as fish, shellfish and plants, in ways that do not harm their oceans. Their investors value the fact that each investment aims to create triple impact—specifically, each investment is chosen for its potential to generate significant financial returns while also activating positive environmental and social outcomes. Aqua-Spark believes that committing to a long-term vision is the way to realize effective and lasting impact results. When it comes to investments, they do not seek quick exits; instead, they look for entrepreneurs who strive to build and scale toward the future, who see their business as major economic opportunities that can also help solve looming environmental and food security challenges over the long-term. As an essential of each investee, Aqua-Spark seeks sustainability.

Focus

Scale StageBiotechnologyBiofuelSeries BFuel CellShow more
http://aqua-spark.nl/
https://crunchbase.com/organization/aqua-sparks
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https://twitter.com/aquasparkimpact

Frank van der Gelt

Investment Manager

Marjolein Jetten

HR Director

Amy Novogratz

Managing Partner

Stephanie Rakels

Development and Investor Relations Director

Frank van Roest

Investor

Mike Velings

Managing Partner

31 past transactions

Protix

Private Equity Round in 2022
Protix is a Netherlands-based company established in 2009 that specializes in producing sustainable insect proteins and lipids for animal feed. By converting organic waste, including food scraps from meat, fish, and dairy products, Protix creates high-quality protein meals and insect fats that serve as alternatives to traditional fishmeal and additives for pet food. The company's approach not only provides a low-impact protein source but also contributes to a more balanced food system. With a focus on sustainability, Protix operates a production facility in Bergen op Zoom, enhancing its capacity to meet the growing demand for organic nutrients in the animal feed industry.

eFishery

Series C in 2022
eFishery is automatic fish feeder for all types of fish. This tool can not only provide feed scheduled, with a dose efficient, and automatic, but also record every feed in real-time. You can access the data feed, anytime, anywhere with precision. There is no longer a problem of over-feeding, fish feeding or feed irregularly diverted. eFishery provide the best solutions, reliable, and affordable.

Ecto

Series A in 2021
Ecto develops technology at the intersection of data and biology to enable a more efficient and sustainable aquaculture industry. We collaborate with farmers to streamline production and health management by leveraging advanced molecular tools and digital technologies. To date, our solutions have enabled farmers to create 51,510,714 additional healthy servings of protein. Ecto has offices in Boston, Atlanta, and Stavanger (Norway) and serves customers all over the world. The company was founded at Harvard Innovation Labs in 2013 by Dmitry Kozachenok, MBA and James Webb, Ph.D. The company has received competitive research grants from the US National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture, and Innovation Norway.

Calysta

Series D in 2021
Calysta, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing and manufacturing protein ingredients derived from innovative sources. It provides nutritional feeds and health products for fish and livestock, as well as chemicals for various applications, including fibers, plastics, and building materials. The company also produces biofuels utilizing methane as a sustainable feedstock. Established in 2011 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Calysta has expanded its presence with additional locations in Houston, London, Stavanger, and Singapore. It has formed a strategic partnership with Bluestar Adisseo Company to enhance its product offerings. Originally known as Calysta Energy, the company rebranded in May 2014, reflecting its broader focus beyond energy solutions.

XpertSea

Series B in 2021
XpertSea Solutions Inc. develops solutions to count aquatic organisms for aquaculture farmers and scientists worldwide. It offers XperCount, a connected device for counting, sizing, and imaging small aquatic organisms. The company also provides a platform for generating, storing, and analyzing data about aquatic populations. XpertSea Solutions Inc. was founded in 2009 and is based in Quebec, Canada.

Proteon Pharmaceuticals

Venture Round in 2021
PROTEON uses precision biology for microbiome protection to improve animal and human health, increasing environmental sustainability and eliminating the unnecessary use of antibiotics. We have developed a platform to develop and deliver bacteriophages for animal health solutions. Our pipeline includes solutions to prophylactically improve performance and food safety in poultry, as well as important prevent economically important bacterial diseases in aquaculture and dairy.

Proteon Therapeutics

Post in 2021
Proteon Therapeutics, Inc is a biopharmaceutical company developing pharmaceuticals to address the medical needs of patients with renal and vascular diseases. The company leverages a unique understanding of tissue remodeling to develop a pipeline of proprietary therapeutics. Proteon Therapeutics’ first drug candidate (PRT-201) is in development for the improvement of blood flow following vascular surgery procedures. The company’s initial clinical focus is vascular access for hemodialysis and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Sea6 Energy

Series B in 2021
Sea6 Energy Pvt. Ltd., based in Bengaluru, India, specializes in developing technologies to cultivate and convert seaplants into various bio-renewable products, including biofuels and plant growth stimulants. Founded in 2010, the company envisions leveraging the oceans as sustainable biomass farms to address needs across energy, agriculture, and food sectors. Its research encompasses the extraction of functional food ingredients from seaplants, nutrient supplements for animal feed, and natural compounds for cosmetics. Additionally, Sea6 Energy explores hydro-thermal conversion methods for seaplant biomass to fuel. With a team of professionals from diverse fields such as industrial automation, marine biology, and bioprocess engineering, the company aims to create a circular economy around marine biomass, minimizing waste and replacing harmful chemicals and plastics with sustainable alternatives.

Ecto

Venture Round in 2021
Ecto develops technology at the intersection of data and biology to enable a more efficient and sustainable aquaculture industry. We collaborate with farmers to streamline production and health management by leveraging advanced molecular tools and digital technologies. To date, our solutions have enabled farmers to create 51,510,714 additional healthy servings of protein. Ecto has offices in Boston, Atlanta, and Stavanger (Norway) and serves customers all over the world. The company was founded at Harvard Innovation Labs in 2013 by Dmitry Kozachenok, MBA and James Webb, Ph.D. The company has received competitive research grants from the US National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture, and Innovation Norway.

Sea6 Energy

Series B in 2021
Sea6 Energy Pvt. Ltd., based in Bengaluru, India, specializes in developing technologies to cultivate and convert seaplants into various bio-renewable products, including biofuels and plant growth stimulants. Founded in 2010, the company envisions leveraging the oceans as sustainable biomass farms to address needs across energy, agriculture, and food sectors. Its research encompasses the extraction of functional food ingredients from seaplants, nutrient supplements for animal feed, and natural compounds for cosmetics. Additionally, Sea6 Energy explores hydro-thermal conversion methods for seaplant biomass to fuel. With a team of professionals from diverse fields such as industrial automation, marine biology, and bioprocess engineering, the company aims to create a circular economy around marine biomass, minimizing waste and replacing harmful chemicals and plastics with sustainable alternatives.

Protix

Venture Round in 2021
Protix is a Netherlands-based company established in 2009 that specializes in producing sustainable insect proteins and lipids for animal feed. By converting organic waste, including food scraps from meat, fish, and dairy products, Protix creates high-quality protein meals and insect fats that serve as alternatives to traditional fishmeal and additives for pet food. The company's approach not only provides a low-impact protein source but also contributes to a more balanced food system. With a focus on sustainability, Protix operates a production facility in Bergen op Zoom, enhancing its capacity to meet the growing demand for organic nutrients in the animal feed industry.

eFishery

Series B in 2020
eFishery is automatic fish feeder for all types of fish. This tool can not only provide feed scheduled, with a dose efficient, and automatic, but also record every feed in real-time. You can access the data feed, anytime, anywhere with precision. There is no longer a problem of over-feeding, fish feeding or feed irregularly diverted. eFishery provide the best solutions, reliable, and affordable.

Swedish Algae Factory

Venture Round in 2020
Swedish Algae Factory extracts with silicon algae as a raw material a nanoporous material from these algae, which when applied to solar panels gives increased efficiency. The first tests in laboratory environments indicate a significant increase in efficiency.

Ace Aquatec

Venture Round in 2019
Ace Aquatec Limited is a company focused on providing innovative technological solutions to the aquaculture and marine industries. Established in 1999 and headquartered in Dundee, United Kingdom, with additional offices in Scotland and Canada, Ace Aquatec specializes in several key areas, including acoustic marine mammal deterrents, humane electrical fish stunning equipment, and underwater 3D cameras for biomass measurement. Their products are designed to enhance animal welfare and promote responsible marine practices. The US3 model of acoustic deterrent serves the fish farming sector by offering advanced features such as data logging and sonar triggering, while the MMD model targets longline fishermen and offshore platforms involved in activities like pile driving and oil spill responses. Through these innovations, Ace Aquatec aims to support sustainable practices in aquaculture and marine operations globally.

Molofeed

Venture Round in 2019
Molofeed (formerly MiniPro) is a Norwegian developer of larval feed for finfish and shrimp based on proprietary, micro-encapsulation technology. The company aims to solve an industry-specific issue of live feed production for fishes- besides being an expensive process, live feed supply is often limited, and adding to the problem is the fact that fish larvae aren’t able to digest nutrients in artificial feed.

BioFishency

Venture Round in 2019
BioFishency is developing a cost-effective, all-in-one water treatment system for land-based aquaculture. The system operates with all different aquaculture methods: extensive (land ponds), intensive (constructed ponds), and recirculated. It enables fish farms to double or triple production while continuing to use installed infrastructure. BioFishency overcomes the two key aquaculture challenges: limited water availability and buildup of toxic ammonia (excreted by the fish). It enhances the water conditions to increase the ability of the fish to survive, grow, and reproduce. With BioFishency’s system, farmers increase fish production with minimal investment, significantly increasing profitability and sustainability.

eFishery

Series A in 2018
eFishery is automatic fish feeder for all types of fish. This tool can not only provide feed scheduled, with a dose efficient, and automatic, but also record every feed in real-time. You can access the data feed, anytime, anywhere with precision. There is no longer a problem of over-feeding, fish feeding or feed irregularly diverted. eFishery provide the best solutions, reliable, and affordable.

CageEye

Venture Round in 2018
CageEye is a many ten years of experience with instrumentation and hydroacoustics. they specialize in monitoring tools for aquaculture and hydroacoustic analysis tools, but our expertise covers everything from analog front-end hardware to end-user software.

XpertSea

Series A in 2018
XpertSea Solutions Inc. develops solutions to count aquatic organisms for aquaculture farmers and scientists worldwide. It offers XperCount, a connected device for counting, sizing, and imaging small aquatic organisms. The company also provides a platform for generating, storing, and analyzing data about aquatic populations. XpertSea Solutions Inc. was founded in 2009 and is based in Quebec, Canada.

Hatch Blue

Venture Round in 2018
Hatch Blue Limited is an accelerator specializing in pre-seed, early-stage aquaculture startups. The firm invests in nutrition, health, genetics/ biotech, production and tech sector companies. It runs a three-month long intensive program and includes housing at BTO25,000 (USD36, 000). The firm would select companies to invest between €0.10 million ($ 0.11 million) and €1 million ($ 11.16 million).When required the firm can invest additional €0.025 million ($0.028) in the program. Hatch Blue Limited was founded in 2017 and is based in Cork, Ireland.

Proteon Pharmaceuticals

Venture Round in 2017
PROTEON uses precision biology for microbiome protection to improve animal and human health, increasing environmental sustainability and eliminating the unnecessary use of antibiotics. We have developed a platform to develop and deliver bacteriophages for animal health solutions. Our pipeline includes solutions to prophylactically improve performance and food safety in poultry, as well as important prevent economically important bacterial diseases in aquaculture and dairy.

Ecto

Venture Round in 2017
Ecto develops technology at the intersection of data and biology to enable a more efficient and sustainable aquaculture industry. We collaborate with farmers to streamline production and health management by leveraging advanced molecular tools and digital technologies. To date, our solutions have enabled farmers to create 51,510,714 additional healthy servings of protein. Ecto has offices in Boston, Atlanta, and Stavanger (Norway) and serves customers all over the world. The company was founded at Harvard Innovation Labs in 2013 by Dmitry Kozachenok, MBA and James Webb, Ph.D. The company has received competitive research grants from the US National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture, and Innovation Norway.

Protix

Venture Round in 2017
Protix is a Netherlands-based company established in 2009 that specializes in producing sustainable insect proteins and lipids for animal feed. By converting organic waste, including food scraps from meat, fish, and dairy products, Protix creates high-quality protein meals and insect fats that serve as alternatives to traditional fishmeal and additives for pet food. The company's approach not only provides a low-impact protein source but also contributes to a more balanced food system. With a focus on sustainability, Protix operates a production facility in Bergen op Zoom, enhancing its capacity to meet the growing demand for organic nutrients in the animal feed industry.

Calysta

Series D in 2017
Calysta, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing and manufacturing protein ingredients derived from innovative sources. It provides nutritional feeds and health products for fish and livestock, as well as chemicals for various applications, including fibers, plastics, and building materials. The company also produces biofuels utilizing methane as a sustainable feedstock. Established in 2011 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Calysta has expanded its presence with additional locations in Houston, London, Stavanger, and Singapore. It has formed a strategic partnership with Bluestar Adisseo Company to enhance its product offerings. Originally known as Calysta Energy, the company rebranded in May 2014, reflecting its broader focus beyond energy solutions.

Love The Wild

Series A in 2017
Love The Wild creates exciting dinner solutions that are not only delicious, nutritious, and ecologically responsible. It sells an easy frozen kit of sustainable fish and bold sauce in the grocery store. Its customers are fish lovers who don’t always have time to cook from scratch or anyone who has been afraid to try cooking fish at home. They believe they can make a difference just by making dinner. It aims to make life better for oceans and people by taking the intimidation and risk out of exceptional fish dinners. As leaders in the aquaculture movement, they partner with and support farmers we trust to source only the highest quality sustainable fish, freeze it fresh, then pair it with vibrant ingredients from cuisines around the globe.

Indian Ocean Trepang

Venture Round in 2016
The Organic Sea Cucumber of Madagascar, Sandfish, Holothuria scabra. Sea cucumbers have been consumed as a delicacy, since as early as the 8th century. Today, sea cucumbers are critical to the Indo-Pacific region ecosystems, where local fishermen harvest them to meet rising global demand. But, due to the long-standing exploitation of the 70+ sea cucumber species - which have a commercial value -, tropical regions are seeing alarming extinctions of their respective local sea cucumber species. Indian Ocean Trepang (“IOT”) grows, processes and sells dried sea cucumbers to consumers worldwide, using a unique low-tech environmentally-sound model, for which a portion of its production is subcontracted to low-income fishermen giving them access to a growing and lucrative global market. IOT partners with local fishing villages, to return sea cucumber farming back to its natural spot, in the sea, and away from expensive facilities.

Matorka

Venture Round in 2016
Matorka ehf. produces seafood. The company focuses on land based farming of salmonid for world markets. It serves seafood restaurants and retailers. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in Kopavogur, Iceland.

Sogn Aqua AS

Venture Round in 2016
Sogn Aqua AS produces halibut.

eFishery

Seed Round in 2015
eFishery is automatic fish feeder for all types of fish. This tool can not only provide feed scheduled, with a dose efficient, and automatic, but also record every feed in real-time. You can access the data feed, anytime, anywhere with precision. There is no longer a problem of over-feeding, fish feeding or feed irregularly diverted. eFishery provide the best solutions, reliable, and affordable.

Chicoa Fish Farm

Venture Round in 2015
Chicoa Fish Farm, established in 2017 and located in Maputo, Mozambique, is dedicated to producing and supplying tilapia fish. The company operates as a sustainable fish farming enterprise, aiming to enhance the aquaculture industry in the region. Chicoa Fish Farm emphasizes offshore breeding and careful genetic selection, coupled with sustainable husbandry practices. These methods not only provide a nutritious and scalable protein source but also demonstrate low feed conversion ratios. This approach enables small-scale farmers to achieve cost-effective and environmentally friendly fish production, contributing to a low carbon footprint and promoting sustainable aquaculture practices in Mozambique.

eFishery

Seed Round in 2014
eFishery is automatic fish feeder for all types of fish. This tool can not only provide feed scheduled, with a dose efficient, and automatic, but also record every feed in real-time. You can access the data feed, anytime, anywhere with precision. There is no longer a problem of over-feeding, fish feeding or feed irregularly diverted. eFishery provide the best solutions, reliable, and affordable.