Investor Forum

PescaData is a social enterprise dedicated to enhancing the productivity and quality of life for small-scale fishers while promoting sustainable fishing practices and protecting marine ecosystems. By leveraging digital technology, PescaData aims to empower fishing organisations and communities. 

Key Offerings: 

• Software as a Service (SaaS): PescaData provides a suite of digital tools designed for fishing organisations linked to the mobile app. These tools focus on:  
  • Data management: Logging information related to the origin, price and cost of fish products.
  • Human resources: Managing fishers, boats and permits at the organizational level.
  • Sustainable Certifications: Supporting organisations in obtaining and maintaining sustainable fish certifications.  
  • Human Rights Standards: Ensuring compliance with working and human rights standards within fishing organizations.  

• Peer-to-Peer Networking: The platform facilitates connections among small-scale fishers, enabling them to communicate, share experiences, and collaboratively implement solutions aimed at building healthy oceans and resilient coastal communities.  

• Learning: e-learning modules on sustainable fisheries, gender equality, marine conservation and more. 

Looking for: Debt or equity funding 

Ticket size: USD$200,000 (for up to 15% of the company) to further develop and implement the SaaS model (business and premium versions) and e-learning modules for fishers, fishing organisations and associated stakeholders. Expected ROI of 19 – 22% by 2030.   

Market size: PescaData’s plan is for its SaaS model to reach 60% of Mexico’s 5,000 small-scale fishing organisations (over 300,000 fishers) and to expand out to a similar number in Latin America. 

Contact Person: 
Stuart Fulton, Founder 
sfulton@cobi.org.mx 
https://pescadata.org/  
Read more here. 

Satsense Solutions utilises advanced satellite earth observation and geospatial analytics to provide comprehensive solutions for planning and managing key blue economy sectors, comprising natural capital, aquaculture, tourism and infrastructure. The current project focuses on addressing risks and challenges associated with sustainable tourism in the Sunderbans (across India and Bangladesh). The Sunderbans have a low-lying geography susceptible to typhoons and flooding and would benefit immensely from natural protection provided by the receding mangrove forests. By mapping climate risks to sustainable tourism and nature-based resilience provided by mangroves, Satsense Solutions aims to promote economic development while preserving this unique ecosystem and enhancing community resilience. 

Key Offerings: 

• Evaluating and mapping coastal ecosystem services (carbon sequestration, biodiversity and coastal protection) 

• Monitoring and evaluating sustainability of operations and environmental impacts (ecosystem degradation, water quality and land-use) 

Looking for: Grant funding / Project funding 

Ticket size: In total USD$10,000 – 500,000, can be split into USD$100,000 per project/site 

Market size: Having rolled out across the Sunderbans (India, Bangladesh), the company’s project pipeline includes locations in Indonesia, through Earth Security’s M40 initiative; and several sites in Africa, through the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience. Ultimately, the initiative is looking to scale to 40 locations worldwide. 

Contact Person: 
Pranav Pasari, CEO 
pranav.pasari@satsense.co
https://satsense.com/
Read more here. 

Aqua-farms Organisation (AFO) aims to offer an innovative financing solution to empower women seaweed farmers in East Africa. Through a rent-to-buy approach, AFO provides affordable access to essential equipment, training and resources for the more productive deep-water seaweed farming using tubular net technologies. The produce is then aggregated, processed and linked to the market, both for bulk buyers of raw material as well as a specialist shop (the Sustainable Blue Shop) that sells value-added products such as cosmetics and food products.

Looking for:  a combination of grant and equity funding.

Ticket size: Grant funding: USD$300,000 to be used for designing the business structure and setting up the framework for the rent-to-buy approach, developing the microcredit and savings scheme, creating the operational and financial model, conducting feasibility studies, and implementing necessary training programs for women seaweed farmers in Tanzania.

Equity funding: USD$500,000 used to acquire equipment and resources; establish the infrastructure and logistics; and invest in human resources for the scaled up sustainable production, processing and marketing of the seaweed.

Market size: The global market for seaweed is rapidly growing, primarily as a food ingredient (humans and domestic animals) due to its nutritious benefits, but also due to innovative new applications such as fertiliser and bioplastics. Africa’s seaweed supply currently accounts for only 1% of the global seaweed supply, representing a significant market opportunity for Tanzania’s producers.

Impact of the investment:

• Rent-to-buy approach used to support 25,000 seaweed farmers (through women groups) in Tanzania
• Income of each farmer improved by 3x because of access to equipment, quality seed, training, extension and advisory services, and links to market

  
  Contact Person:
  Jerry Mang’ena, CEO
  mangena@afo.or.tz

  Read more here.

The Save the Waves Coalition is developing groundbreaking parametric insurance solutions to safeguard surf ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. They are creating the world’s first parametric insurance policy and a Surf Ecosystem Resilience Trust Fund that will: 

• Insure surf breaks and their associated tourism value 

• Build conservation measures that strengthen the resilience of surf breaks against climate events 

• Develop local capacities and resources for disaster preparedness and rapid post-event ecosystem restoration. 

The parametric insurance product is designed to be triggered based on a set of predefined parameters, such as wave height, storm intensity, or sea temperature. When these parameters are met, indicating potential damage to the surf ecosystem, the policy will automatically pay out to the affected communities. This rapid payout mechanism allows for timely intervention to restore the ecosystem, mitigate economic losses caused by climate related events that compromise the ability of the ecosystem to produce surf breaks and help financially sustain communities for loss of revenue. 

Looking for: Grant funding 

Ticket size: USD$1.5M over 3 years to complete pilot location and scale to 2 new locations. 

Market size: Coastal communities in developing economies rely on surf breaks and associated ecosystems, such as mangroves and coral reefs, which are highly vulnerable to climate disasters. The global surf tourism industry, with over 35 million surfers, is valued at USD$31.5-64.9 billion annually.  

Contact Person: 
Diego Sancho-Gallegos, Stewardship & Resilience Manager 
diego@savethewaves.org
https://www.savethewaves.org/
Read more here. 

Acari LLC is an innovative company that produces pet food from invasive fish species. It is already working with the devil fish (armoured catfish), silver carp and lionfish. By transforming invasive species into nutritious pet treats, Acari addresses both environmental challenges and market needs. 

Key Offerings: 

• Pet Food Production: Acari specialises in creating high-protein jerky treats for cats and dogs, made from invasive species captured in the US, Mexico and across the Caribbean. These treats are marketed under the brand Pezzy Pets and are designed to be appealing to pets while utilising an invasive species that poses ecological threats.  

• Sustainable Supply Chain: The company has established a supply chain for sourcing, processing, and distributing these fish-based treats. This includes working closely with local fishers to ensure a steady supply of the invasive fish, which helps mitigate their impact on local ecosystems. 

Looking for: Grant and equity funding 

Ticket size:  

USD$50K in grant funding to develop the lionfish supply chain by equipping fishing co-operatives with compliant processing facilities and cover training and development costs.  

USD$250K investment in the company itself via a SAFE note at a USD$4 million valuation cap to fund inventory, distribution and marketing. 

Market size: The US pet treat market is valued at USD$6.7 billion per year, while fish-based pet foods are valued at over USD$10 billion per year. Fuelling growth in the market is strong demand for sustainable and novel proteins and Acari’s Pezzy Pets brand is a market leader in the sustainability segment.   

Contact Person: 
Mike Mitchell, Co-founder & CEO 
mike@acarifish.com
https://fishchoice.com/business/acari-el-diablito 
Read more here. 

Mawimbi Ocean Innovations 

Mawimbi Ocean Innovations is a pioneering company in the East African seaweed sector, revolutionising the way seaweed is produced in the region. By adopting a vertically integrated approach, the company seeks to create a sustainable and profitable seaweed industry that benefits both farmers and the environment.

Key Offerings: 

• Vertical Integration: Mawimbi Ocean Innovations is working towards becoming a fully integrated seaweed company, encompassing all stages of the value chain, from production to processing and marketing. This approach allows for greater control over quality, efficiency, and profitability.  

• Sustainable Seaweed Farming: They are introducing innovative farming techniques and technologies to improve the productivity and sustainability of seaweed cultivation in East Africa. This includes exploring deep-water farming methods to mitigate the impacts of climate change on shallow-water farms.  

• Farmer Network: The company is building a network of seaweed farmers across East Africa, providing them with access to training, equipment, and a guaranteed market for their produce. This approach ensures that farmers receive fair prices and incentivises them to adopt sustainable farming practices.  

• Local Value Addition: Mawimbi Ocean Innovations is investing in local processing facilities to create value-added seaweed products, such as food ingredients, cosmetics, and biofuels. By increasing the level of processing within the region, the company aims to increase margins for both its network of seaweed farmers and itself, as well as creating more jobs for local communities. 

Looking for: Grant and equity funding. 

Ticket size: Operations, farm design improvements, sales and buyer contract development: USD500k in grant and equity (already raised).  

Farm financing for new and improved seaweed farms in Kenya and Tanzania: USD1M in grant, equity and/or debt.   

Working capital for seaweed trading: USD500k in grant, equity and/or debt.  

Research and development for climate-resilient seeds for existing Eucheumatoid seaweed farming and introduction of new climate-positive and high-value species (including continued work with Asparagopsis; proven to reduce methane emissions from cattle): USD500k in grants. 

Market size: Africa’s seaweed supply currently accounts for only 1% of the global seaweed supply. This translates to a total of approximately 140,000 tons across 13 countries on the continent. At the same time, global projections indicate that the seaweed market will experience significant growth, reaching USD$30 billion or more by 2030.

Contact Person: 
Patrik Huber, Founder 
patrik@mawimbi.co 
Read more here. 

Pula Advisors is an innovative Insurtech, developing parametric insurance products and data services, tailored to protect agricultural communities against climate shocks across 19 countries in Africa and Asia. Bangladesh specifically is the 7th most vulnerable country to climate disasters and experiences up to 16 typhoons a year, impacting coastal agriculture communities. With the support of ORIC, Pula is developing an insurance product specifically to address the shocks of typhoons and to ensure predictable and timely financial support for populations affected by these events. 

Key Offerings: 

• Parametric Insurance Product: Pula Advisors is creating a parametric insurance solution that activates based on specific weather parameters. This means that when predefined conditions indicative of a disaster are met, payouts are automatically triggered, providing immediate financial assistance to affected farmers.  

• Timely Response: The insurance product is designed to guarantee a swift response to communities who have suffered damage to their crops or coastal farms, ensuring that they receive support when they need it most, rather than waiting for lengthy claims processes typical of traditional indemnity insurance.  

• Affordability and Transparency: Pula’s parametric insurance is positioned to be more affordable than conventional insurance products, with quick and transparent payout mechanisms. This accessibility is crucial for smallholder farmers who often face financial constraints. 

Looking for: Grant funding 

Ticket size: USD$500K for pilot implementation, which will catalyse a scaleup in subsequent years.    

Contact Person: 
Fiona Hoffman-Harland, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Growth 
fiona@pula.io
http://pula-advisors.com
Read more here. 

ABALOBI is a technology-driven company that is enhancing the livelihoods of small-scale fishing communities in South Africa and beyond. By applying data and Technology for Good, ABALOBI aims to develop thriving, equitable, resilient and sustainable fishing ecosystems that empower local fishers and promote responsible fishing practices. 

Key Offerings: 

• Fisher-Led Solutions: ABALOBI has developed solutions that are co-designed with fishers, ensuring that technologies and services meet their specific needs. This includes investments in decentralised cold chain infrastructure to improve fish storage and logistics in coastal communities; 

• Financial Services Activation: They provide tailored financial services, enabling fishers to access savings accounts and financial management tools. This support helps fishers build resilience against economic fluctuations and enhances their financial inclusion; 

• Online Marketplace: ABALOBI has developed an online marketplace that connects South African small-scale fishers with consumers seeking traceable, ecologically and socially fair seafood. This platform helps fishers secure better prices for their catch while promoting sustainable fishing practices. 

• Fisheries Improvement Programmes: They support fishers in implementing locally-led fisheries improvement programmes, focusing on sustainability and community engagement. These initiatives aim to enhance fish populations and ensure long-term ecological health. 

Looking for: a combination of grant funding for the non-profit making side of its operations; and soft (concessional / forgiveable) funding towards the higher risk growth elements and those that are still under R&D. Equity funding is sought for the development of the South African marketplace and the SaaS product development. 

Ticket size: 

USD$500k as grant to NPO: R&D and impact work, fisheries improvement, food security, catch monitoring, training and skills building in small-scale fisheries; 

USD$1.5M as forgiveable / concessional loan to NPO: for growth – onboarding of more fishers, working capital to build out logistics, stock holding potential, and export market development 

USD$500K to 1.5M as equity for a 10 – 20% share in the business: Tech building and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) activation in global markets. 

Market size: The South African online marketplace would be profitable with a sales volume of 15 tons a month; overall estimated market opportunity of approximately 60 tons a month.  

25 SaaS partners around the globe make the technology platform self-sustainable; market opportunity is 150 partners across the globe in the next decade. 

Contact Person: 
Serge Raemaekers, Founder & Director 
serge@abalobi.org 
Read more here. 

Sahabat Laut Lestari (SLL Fisheries) is developing the Perahu App, a mobile application designed to empower small-scale fishers in Indonesia. This innovative tool aims to enhance fishing practices and improve traceability within the fisheries sector. By enabling fishers to record essential data related to their catches—including fishing locations, gear used, and landing details—the app streamlines fishing operations and provides valuable insights into market dynamics and economic trends.

Key Offerings:

• Catch Data Integration: The Perahu App places artisanal fishers at the centre of the solution by recording systemic catch information including fishing grounds, gear used and landing data.
• Value Chain Records: The app integrates catch information with economic records, such as fisher to buyer transactions. This data provides value to various stakeholders while giving artisanal fishers insights into their operations and market value.
• Financial Track Record: By keeping detailed records of their catches and transactions, fishers can establish a financial track record, which can be used to apply for loans and government grants.

Looking for: Grant funding

Ticket size: USD$150K for pilot implementation.

Contact Person:

Laurentius Radhitya, Managing Director
laurentius@sahabatlautlestari.com
https://sahabatlautlestari.com/
Read more here.