Aqua-Spark, the first investment fund focused on sustainable aquaculture, is making two important investments that could help transform the booming aquaculture industry.
The first investment is in US-based biotechnology company Calysta, which develops an efficient, methane-eating natural microbe that produces protein. Aqua-Spark says this new sustainable feed ingredient could replace fishmeal, making it healthier and more environmentally sound.
This protein is said to have a smaller carbon footprint than soy and is proven to be a healthy, readily available and highly digestible alternative for fishmeal.
“We’ve spent the last many months examining technologies, businesses and farms around the world that have the potential to shift the aquaculture industry,” said Mike Velings and Amy Novogratz, co-founders of Aqua-Spark.
Aqua-Spark’s second investment is in Chicoa Fish Farm, located in Mozambique, Africa. The team has over 20 years of experience in Southern African aquaculture and sustainability practices.
This investment is part of a larger strategy to help develop a sustainable aquaculture industry in sub-Saharan Africa, where only 1% of consumed fish is currently from aquaculture.
“Calysta is a transformative way of providing feed to farm-raised fish. And Chicoa is a farm operation that, we firmly believe, has the potential to spur the right kind of aquaculture development across the continent,” added Mr Velings and Ms Novogratz.
“Getting aquaculture right means alleviating pressure on our stressed oceans while also providing people around the world with a healthy food source. We’re confident our first two investees will help do both,” they concluded.
Aqua-Spark launched in 2013. Since then, the fund has raised US$10m for the sole purpose of investing in aspects of the aquaculture industry that will make fish farming sustainable. The aim of the fund is to grow to US$400m by 2025. Its first round of investments is valued at US$4m.
