Coast 4C has secured a US$2.5 million oversubscribed seed round to scale regenerative seaweed farming operations across Southeast Asia’s aquaculture sector.
The funding round, announced during London Climate Week, was led by Hatch Blue’s Blue Revolution Fund and backed by a group of impact-focused investors targeting sustainable aquaculture growth and marine conservation outcomes.
“The successful completion of the funding round marks a pivotal moment for Coast 4C,” said Nick Hill, founder and chief executive of Coast 4C. “We will use the proceeds from the seed round to reach breakeven ahead of a Series A round, driving scale initially within Southeast Asia before expanding into other regions.”
Supply chain investment
Coast 4C said the financing reflects growing institutional interest in sustainability funding linked to aquaculture and seaweed farming supply chains.
Southeast Asia remains the world’s largest producer of carrageenan, a seaweed-derived ingredient widely used in fish feed, food production, cosmetics and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
However, fragmented sourcing networks have historically limited supply consistency, quality assurance and farmer incomes.
The investment will support Coast 4C’s expansion of smallholder seaweed farming networks, digital traceability systems and market access capabilities across coastal communities.
Coast 4C’s platform connects smallholder farmers with global processors through traceable supply chains designed to improve productivity and support regenerative aquaculture practices.
It also provides technical support, farming inputs and market access for producers supplying red seaweed into international ingredient markets.
Lead investor Hatch Blue said the round signals a broader shift in aquaculture financing models away from grant dependency towards equity-backed investment in primary production.
The round was announced at the Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly during London Climate Week - co-hosted by the Earthshot Prize and Bloomberg Philanthropies - where Coast 4C is participating.
Coast 4C was a 2024 finalist of the Earthshot Prize, launched by Prince William in 2020 to accelerate innovative solutions to the world’s greatest environmental challenges.
