The fifth edition of the Women in Ocean Food Latin America & Caribbean Innovation Studio has officially kicked off in La Paz, Mexico, bringing together women-led ocean food ventures from across the region for an intensive in-person programme focused on climate-positive solutions in the blue economy.
Launched on 26 January 2026, the 10-day studio marks the start of a 12-month, equity-free support initiative designed to address persistent funding and capacity gaps faced by female founders in ocean and seafood-related sectors. The programme is organised by Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures, with sponsorship from Innovaciones Alumbra, Builders Initiative, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, the Beyster Foundation for Enterprise Development and Sea Forward Fund.
Now in its fifth edition, the Innovation Studio targets women-led ventures working across aquaculture, marine biotechnology, seafood value chains, ocean conservation and blue carbon, with a strong emphasis on scalable, climate-positive impact.
“This Innovation Studio goes beyond the two weeks we spend together in the workroom,” said Mariana Flores, Community Manager at Hatch Blue. “Since 2024, Women in Ocean Food has grown into a community where graduates continue to support one another — serving as mentors, meeting online or in person, and staying connected even when they live in different countries. Throughout the year, we organise a range of activities so participants get the most value from being part of this select group of leaders.”
Across its first four editions, the programme has supported 43 companies from more than 24 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to the organisers, the initiative responds to a persistent imbalance in access to capital and support for women entrepreneurs in ocean food systems.
“Women are building some of the most compelling solutions in the ocean food system, yet they continue to face disproportionate barriers to capital and support,” said Gracie White, Director at Conservation International Ventures. “The Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio is about closing that gap by providing practical, equity-free support to women-led ventures that are advancing climate-positive solutions across aquaculture, seafood value chains and ocean conservation in the region.”
The 2026 cohort reflects the growing diversity of innovation in the sector, with ventures spanning alternative aquaculture inputs, digital monitoring, circular economy seafood processing, pollution mitigation and renewable energy from marine biomass.
Participants in this year’s studio come from across Latin America and the Caribbean and include businesses converting invasive sargassum into clean fuel, deploying AI-powered monitoring systems for aquaculture and marine ecosystems, developing bio-based solutions for wastewater treatment, and creating value-added products from underutilised fish species.
The two-week studio will conclude with a Community Day in La Paz on 5 February 2026, offering industry stakeholders, investors and partners the opportunity to meet founders and engage with their pitches.
2026 Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio participants:
- ACUAPEZ (Bolivia): Produces locally manufactured extruded aquafeed to support regional freshwater aquaculture, including pacú, tambaqui, pangasius and tilapia
- Acústica Marina (Chile): Develops AI-powered smart buoy networks to monitor underwater noise, marine life and ocean conditions for ports, aquaculture and maritime projects
- Bioproc (Chile): Creates modular, floating, low-energy biodevices for treating agro-industrial and aquaculture wastewater
- EriSea / Promarine Antioxidants (Argentina): Produces marine antioxidant supplements from unfertilised sea urchin roe using circular aquaculture models
- Hecho por Mujeres (Bolivia): A collective of women fish farmers producing value-added fish products, including dehydrated fish powder
- Nereuz (Peru): Provides AI-driven monitoring tools for aquaculture, automating biomass estimation and stock assessment
- Piscícola La Zunilda (Colombia): Produces red tilapia using bio-RAS technology, optimising water use and avoiding chemical inputs
- Regenerative Enterprise (Mexico): Develops aquaculture inputs while eliminating nitrogen pollution through mangrove agroforestry systems
- Rum and Sargassum (Barbados): Converts invasive sargassum into renewable transport fuel and provides vehicle retrofitting solutions
- TIDE (Venezuela): Cultivates seaweed and produces organic seaweed-based bio-stimulants for agriculture
Organisers say the programme aims not only to accelerate individual ventures, but also to strengthen regional collaboration and visibility for women-led innovation in the ocean food sector.
