Cork, Ireland-based global aquaculture investment firm Hatch Blue is partnering with St. John’s, Canada-based ocean technology association Oceans Advance to create the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Studio.
The studio will launch officially in July in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, aiming to help companies scale faster, attract investment, and commercialize technologies that are built in Canada, according to a release by Hatch Blue. The Atlantic Canada studio is the second launching this year by Hatch Blue, who previously announced a similar venture in Maine.
“Atlantic Canada has every ingredient needed to lead the next wave of global aquaculture innovation – world-class science, deep ocean expertise, and a growing community of ambitious technology companies,” Oceans Advance CEO Shelly Petten said in the release. “The launch of the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Studio marks a pivotal moment for our region. We are creating the conditions for company founders to accelerate their ideas, attract investment, and build scalable companies right here at home. This studio is about more than supporting entrepreneurs – it is about positioning Atlantic Canada as a global center for aquaculture technology and shaping the future of sustainable, ocean-based food systems.”
The studio will support up to 10 companies after launch through a nine-month founder-focused program with in-person workshops, industry engagement, and investment readiness support, the release said. Hatch Blue cited the growing global demand for sustainable sources of protein, particularly ocean-based protein, in regions like Atlantic Canada as the reason for launch.
Locations like the ones selected for this studio are budding with opportunities for marine science, industry infrastructure, and entrepreneurial growth, coupled with a pre-existing research and aquaculture sector, Hatch Blue said. Participation for the 10 companies is free, eliminating cost-prohibitive restrictions for newer companies.
“We run aquaculture innovation programs around the world, and Atlantic Canada stands out,” Hatch Blue Studio Director Dylan Terry said in the release. “Alongside its deep seafood heritage, what is notable here is the strong government support and regulatory environment that enables aquaculture to grow. For founders building the next generation of aquaculture technologies, this creates a real opportunity to build companies, attract investment, and scale globally from the region.”
Hatch Blue said eligible applicants for one of 10 spots should fall within the areas of sustainable feed and nutrition; animal health, genetics, and disease prevention; aquaculture technology and automation; marine biotechnology and new ocean-derived products; or biomaterials, nutraceuticals, and industrial applications.
The deadline to apply is 22 May 2026, through Hatch Blue’s website. The firm has so far hosted 26 innovation studios, and made six investments in Canadian aquaculture companies. All told, its studios have raised USD 300 million (EUR 258,822,000) in funding through studio participants.
“Atlantic Canada already generates strong innovation across aquaculture,” Hatch Blue said on its website. “What many founders need next is structured guidance, feedback, and access to the right networks to move from promising to investable and scalable. The studio exists to help bridge that gap.”
