East Boothbay, Maine, U.S.A.-based Bigelow Laboratory of Ocean Sciences has partnered with aquaculture investment firm Hatch Blue to launch “a first of its kind” blue biotech innovation studio to aid ten businesses with growing enough to attract investors.
According to a release by Hatch Blue, the innovation studio will work with the Maine Technology Institute to create better avenues for pushing marine resources into high-value sectors, enabling companies to grow large enough for investors to buy in. Hatch Blue added that the inaugural cohort’s 10 teams include companies from the U.S. Northeast, Norway, Canada, and Germany working across algae innovation, aquaculture health, biomaterials, and marine circularity. The founders will embed into Maine’s blue economy ecosystem, working with scientists, industry partners, investors, and infrastructure leaders to strengthen their technology and business models.
“What’s particularly exciting about this program is that it’s the first studio of its kind focused specifically on blue biotechnology,” Hatch Blue Studio Director Dylan Terry said in a release. “We’ve brought together a really strong group of companies working across algae innovation, aquaculture health, biomaterials and marine circularity. The aim is to give these founders the time, mentorship and industry connections needed to help turn promising marine technologies into scalable companies.”
Founders will work in intensive one-on-one mentorships with industry leaders, visit regional seafood and seaweed processors, and gain exposure to Maine’s marine laboratories and research institutions.
The ten participants include three Maine-based companies – fish-derived biomedical materials company Salmonics, seaweed-based food additives producer RuMeverse, and farmed kelp company Atlantic Blue Bio. There are also three other northeastern U.S. companies, with seaweed-based edible coatings company Atlantic Sea Solutions from Connecticut, kelp breeding company MacroBreed from New York, and Massachusetts-based Kykloris, which builds systems that converts shellfish waste into high-performance chitosan join the group. Global companies include sludge-to-protein aquafeed provider CapiPro from Norway, oral aquaculture vaccine company SEVO Bioscience from Canada, seaweed-derived biostimulant producer Kelpinor from Norway, and microalgae and mucelium co-fermentation company Koralo from Germany.
Hatch Blue said locating the innovation studio in Maine was due to the state’s “unique” position as a global leader in marine resources, research institutions, and coastal business economy stretching across an abundant amount of coastline. Additionally, Maine hosts the nation’s fastest-growing seaweed aquaculture industry, has the most diverse algae culture collections, and is close to Boston’s life science ecosystem, the company added. The innovation studio will be on display 19 March 2026 at the North Atlantic Blue BioTech Summit in Portland, Maine, U.S.A., which brings together investors, corporates, innovators, and policymakers.
“Maine is emerging as the nation’s testbed for blue biotechnology innovation and startups – with abundant marine resources, world-class marine science, pilot facilities, and a collaborative innovation ecosystem,” Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences Vice President for Research Beth Orcut said. “Having the teams here at Bigelow Laboratory this week, you can really feel the momentum building. There’s a real energy in the room as founders connect with mentors, interact with resources and support in Maine, and identify areas where they can engage and form partnerships.”
