AtlantiCan Growth Partners (AGP), based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, has launched as a long-term investment platform it said is focusing on the blue economy in Atlantic Canada.
The firm said its new investment platform is dedicated to high-potential businesses across Atlantic Canada and will partner with operators, founders, and leaders in sectors where the region holds a competitive advantage. The long-term vision is to launch three dedicated funds, starting with a CAD 100 million to CAD 150 million (USD 71 million to USD 107 million, EUR 61 million to EUR 92 million) fund.
“Atlantic Canada has always punched above its weight. This region is home to exceptional companies, driven founders, and a strong support system that is often understated,” AGP President and CEO Alex McCallum said. “What we see now is an opportunity to build on that foundation with more dedicated growth-stage capital for companies ready to scale. AGP brings the capital, experience, and hands-on support required to build the next generation of Atlantic Canadian anchor companies.”
The firm said its initial investments will focus on leveraging the region’s talent pool in aquaculture, marine technology, fisheries, and ocean innovation. That focus is intended to fill a funding gap in Atlantic Canada, which according to AGP has only attracted 2 to 3 percent of national venture capital.
"Having spent over three decades in the investment space, I know the incredible potential of Atlantic Canada’s businesses and the challenges they face when scaling,” AGP Executive Chairman Telfer Hanson said. “AGP is the realization of a long-term goal to bridge the region's funding gap. We are providing the dedicated growth capital, strategic governance, and hands-on support our entrepreneurs need to drive long-term regional value."
AGP said it is actively seeking connections with founders and operators to assist with building a scalable business and for co-investors and institutional partners interested in contributing to the new fund.
The firm also said it has attracted well-known figures to its board of directors, including Kendra MacDonald – the CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster.
“Atlantic Canada has long been home to world-class operators, innovators, and industry expertise. What the region needs now is more dedicated growth capital to help those companies scale,” MacDonald said. “AGP is built to support that next stage of growth, starting in the blue economy, where the region has both deep roots and global opportunity.”
The fund is the latest in a string of investment pushes into the seafood and blue economy space, which include large sums like S2G Investments USD 1 billion (EUR 862 million) fund, Bluefront Equity’s USD 100 million (EUR 86 million) fund, and Hatch Blue’s fund which has invested in the aquaculture sector and scientific research to aid the blue economy.
