The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund has announced a €15 million commitment to Hatch’s Blue Revolution Fund.

The Blue Revolution Fund invests in early-stage aqua-farming and aqua-tech companies. Aquatech is the equivalent of farming our oceans. It includes innovative technology and service companies that advance the health of the oceans while providing sustainable seafood regenerative ecosystem services and community benefits. Another area of interest in aqua-tech is "blue carbon”, which involves developing technologies and practices that use marine biomass (such as seaweed and seagrass) to capture and store atmospheric carbon, thereby reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

Hatch is well integrated into Ireland’s aqua-culture ecosystem. It maintains a strategic relationship with Bord Iascaigh Mhara and has delivered its accelerator annually over the last five years. The Fund is based in Ireland and employs seven in its Cork office. Hatch has a pipeline of over fifty Irish start-ups distributed across the country, including in coastal communities.

A core part of the ISIF Food & Agriculture strategy is supporting the development of Ireland's marine resources. The fund is aligned with both Ireland’s Climate Action Plan and Ireland’s Food Vision 2030 which aims for Ireland to become a world leader in sustainable food systems over the next decade.

In addition to generating attractive financial returns is a commitment to strong Environmental, Social and Governance principles, commonly known as ESG. Hatch implements a robust science based ESG framework with external oversight, which is used to decide on new investments and the managing and monitoring of these investments. In recognition of Hatch’s commitment to sustainability, an early investor was The Nature Conservancy, a globally active biodiversity and sustainability NGO with deep expertise in ocean health.

Bord Iascaigh Mhara - Ireland's Seafood Development Agency have stated that this investment highlights the potential of sustainable aquaculture and aquatech innovations, to sustain our local communities.

The Blue Revolution Fund focuses on early-stage companies revolutionising Aquatech, paving the way for sustainable seafood production and innovative blue carbon initiatives.

Welcoming the news, Richard Donnelly, BIM’s Director of Development, and Innovation Services said, ‘Our partnership with Hatch strengthens Ireland's position as a global leader in marine resource development and sustainable food systems.’