Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Innovation Studio launches in St. John’s

13 July, 2026 The Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Studio has launched in St. John's, bringing together 10 early-stage aquaculture, aquatech and marine biotechnology companies from across the region to help transform promising technologies into investable, market-ready businesses.

Run by Hatch Blue with Oceans Advance, the nine-month program has support from the Government of Canada through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Canada's Ocean Supercluster, together with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. The program begins with a two-week intensive in St. John's before continuing with structured support throughout the year. Participation is free, and no equity is taken.

Across the program, founders receive one-to-one support from Hatch Blue's team and mentors drawn from its global aquaculture network. The focus is on strengthening commercial strategy, building industry partnerships and preparing companies to raise investment. Through direct engagement with producers, technology and feed partners, investors and local delivery partners, the Studio helps companies accelerate commercialization and build the relationships needed to scale.

Meet the 2026 Cohort 

The inaugural cohort represents innovation across the aquaculture value chain, from feed and animal health to emissions reduction, water treatment and marine circularity.

• Smallfood (Nova Scotia) – precision-fermentation company producing protein- and DHA-rich microalgae biomass as an aquaculture feed ingredient, offering a replacement for fishmeal and fish oil.
• Atlantic BioCorp (Newfoundland and Labrador) – developing a pigmented protein feed additive from Northern shrimp biomass as a natural alternative to synthetic astaxanthin, the pigment behind farmed salmon’s colour.
• EVAH Atlantic (Prince Edward Island) – developing RESETtx, a first-in-class in-feed treatment for sea lice in farmed Atlantic salmon, now in field trials.
• Acuicy (Nova Scotia) – a climate-fintech software platform that turns aquaculture operators’ asset-level emissions data into costed decarbonisation pathways, modelling CAPEX, payback and savings.
• Clean Valley (Nova Scotia) – an algae biofilter that treats wastewater from land-based aquaculture, absorbing nutrients from farm effluent while producing algae that can be reused, including as oyster feed.
• Mekapisk EnviroBlu Solutions (Newfoundland and Labrador) developing a water-based, biodegradable, non-corrosive industrial cleaner and degreaser for marine, energy and industrial sectors, with aquaculture as an emerging application.
• FinLeaf Technologies (Nova Scotia) – converts solid waste from land-based aquaculture into phosphorus-rich biostimulant fertilisers for crop growers
• NL Marine Organics (Newfoundland and Labrador) – biorefines liquid fish-hydrolysate fertiliser from aquaculture mortality and wild fish processing waste, stabilised close to source by dockside ensiling.
• HoldfastNL (Newfoundland and Labrador) – produces kelp-based liquid agricultural biostimulants from cultivated sugar kelp. 
• BioLabMate (Newfoundland and Labrador) – converts seaweed into thermoplastic bio-resins that replace petroleum-based plastics in laboratory and medical consumables such as weigh boats and tube racks.

“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,” said Shelly Petten, CEO of Oceans Advance. “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 centre for aquaculture technology.” 

"We're delighted to launch this innovation studio in Atlantic Canada. Given the region's rich blue economy heritage, we see fertile ground here for both aquatech innovation and top talent to scale it. The timing is perfect, given the Canadian federal government's recent food security strategy to drive local, sustainable production and consumption. Looking forward to supporting this cohort of 10 high-potential Canadian companies ," said Wayne Murphy, Co-Founder & Partner of Hatch Blue. 

A New Industry Day to Close the Studio

The studio closes with Innovate Aquaculture: the solutions shaping the future — an invitation-only forum on 23 July 2026 in St. John's, Newfoundland. It brings the people driving the sector's future into the same room: producers across salmon, shellfish and the wider value chain, the feed and technology companies supplying them, the investors backing the sector, and the early-stage ventures shaping what's next. The morning features keynotes, a panel on Atlantic Canadian aquaculture innovation, and a showcase where the 2026 Studio companies present what they're building.

Register your interest: https://luma.com/pwy92blc

‍