Hatch Blue unveils seven early-stage companies driving innovation across aquaculture, ocean health, and blue carbon

July 2025 — The Crest Accelerator brings seven more new companies to Hawai’i for the program’s final innovation-focused kickoff of 2025. Hawai’i’s Ocean Science and Technology (HOST) will play literal host to the companies operating in technologies ranging from AI-driven shrimp pond diagnostics to seaweed-powered crop boosters. 

“We are excited to welcome these seven companies to the Hatch Blue Early Stage portfolio. Our investment comes from Hatch Accelerator Fund II, which has an accelerator-led investment strategy. CREST is our next generation accelerator program and it has been designed to jump start the development of our investees in the sector. The program focuses on providing specific deliverables to our investees across network, Intellectual Property, Market assessment, competitive landscape, Life Cycle Assessment and marketing and branding with the aim of positioning our portfolio for accelerated success. These seven companies have been carefully selected for team, market opportunity, innovation and impact to the sector.” said Caitriona Kelleher, Early Stage Investments Director.

Meet the CREST July 2025 Cohort:

Nernst Electric — USA/Ireland
Revolutionizing on-site oxygen production with 3D-printed ceramic membranes for aquaculture producers, enabling higher stocking densities and lower energy use.

FP Aqua — Denmark/Norway
Real-time, AI-powered monitoring of phytoplankton and zooplankton for early detection of sea lice larvae, algal blooms, and jellyfish in fish farms — helping farmers respond faster and protect stock.

MarinElixirs — USA/India
A vertically integrated seaweed operation producing plant biostimulants and animal feed ingredients via a sustainable “seed-and-buy-back” model, currently present across coastal India.

Seacrop — IsraelUsing patented electrostatic fiber to harvest marine phytoplankton as a sustainable protein source for aquafeed and future food applications. (Website not publicly available)

Rare Earth Global — UK/Spain
Commercializing hemp-based aquafeed ingredients and bioconcrete materials by processing the whole plant at harvest — a low-carbon, high-protein alternative to soy and fishmeal.

Hadl — USA/Indonesia
Using AI-based image recognition to detect plankton and pathogens in shrimp ponds, Hadl replaces manual testing with seamless, hardware-free, on-site diagnostics that reduce mortality and lab costs.

Vycarb — USA
Deploying a scalable, water-based carbon capture and storage (CCS) system that offers permanent CO₂ sequestration at low cost — with exact tracking and real-world pilots already in motion.

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About CREST
CREST is Hatch Blue’s global accelerator for early-stage startups working at the intersection of aquaculture, climate resilience, and the regenerative ocean economy. The program provides capital, mentorship, and global exposure to companies solving critical challenges in food, ocean health, and carbon management.

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For more information on Crest or to be connected with these companies, contact 

Benedict Tan, Programme Director

benedict@hatch.blue

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