Hatch Blue and Oceans Advance Launch Nine-Month Studio to Scale 10 Atlantic Canada Aquatech Startups

In July 2026, the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Studio launched a nine-month accelerator backing 10 early-stage startups in aquaculture, aquatech, and marine biotechnology. Supported by Hatch Blue and Oceans Advance, the program helps founders scale solutions in sustainable feed, animal health, circularity, and decarbonization.

Inside the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Studio

• Run by Hatch Blue and Oceans Advance, this nine-month program is supported by the Canadian government through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Canada's Ocean Supercluster, along with the government of Newfoundland and Labrador. It begins with a two-week intensive in St. John's, followed by structured support throughout the year. 
• Founders receive one-on-one support from Hatch Blue’s team and mentors from its global aquaculture network, emphasizing commercial strategy, industry partnerships, and investment preparation. The Studio helps accelerate commercialization by engaging directly with producers, technology partners, investors, and local partners.
• The inaugural cohort showcases innovation across the aquaculture value chain, including companies like Smallfood (NS) developing protein-rich microalgae for aquafeed, and Atlantic BioCorp (NL) developing a natural feed additive from Northern shrimp biomass. VAH Atlantic (PE) is testing an in-feed treatment for sea lice in salmon.
• Other startups focus on environmental performance, such as Clean Valley (NS), which develops algae biofilters for wastewater treatment, and FinLeaf Technologies (NS), converting aquaculture waste into biostimulant fertilizers. The cohort also includes Mekapisk EnviroBlu Solutions (NL), manufacturing biodegradable industrial cleaners; NL Marine Organics (NL), refining fish-hydrolysate fertilizer; HoldfastNL (NL), creating kelp-based biostimulants; and BioLabMate (NL), turning seaweed into bioplastics for lab use.

From Founder Vision to Investable Venture

Shelly Petten, CEO of Oceans Advance, stated that by combining its world-class science, deep ocean expertise, and strong tech ecosystem, Atlantic Canada is launching the Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Studio to accelerate local startup growth, attract investment, and establish the region as a premier global hub for aquaculture technology.

Wayne Murphy, Co-Founder & Partner of Hatch Blue, also remarked that the timing is ideal, as the region's strong heritage in the blue economy provides an optimal environment for aquatech innovation and top talent to thrive, which is further supported by Canada's federal food security strategy. 

The studio aligns with the federal government's food security strategy and will conclude with the Innovate Aquaculture forum in St. John's. This gathering brings together industry leaders, producers, technology developers, and investors to showcase the technologies developed during the program and shape the future of the sector.

Impact on the Healthcare Industry

This launch has a greater impact on the healthcare industry by advancing preventative veterinary medicine and producing novel, ocean-derived nutraceuticals and sustainable proteins, while overcoming traditional industry limitations like supply chain bottlenecks, environmental degradation, and resource scarcity.

The cohort focuses heavily on preventative animal health, which lowers the need for antibiotics and decreases the risk of antibiotic resistance entering the broader food supply. Alternative nutrients and proteins directly improve human nutrition and serve as a sustainable alternative to traditional fishmeal. Through marine therapeutics and nutraceuticals from ocean-derived extracts, the studio supports the development of natural nutraceuticals and biomaterials for medical and healthcare applications.

The aquaculture studio is transforming traditional aquaculture by replacing harsh synthetic chemicals with natural alternatives, such as microalgae-based feed to ease wild fisheries depletion. To achieve circularity, startups leverage algae biofilters for wastewater treatment and convert solid fish waste into agricultural fertilizers, transforming pollution into regenerative, closed-loop processes and driving a greener blue economy with encouraging sustainability targets.

Impact of the Aquafeed and Aquaculture Additive Market

The global aquafeed and aquaculture additive market size accounted for USD 78.40 billion in 2025 and is predicted to increase from USD 83.73 billion in 2026 to approximately USD 150.17 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 6.80% from 2026 to 2035.

According to Precedence Research, this launch impacts the market by transforming promising technologies into investable and market-ready businesses with addressing industry-wide sustainability challenges.

The accelerator emphasizes developing sustainable, circular, and high-performance feed ingredients and additives. Sustainable aquaculture innovations include Smallfood utilizing microalgae and precision fermentation to create protein- and DHA-rich replacements and reducing marine ecosystem pressures. Additionally, Atlantic BioCorp formulates shrimp-derived natural pigments as an alternative to synthetic astaxanthin for salmon, while EVAH Atlantic tests the non-chemical RESETtx for sea lice.

The cohort addresses industry limitations by encouraging technologies that manage environmental impact through decarbonization pathways and transform waste into sustainable fertilizers, improving commercial scalability. Startups like Acuicy, FinLeaf Technologies, and Clean Valley provide solutions for carbon management and effluent conversion to foster operational efficiency and bridge the gap between research development and market adoption.

About Oceans Advance Inc.

Oceans Advance Inc. based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, and is functions as a premier ocean technology innovation cluster, connecting industry, research, and government to accelerate technology and economic growth within the marine and offshore sectors. The organization fosters a collaborative ecosystem, supporting the development of new technologies, commercial strategies, and investment readiness. The organization further strengthens the local ocean technology sector by fostering connections and advocating for a supportive regulatory environment.

About Hatch Blue

Founded in 2017, Hatch Blue is a global aquaculture investment firm operating through funds, accelerators, and consultancy services. It not only supports startups in feed, health, genetics, technology, and blue carbon to mitigate the environmental footprint of alternative and farmed seafood for the benefit of future generations. They also facilitate regional Studio Programs for founders and offer specialized Consulting and Advisory Services covering market analysis and environmental strategy.