Women in Ocean Food Latin America and Caribbean innovation studio launches in La Paz.
The fifth edition of the Women in Ocean Food Latin America and Caribbean Innovation Studio has launched in La Paz, Mexico, bringing together women-led ocean food ventures from across the region for a 10-day in-person programme.
The studio, which began on 26 January, marks the start of a 12-month, equity-free support initiative aimed at addressing gaps in capital access and business support for female founders in the blue economy.
The programme targets women-led ventures developing climate-positive solutions across aquaculture, marine biotechnology, seafood value chains, ocean conservation and blue carbon.
The initiative is organised by Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures, and is sponsored by Innovaciones Alumbra, Builders Initiative, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, the Beyster Foundation for Enterprise Development and Sea Forward Fund.
“This Innovation Studio goes beyond the two weeks we spend together in the workroom. Since 2024, Women in Ocean Food has grown into a community where graduates continue to support one another; serving as mentors, meeting online or in person, and staying connected even when they live in different countries,” said Mariana Flores, Community Manager at Hatch Blue.
“Throughout the year, we organise a range of activities so participants get the most value from being part of this select group of leaders. It’s such a rewarding experience to see them grow.”
Over the past four editions of the Innovation Studio, 43 companies from more than 24 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean have graduated from the programme.
“Women are building some of the most compelling solutions in the ocean food system, yet they continue to face disproportionate barriers to capital and support,” said Gracie White, Director at Conservation International Ventures.
“The Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio is about closing that gap by providing practical, equity-free support to women-led ventures that are advancing climate-positive solutions across aquaculture, seafood value chains and ocean conservation in the region.”
Participants in the latest cohort come from across Latin America and the Caribbean and include ventures working on applications ranging from invasive sargassum conversion to renewable fuels, AI-powered marine monitoring systems, wastewater treatment technologies and bio-based aquaculture inputs.
The two-week studio will conclude with a Community Day in La Paz on 5 February, where participants will present their projects to invited stakeholders.
The ten participating ventures are:
-
ACUAPEZ (Yapacaní, Bolivia), a cooperative-origin venture producing locally manufactured extruded aquafeed for pacú, tambaqui, pangasius and tilapia.
-
Acústica Marina (Valdivia, Chile), which develops AI-enabled smart buoy networks for real-time monitoring of underwater noise and ocean conditions.
-
Bioproc (Concepción, Chile), focused on modular, floating microbial biodevices for agro-industrial and aquaculture wastewater treatment.
-
EriSea / Promarine Antioxidants (Puerto Madryn, Argentina), producing marine antioxidant supplements from unfertilised sea urchin roe.
-
Hecho por Mujeres (Santa Fe de Yapacaní, Bolivia), a collective of women fish farmers producing value-added fish products.
-
Nereuz (Lima, Peru), which develops AI-based aquaculture monitoring tools for biomass estimation and stock assessment.
-
Piscícola La Zunilda (Puerto Lleras, Colombia), producing red tilapia using bio-RAS technology.
-
Regenerative Enterprise (La Paz, Mexico), which develops aquaculture inputs using mangrove agroforestry systems to address nitrogen pollution.
-
Rum and Sargassum (St. James, Barbados), converting invasive sargassum seaweed into renewable transportation fuel.
-
TIDE (Isla de Margarita, Venezuela), cultivating seaweed for use in organic agricultural bio-stimulants.
Since its launch in 2021, the Women in Ocean Food programme has graduated 43 companies from 24 countries, with alumni collectively raising more than US$263 million in funding.