Policy – July 13, 2026
Canada: new accelerator aims to fast-track aquaculture innovators
A new aquaculture accelerator has launched in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, bringing together 10 early-stage companies developing technologies for the aquaculture and marine biotechnology sectors.
The Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Innovation Studio is being run by Hatch Blue in partnership with Oceans Advance, with funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Canada's Ocean Supercluster and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The nine-month programme begins with a two-week intensive workshop before providing mentoring, commercial support and investor engagement throughout the year. Participants receive support free of charge and are not required to give up equity.
The inaugural cohort includes companies developing alternative aquaculture feed ingredients, sea lice treatments, emissions management software, wastewater treatment systems, fertilisers made from aquaculture waste, kelp-derived biostimulants and seaweed-based bioplastics.
Among the participants are Nova Scotia-based Smallfood, which is developing precision-fermented microalgae as an alternative to fishmeal and fish oil, Prince Edward Island's EVAH Atlantic, whose in-feed sea lice treatment is in field trials, and Newfoundland and Labrador-based Atlantic BioCorp, which is producing a natural salmon pigment from shrimp biomass.
The programme will conclude with an invitation-only industry event in St. John's on 23 July, where participating companies will present their technologies to producers, technology suppliers and investors.
"Atlantic Canada has every ingredient needed to lead the next wave of global aquaculture innovation," said Oceans Advance chief executive Shelly Petten.
Hatch Blue co-founder Wayne Murphy said the region offered strong potential for aquaculture technology companies to scale, citing Canada's focus on strengthening domestic food production.
