Bivalves Hatchery II

Increasing productivity in Oceano Fresco's nursery.

Resumen de la inversión

Categoría de impacto

Economía azul

Tipo de inversión

Préstamo

Interés anual

7.2

Plazo

meses

Nivel de riesgo

C+

Oceano Fresco is a shellfish aquaculture company that aims to feed the world sustainably.

This is the promotor's 18th Goparity campaign and the second of the Hatchery series.

This campaign aims to keep financing productivity increases in the bivalve hatchery, to increase the production and consistency of Venerupis corrugata and Ruditapes decussatus seeds throughout the year. More specifically, to improve and increase the productive capacity for cultivating microalgae, which are the unique food of bivalves. In particular:

Keep studying new species and cultivation protocols to increase efficiency in terms of bivalve growth, in its various stages (broodstock, larvae and seed).
Experimental use of Aqualgae photo-bioreactor equipment to increase existing production capacity
Short-term interventions to make use of equipment and increase production capacity
Feasibility study for future CAPEX investment to scale up the hatchery's feeding capacity

The company has raised 3.4 million euros through Goparity's investor community since its first campaign in January 2020:

The amount raised in Oceano Fresco I, II, III, IV, V, and VI campaigns (730,000€) was used to co-finance the installation of the world's first open sea clam farm in Lagos, Algarve. The clams are suspended in the open sea, where they can grow sustainably in their natural environment.
The amount raised in Oceano Fresco Innovation I, II, and III campaigns (500,000€) was used to co-finance two research and development (R&D) projects focused on the cultivation of clams and one project in the area of food innovation. The R&D projects in the areas of genetics and pathology are highly innovative worldwide, leading to two incentives totaling 2.0 million. The food innovation project aims to develop new products and packaging to create value and promote sustainable clam consumption.
The amount raised in Oceano Fresco Growth I, II, III, and IV campaigns (1.000.000€) was used for cultivation, operations, sales, marketing, and R&D. The Growth series meant to finance projects that enhance the growth of the company's production to enter the market with a larger sales scale.
The amount raised on Oceano Fresco Farm I, II, and III (750.000€) was used to continue financing projects that enhance and grow the company's production.
The amount raised in Bivalves Hatchery I (400.000€) was used to increase the production and consistency of Venerupis corrugata and Ruditapes decussatus seeds throughout the year.

Oceano Fresco is a pioneering company in the sustainable, large-scale farming of bivalves. The company started in 2015, and initially focused on studying and creating the scientific foundations for the project. In a second phase, between 2020 and 2021, the company invested in building and operating its main assets, namely the BioMarinho center, including a state-of-the-art hatchery, located in Nazaré and the first open-sea nursery for clams located off Lagos, in the Portuguese region of the Algarve. In a third phase, since 2022, Oceano Fresco has focused on controlling and improving its production process throughout the various stages of the 3-year clam life cycle.

The hatchery stage operates relatively successfully and has already produced over 100 million clam seeds. Its current challenges are maintaining microbiological control, improving its efficiency, and increasing its production capacity. The fattening stage is implemented but holds inherent challenges, related to the pioneering and innovative nature of the operation. Initially, the challenges were operational, linked to scaling and the learning curve, these are now largely under control. Later, the main challenges became linked to open sea farming, where the company continued to improve its processes to find the best fit for the various species of bivalves.

The promoter's main objective remains to achieve market entry with large-scale harvests and revenues. As such, the company has raised support and funding from diverse sources, including bank loans, public subsidies, and equity rounds. The most recent round which took place in December 2023, found support in known existing and new investors. Oceano Fresco has a history of crowdlending with Goparity and its investors who have accompanied the company's development through the various phases and years, enabling the pioneering mission of creating a sustainable, large-scale shellfish farming company.

¿Cuál es el impacto?

Direct Impact

Increase productivity in the bivalve’s production: Oceano Fresco will invest in research and improvements of each phase of the shellfish development in a nursery, to increase productivity throughout the year, maintaining quality and safety.
Promotion of restoration of marine ecosystems: By increasing the production capacity in the nursery, Oceano Fresco implements regenerative cultivation practices that contribute to restoring stocks of these European-native species of bivalves under risk.
Promotion of innovation in the aquaculture industry: in terms of processes and technology, through research and development.

Indirect Impact

Promotion of the marine ecosystem through sustainable marine economic activities: a sustainable alternative to intensive fishing as a source of protein, the sustainable production of clams contributes to the restoration of biodiversity and marine stocks. The bivalves’ cultivation occurs without artificial feed and requires low energy consumption. They filtrate the water improving its quality and absorb CO2 to build their shells.
Promotion of higher level of productivity and job creation decoupled from environmental degradation: Oceano Fresco research and development and biotechnology units in the region of Nazaré represent the creation of economic opportunities and jobs, including highly qualified, in a less-developed region of Portugal. All while striving to restore marine ecosystems, decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation.

Contribución a los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible
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Sobre el promotor

About

Oceano Fresco S.A.

La empresa desarrolla y comercializa bivalvos de alto valor, utilizando métodos modernos de acuicultura y una sólida base científica para convertirse en el actor de referencia en esta industria mundial altamente sostenible y en crecimiento. El lema de la empresa es "Liberar el potencial de los mariscos a través de la acuicultura impulsada por la ciencia" y está dirigida por un Consejo de Administración de 5 directores que combinan la cría de plantas y peces con la experiencia empresarial, incluyendo el lanzamiento y la ampliación de empresas de nueva creación. Cuentan con el apoyo de un equipo operativo cada vez más numeroso (40 personas) que se ocupa de la I+D, la producción y el negocio, así como de un Consejo Asesor de 2 personas con expertos en cría de renombre mundial.

La empresa ha construido un Centro BioMarino de última generación, que incluye un criadero, laboratorios y oficinas en el centro de Portugal, así como una granja marina de 100 hectáreas en la costa de la región del Algarve. Con estos activos poco comunes y complementarios, la empresa aplicará métodos avanzados de selección y cría de especies de almejas autóctonas europeas de alto valor nutricional y comercial, que actualmente están siendo sustituidas en el mercado por sus homólogas asiáticas de bajo valor organoléptico.

La empresa se enorgullece de los siguientes hitos:

(2015-2016) Condujo una investigación de campo en países claves de acuicultura, lo que confirmó el potencial de mercado;
(2015 en adelante) Contrató a un equipo altamente calificado con mucha experiencia para la producción y el negocio;
(2016-2017) Completó la prueba de concepto de proyectos, lo que confirmó la viabilidad del modelo empresarial;
(2018) Firmó una concesión de 25 años del arrendamiento del terreno para la ubicación del centro bio marino;
(2018) Obtivo todas las licencias necesarias de las autoridades para operar el vivero;
(2020) Construyó el centro Bio Marino de última generación, que incluye una incubadora, laboratorios y oficinas;
(2018) Obtuvo una concesión de 25 años y 103ha para el vivero en alta mar con licencia completa;
(2020) Estableció la infraestructura física para operar el vivero;
(2018) Desarrolló un plan de incubación para R. decussatus;
(2018) Estableció un DBO de 5 miembros que une la cría de plantas y peces con la experiencia empresarial;
(2015 en adelante) Se le otorgó €3.5 millones de subsidios portugueses y de la Unión Europea;
Obtuvo 7,5 millones de euros en varias rondas de inversión entre 2018 y 2020, por inversores institucionales e individuales;
(2020) Compra de barco de 12 metros;
(2021) 2,5 millones de semillas de almejas listas para cultivar;
(2021)Inicio del proceso de engorde de semillas, en el mar, en el Algarve.
(2022) Lanzamiento del nuevo barco Oceano Fresco I y construcción del centro de envasado y expedición.
(2023) Refuerzo de la inversión en I+D+i, incluyendo proyectos clave como Atlanticlam y Blue Bioeconomy Pact
(2024) Reconocimiento como «EU Blue Champion» por el Banco Europeo de Inversiones y la Comisión Europea en el contexto de las misiones de la UE para restaurar nuestros océanos y aguas, y cierre de la serie de inversiones por parte de Indico Capital Partners, BPF, BlueCrow y AquaSpark.
(2025) Primera cosecha y venta de ostras planas adultas.

Sitio web del promotor

http://www.oceano-fresco.pt/

Equipo

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Modelo de negocio
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