Aquaculture technology firm Oceanloop, located in Munich, Germany, has obtained a USD 44.5 million (EUR 38.5 million) investment to cultivate giant grouper in Europe using its recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technology.
The funding was provided by Hatch Blue, an aquaculture investment company based in Cork, Ireland, through its Blue Revolution Fund, along with Stolt Ventures, a venture investment firm located in the U.K. The E.U.'s InvestEU initiative is also funding the investment to aid Oceanloop's research, development, and market growth.
“Oceanloop has proven the product's quality, the robustness of the technology, and a well-defined market strategy supported by a team that merges technical knowledge, biological insight, and business acumen,” says Hatch Blue Founder and CEO Georg Baunach.
Oceanloop, the first firm to cultivate giant grouper in Europe, announced that the new farm in Kiel, Germany, will have a capacity of 250 tons and is set to begin construction at the close of 2026. Oceanloop highlighted the allure of grouper in Asian seafood markets as appealing for high-end kitchens, foodservice, and premium seafood distribution.
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The funding will also facilitate the development of a 2,000-ton commercial site in Gran Canaria, Spain, which is set to start construction in 2029. Oceanloop presently operates a local subsidiary on the island, and the new location will serve as the company’s initial industrial-scale production facility.
Starting in April 2026, the business has been functioning from a terrestrial farm in Strande, Germany, via Oceanloop's affiliated company Honest Catch. Currently, the business can provide approximately 20 tons and aims to manufacture 40 tons by 2027.
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Oceanloop stated that the funding will enable over ten years of operational, biological, and engineering expertise to be applied to commercial land-based marine aquaculture.
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Oceanloop Founder and CEO Fabian Riedel says, “This financing marks the beginning of Oceanloop’s industrial scale-up. Together with Sander Aqua, we have spent more than a decade developing, operating, and continuously improving land-based marine aquaculture systems. With Hatch Blue, Stolt Ventures, and the European Investment Bank, we are bringing together specialist aquaculture investment expertise, decades of commercial seafood experience, and long-term European growth financing. This gives us the foundation to scale Oceanloop from proven technology into an international aquaculture platform.”