Ocean HarvestTechnology, an Irish seaweed business that makes bioactive formulas for agriculture and aquaculture feeds, has just raised €1.4m from private investors to increase its production five-fold.

The company, founded in 2005 by Dr Stefan Kraan and Patrick Martin, has grown from a single headquarters in Galway, to having a strong presence in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.

Ocean Harvest Technology has created a variety of patented seaweed based formulas centred on the bioactive ingredients present in different seaweeds. It obtains these both from Ireland and its base in Vietnam. These ingredients allow its feeds to replace many of the synthetic components found in agriculture and aquaculture feed ingredients.

Ocean Harvest Technology is in its early stages as a company but already has a significant position in the global feed sectors of Salmon, Shrimp and Pigs. Following significant R&D, OceanFeed™ is now being commercialised in equine, bovine, sheep and pet varieties.

“Many farming methods can have a significant ecological impact. The feeding of fish oil or fish meal in the long term can do more damage to fish populations than traditional fishing. Oceanfeed allows farmers to replace fish oil with plant oils but still get the same levels of omega 3 oils in the fish. Using Algae based feeds around the world would be a meaningful step in building a sustainable aquaculture industry,” said Dr Kraan.

Source: Galway Advertiser