Best Aquaculture Tech Companies in United States
The 244 best Aquaculture Tech companies in United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Sapphire Energy.
Ranking the best Aquaculture Tech companies across the United States by disclosed equity funding and recent momentum, this directory tracks 244 active players with a combined $1.5B in disclosed capital. The market's heading somewhere real: forecasts put the sector at $1.4B by 2028, with aquaculture expected to supply over 50% of global seafood by 2030 pushing urgency into every funding round. Checkerspot leads our list at $109M raised, with Living Carbon at $36M and Great Northern Salmon at $11M rounding out the upper tier. No unicorns yet, but the capital concentration at the top tells you where conviction is forming.
So what's actually driving the money right now? Feed efficiency is a big thread, specifically demand for tailored enzymes that sharpen protein digestibility in fish-based diets. Government backers like the National Science Foundation and the USDA are the most active investors in this cohort, which means a lot of early-stage science is still finding its commercial footing. I'd watch that gap closely. The sector's also broadening its talent pipeline, as conversations like this piece on women in STEM from the Center for Aquaculture Technologies signal a field thinking longer-term about who builds it. The infrastructure is getting serious.
- ResearchAndMarkets.com
Ranked: Best Aquaculture Tech companies in United States
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founded | Founder | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sapphire Energy Business energy price comparison website helping UK businesses save on energy bills | $390M | 126 mo ago | 1 | 2006 | — | — | 269 patents Algal biofuel production and photosynthetic synthesis of high‑value chemicals. | — |
| 2 | Calysta Developer of sustainable protein ingredients for feed and food applications | $172M | 57 mo ago | 21 | 2011 | Alan Shaw Co-Founder & CEO | — | 200 patents Methane-fed microbial protein production and engineered methanotroph fermentation technologies. | — |
| 3 | Forever Oceans Developer of patented technology for sustainable open ocean aquaculture of nutritious seafood | $125M | 59 mo ago | 48 | 2014 | Jason Heckathorn Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer | — | 41 patents Autonomous aquaculture operations: feed optimization, mortality removal, and modular farm infrastructure | — |
| 4 | Checkerspot Biotechnology company designs specialized fats and oils through precision fermentation using optimized… 62Patents top 18%Funding top 19%Moat top 28%Product top 36% All 10 signals ▾Patentstop 18% Fundingtop 19% Moattop 28% Producttop 36% Innovationtop 37% Markettop 44% Partnerstop 45% Talentbottom 49% Newsbottom 42% Globalbottom 40% Patents: 69 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 54 filings since 2022 vs 15 in 2017-21 Funding: Raised $109M across 6 rounds · 6 rounds over 8 yrs (0.8/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 62/100 | $109M | 6 mo ago | 104 | 2016 | John Krzywicki CEO | — | 69 patents Bio-based fatty acid oils and microbial polymers for specialty polyurethane and polymer additives | 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 5 | Algenol Direct to ethanol technology provider by using algae biomass | $65M | 82 mo ago | 2 | 2006 | Alejandro Gonzalez Founder & President | WordPressPleskMySQL+18 | — | — |
| 6 | Aurora Algae Provider of technology for algae based products | $62M | 164 mo ago | 6 | 2006 | Gregory L. Bafalis CEO & Board Member | — | 87 patents Genetically engineered algae for enhanced lipid production and biofuel conversion | — |
| 7 | TerraVia Provider of algae-based food, nutrition, and specialty ingredients for various industries | $60M | 123 mo ago | 116 | 2003 | — | — | 111 patents Microbial production of customized oils and food ingredients from algae | — |
| 8 | Open Blue Sustainable Cobia whitefish supplier delivering flavorful, versatile, and nutritious seafood | $54M | 109 mo ago | 140 | 2007 | — | Shogun Page BuilderShopifyBootstrap+41 | — | — |
| 9 | Running Tide Provider of tech solutions to offset carbon footprints from the ocean and restore the coasts | $54M | 48 mo ago | 206 | 2017 | Marty Odlin Founder & CEO | — | 54 patents Offshore aquaculture substrates and carbon‑sequestration systems for marine cultivation and CO2 mitigation | — |
| 10 | Aquabyte AI-powered aquaculture solutions for data-driven decisions, improving efficiency and sustainability | $48M | 44 mo ago | 22 | 2017 | Bryton Shang Founder & Executive Chairman | WordPress Block EditorwpBakeryWordPress+24 | 24 patents Patents concentrated in health & consumer products | 1 launch · 1 expansion · 1 award |
| 11 | Living Carbon Provider of biotechnology based carbon storage solutions 53Partners top 18%Funding top 23%Growth top 25%News top 28% All 9 signals ▾Partnerstop 18% Fundingtop 23% Growthtop 25% Newstop 28% Moattop 39% Talentbottom 49% Techbottom 42% Marketbottom 40% Globalbottom 39% Partners: 5 contract events in 12 mo · Named contractor/client in 5 deals Funding: Raised $36.0M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 4 yrs (1.2/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 53/100 | $36M | 1 mo ago | 25 25 → 38 (+52%) | 2019 | Maddie Hall Co-Founder & CEO | WebflowTypekitGoogle Font API+12 | — | — |
| 12 | NovoNutrients Online platform to transform carbon dioxide into seafood farming products | $30M | 23 mo ago | 14 | 2017 | Brian Sefton Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 13 | Iterro Life sciences innovator revolutionizing aquaculture and biopolymer technology for a sustainable future | $20M | 57 mo ago | — | 2017 | Brian Knochenmus President & Chief Executive Officer | WixSentryBootstrap+11 | — | — |
| 14 | LOLIWARE Manufacturer of edible seaweed-based straw and bioplastic 45Patents top 30%Funding top 31%Moat top 32%Innovation top 38% All 10 signals ▾Patentstop 30% Fundingtop 31% Moattop 32% Innovationtop 38% Growthtop 45% Techbottom 46% Globalbottom 40% Productbottom 39% Marketbottom 35% Newsbottom 21% Patents: 25 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 14 filings since 2022 vs 9 in 2017-21 Funding: Raised $15.4M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 6 yrs (0.8/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 45/100 | $15M | 1 mo ago | 29 | 2015 | — | Webflow EcommerceWebflowcore-js+14 | 25 patents Biobased, biodegradable polymer composites for injection‑molded packaging and consumer goods | — |
| 15 | InnovaSea Developer of containment infrastructure for aquaculture | $15M | 33 mo ago | 204 | 2015 | David Kelly CEO & CTO | WordPressMySQLMariaDB+30 | 13 patents Improving dissolved oxygen in aquaculture water via multi-stage oxygenation and CO2 stripping systems. | — |
| 16 | Zivo Bioscience Algae-based nutritional compounds and bioactive molecules for animal and human health | $13M | 35 mo ago | 10 10 → 8 (-20%) | 1983 | — | BootstrapApache HTTP ServerCloudflare+9 | 133 patents Probiotic and algal feed additives for poultry disease prevention and gut health. | 2 partnerships |
| 17 | Bluwrap Supply chain technology for seafood | $13M | 96 mo ago | 4 | 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | Renewable Algal Energy Provider of algae-based animal nutritional supplements | $12M | 188 mo ago | — | 2007 | Jeffrey Kanel Founder & CEO | — | — | — |
| 19 | Great Northern Salmon Online aquaculture company offering RAS based solutions for producing sustainable salmon | $11M | 12 mo ago | — | 2022 | Erik Heim Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 20 | Ecto Developer of solutions to make protein production efficient and sustainable | $11M | 32 mo ago | 26 | 2013 | — | — | 20 patents Aquaculture automation: AI-driven biomass, feeding, and acoustic depth monitoring solutions | — |
| 21 | AquaBounty Biotechnology company leveraging advanced genetics to transform aquaculture through sustainable and… 29Product top 14%Funding top 29%Moat top 42%Tech top 46% All 11 signals ▾Producttop 14% Fundingtop 29% Moattop 42% Techtop 46% Newstop 46% Innovationbottom 49% Marketbottom 42% Patentsbottom 42% Globalbottom 40% Growthbottom 35% Fin. healthbottom 28% Product: 6 distinct product lines · Company stage: Public Funding: Raised $10.0M across 10 rounds · 10 rounds over 12 yrs (0.8/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 29/100 | $10M | 2 mo ago | 62 | 1991 | — | PimcoreDrupalPHP+28 | 10 patents Genetically engineered sterile fish for controlled aquaculture production | — |
| 22 | iwi Manufacturer of algae-based nutritional products | $10M | 65 mo ago | 36 | 2017 | Tom Dimke Chief Executive Officer/Board of Directors | Cart FunctionalityShopifySentry+29 | 37 patents Driver behavior monitoring and wireless device detection for vehicle telematics systems | — |
| 23 | Algisys Producer of algal-based EPA omega-3 oils and vegan protein | $9M | 154 mo ago | 7 | 2009 | Charles Roe Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder | — | 11 patents Microbial production of omega‑3 fatty acids using Pythium fermentation processes. | — |
| 24 | MicroBio Engineering Developer of microalgae technology and wastewater treatment plants 32Innovation top 20%Funding top 44%Product top 46%Talent bottom 45% All 7 signals ▾Innovationtop 20% Fundingtop 44% Producttop 46% Talentbottom 45% Techbottom 31% Globalbottom 29% Marketbottom 15% Innovation: 6 product lines Funding: Raised $8.7M across 9 rounds · 9 rounds over 10 yrs (0.9/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 32/100 | $9M | 5 mo ago | 8 | 2005 | John Benemann CEO | Squarespace CommerceSquarespaceStimulus+11 | — | — |
| 25 | ANGLR Developer of fishing intelligence platform | $9M | 78 mo ago | 4 | 2015 | Nicholas Wilson Co-Founder | WebflowAzureLodash+11 | — | — |
| 26 | Finger Lakes Fish Recirculating aquaculture system for salmon | $8M | 27 mo ago | — | — | Michael Fabbro CEO | — | — | — |
| 27 | Silver Bullet Online platform offering slot games, fashion, electronics, and household goods | $8M | 42 mo ago | 24 | 2011 | — | — | 52 patents Antimicrobial metal‑ion releasing coatings for orthopedic implants and water purification systems | — |
| 28 | KnipBio Developer of all-natural feed ingredients improving aquaculture productivity | $7M | 59 mo ago | 4 | 2013 | — | — | 29 patents Microbial synthesis of protein, PHB, carotenoids, and taurine for aquaculture feed | — |
| 29 | Prairie Aquatech Provider of plant protein-based aquaculture feeds | $7M | 18 mo ago | 69 | 2009 | — | — | 50 patents Microbial production of high-quality protein concentrates for food and feed applications. | — |
| 30 | Scoot Science Provider of ocean data analytics for fish farming operations | $6M | 49 mo ago | 16 | 2017 | Todd Bryan Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 31 | Kuehnle AgroSystems Developer of plant-based ingredients for aquafeeds, food, and personal care | $6M | 29 mo ago | 11 | 2007 | — | — | 41 patents Microalgae strain development and edible biomass production for nutraceutical applications | — |
| 32 | Atarraya Operators of autonomous shrimp farms for the sustainable production of shrimps 42Growth top 35%Moat top 38%Tech top 44%Funding top 46% All 9 signals ▾Growthtop 35% Moattop 38% Techtop 44% Fundingtop 46% Patentstop 46% Innovationtop 48% Talentbottom 49% Marketbottom 34% Globalbottom 31% Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo Moat: Editorial + unicorn rating 4/10 · IP moat: 7 patents rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 42/100 | $5M | 10 mo ago | 34 | 2017 | Daniel Russek Founder & CEO | Wix eCommerceWixSentry+16 | 7 patents Aquaculture technology for shrimp farming and cultivation systems | 1 partnership |
| 33 | Triton Producer of plant-based protein from red and green algae | $5M | 121 mo ago | 22 | 2013 | Xun Wang President and CEO | — | 9 patents Vehicle accessory hardware and sales-force automation software for trailer and cleaning systems | — |
| 34 | Algaeon Developing technology for high yield microalgae cultivation | $5M | 120 mo ago | 3 | 2008 | James Miller CEO | — | 10 patents Euglena-derived nutritional and immunomodulatory bioproducts, including lysates and purified beta‑glucans. | — |
| 35 | BlueTrace Provider of software for seafood sales, operations, and regulatory compliance | $4M | 40 mo ago | 5 | 2017 | Andy Kearney Co-Founder | HubSpot CMS HubYouTubePlyr+19 | — | — |
| 36 | Wholechain Provider of blockchain-based traceability solution for agriculture and aquaculture | $3M | 30 mo ago | 10 | 2011 | Jayson Berryhill Co-founder / Partner | — | — | — |
| 37 | Osmo Systems Monitoring system for hydroponic and aquaculture systems | $3M | 63 mo ago | 3 | 2013 | Zach Stein Co-Founder & CEO | — | — | — |
| 38 | Blue Ocean Gear Develops fishing gear products | $3M | 13 mo ago | 9 | 2015 | Kortney Opshaug CEO and Founder | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+18 | — | — |
| 39 | Trelys Production of bio animal feed ingredient using methanogen bioconversion | $3M | 110 mo ago | 3 | 2012 | Jay Kouba Founder & CEO | — | 23 patents Microbial fermentation processes for producing methionine and other amino acids using hydrogenotrophic microbes. | — |
| 40 | Alltech Animal nutrition and health solutions for a sustainable planet | $2M | 17 mo ago | 1,443 | 1998 | — | DrupalApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+33 | 459 patents Mycotoxin-binding feed additives and detoxification technologies for animal nutrition | — |
| 41 | Seatopia Provider of diversified seafood products on a farm-to-home basis | $2M | 21 mo ago | 3 | 2014 | — | Cart FunctionalityShopifyanime.js+41 | — | — |
| 42 | Låkril Technologies Provider of bio-based acrylic acid and acrylate derivatives | $1M | 18 mo ago | 1 | 2021 | Paul Dauenhauer Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 43 | OceanSpace Provider of image sensing-based aquaculture ecosystem monitoring solutions | $1M | 71 mo ago | — | 2009 | — | — | 3 patents Automated optical imaging and AI classification of microscopic marine organisms | — |
| 44 | FishTips Online marketplace for fishing advice | $700K | 29 mo ago | — | 2023 | Calvin Lott Co-Founder & CEO | SanityNode.jsGoogle Maps+21 | — | — |
| 45 | Viable Gear Developer of seaweed-based bioplastic materials for fishing, aquaculture, and agriculture | $680K | 15 mo ago | — | 2021 | Katie Weiler Founder & President | — | — | 1 launch · 1 award |
| 46 | Minnowtech Provider of the sensor-based bio-mass monitoring system for shrimp | $625K | 27 mo ago | 8 | 2018 | Kelli Booth Co-Founder | — | 2 patents Cloud analytics for shrimp biomass estimation in aquaculture ponds | — |
| 47 | Marport Deep Sea Technologies Underwater sensing using sonar technology | $556K | 29 mo ago | 50 | 1997 | Oskar Axelson Co-Founder & VP | Node.jsWindows ServerMicrosoft ASP.NET+13 | — | — |
| 48 | OctaPulse Developer of AI computer vision systems for aquaculture fish inspection | $500K | 5 mo ago | — | 2025 | Rohan Singh Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 49 | BluumBio Developer of enzyme solutions for environmental remediation of industrial chemicals | $125K | 12 mo ago | 4 | 2021 | Katherine French Founder & CEO | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+9 | 4 patents Engineered cytochrome P450 enzymes for bioremediation of PFAS contaminants | — |
Top 12 Aquaculture Tech companies in United States
#1
Series A · San Francisco, California · founded 2019 · 25 employees$36Mraised▾
Provider of biotechnology based carbon storage solutions. It uses biochemistry to enhance a tree natural ability to draw down atmospheric carbon.
- Apr 2026Series A$13M
- Jan 2023Series A$21M
- Feb 2022Grant (prize money)$500K
- Feb 2022Series A$15M
#2
Series C · Alameda, California · founded 2016 · 104 employees$109Mraised▾
Biotechnology company designs specialized fats and oils through precision fermentation using optimized microalgae. The company is using genome engineering and synthetic biology to develop new compounds that are then engineered into materials with specific properties and characteristics, depending on the intended applications.
- Nov 2025Series C$7.6M
- Sep 2022Series C$55M
- May 2020Series B$36M
- Apr 2019Series A$13M
#3
Seed · New York City, New York · founded 2015 · 29 employees$15.4Mraised▾
Manufacturer of edible seaweed-based straw and bioplastic. It provides users with a platform that offers a seaweed-based straw that is plastic-free and hyper-compostable. It uses sea technology that uses made from a regenerative, carbon-capturing method to develop its product. It also provides bioplastic for food packaging.
- May 2026Seed$3M
- Feb 2023Seed$6M
- Jan 2020Seed$6M
- Angel$600K
#4
Public · Harvard, Massachusetts · founded 1991 · 62 employees$10Mraised▾
Biotechnology company leveraging advanced genetics to transform aquaculture through sustainable and land-based fish farming solutions. It raises salmon in indoor facilities rather than ocean net pens. The approach is designed to improve biosecurity, reduce disease risk, and limit interactions with wild fish populations.
- Apr 2026Post IPO$4.8M
- Oct 2025Conventional Debt$4M
- Feb 2021Post IPO$127M
- Oct 2018Conventional Debt$1.5M
#5
Funding Raised · San Luis Obispo, California · founded 2005 · 8 employees$8.7Mraised▾
Developer of microalgae technology and wastewater treatment plants. The company specialized in integrated processes for producing microalgae for biofuels, wastewater reclamation, and high-value products. The technology reclamation of nutrients, energy, and water allows communities and industries in warm climates to take advantage of the solar resource for wastewater treatment, recycle nutrients, and production of algae biofuel feedstock.
- Dec 2025Grant (prize money)$198.7K
- Jul 2025Grant (prize money)$2.8M
- May 2025Grant (prize money)$2.5M
- Jul 2022Grant (prize money)$125K
#6
Series A · Millinocket, Maine · founded 2022$10.6Mraised▾
Online aquaculture company offering RAS based solutions for producing sustainable salmon. It is a land-based aquaculture company that produces salmon in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. The company utilizes a Recirculating Aquaculture System powered by local, non-carbon energy sources.
- May 2025Series A$8M
- Apr 2023Seed$2.6M
#7
Series A · Lakeland, Florida · founded 2017 · 34 employees$5Mraised▾
Operators of autonomous shrimp farms for the sustainable production of shrimps. They have developed shrimp boxes that are capable of growing shrimp, anywhere. It uses a microbial community that acts as a Nitrogen sequestration strategy that eliminates the risk of diseases. It manages the process using algorithms and connects production data to procurement and sales, in a bidirectional manner. It uses monitoring sensors to collect farm data.
- Aug 2025Series A$5M
#8
Series A · Sunnyvale, California · founded 2017 · 14 employees$30.2Mraised▾
Online platform to transform carbon dioxide into seafood farming products. It leverages microbes and proprietary bioreactors that transform emissions, hydrogen, and oxygen into natural single-cell protein ingredients for food and feed. It also converts carbon dioxide emissions into alternative protein ingredients.
- Jul 2024Series A$18M
- Apr 2023Series A$3M
- Jul 2021Series A$9M
- Nov 2019Seed—
#9
Series A · Brookings, South Dakota · founded 2009 · 69 employees$7Mraised▾
Provider of plant protein-based aquaculture feeds. It is focused on improving animal health and nutrition. It has developed a proprietary technology for converting plant-derived material (cellulose ) to protein using an enzyme derived from a fungus. It has also developed fermentation methods for producing animal feeds enriched with omega-3 fatty acids from cellulosic feedstock.
- Dec 2024Series A$16M
- Jul 2022Seed$2M
- Mar 2014Grant (prize money)$600K
- Mar 2013Grant (prize money)$600K
#10
Seed · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · founded 2025$500Kraised▾
Developer of AI computer vision systems for aquaculture fish inspection. The company builds inspection platforms that automate grading of juvenile fish, deformity detection, and precision phenotyping in hatcheries. Systems integrate phenotypic, genetic, and environmental data to support breeding optimization and improve stock quality. It combines computer vision with modular hardware for deployment in land-based farms and hatcheries.
- Jan 2026Seed$500K
#11
Funding Raised · San Mateo, California · founded 2015 · 9 employees$2.7Mraised▾
Developer of Internet of Things (IoT) sensor-rich tracking buoys for an ocean-based commercial activity designed for ocean stewardship by pushing the limits of technology. The company's patented depth-rated buoy allows fishers, aquaculture farmers, and other ocean industries in the remotest of locations to track and monitor data for nautical equipment, which helps to save time, recovery costs, and data loss caused, thereby enabling fishermen to run more efficient and cost-effective operations, and helping to protect the ocean environment.
- May 2025Grant (prize money)$648.9K
- Mar 2025Grant (prize money)$648.9K
- Feb 2025Grant (prize money)$648.9K
- Aug 2023Grant (prize money)$648.9K
#12
Funding Raised · Lexington, Kentucky · founded 1998 · 1443 employees$2.3Mraised▾
Animal nutrition and health solutions for a sustainable planet. The company provides animal nutrition, health products, and feed supplements for various species, including dairy cows, beef cattle, poultry, pigs, aquaculture, equine, and pets. It offers programs and services focused on crop science, gut health, mycotoxin risk reduction, mineral nutrition optimization, and protein delivery. The company emphasizes sustainability, aiming to produce safe, nutritious food while caring for animals and the environment. It promotes collaboration and innovation within the agri-food sector to address global challenges related to nutrition, well-being, and resource preservation. The company also provides educational resources, news, and events to support its mission.
- Jan 2025Grant (prize money)$2.3M
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Aquaculture Tech coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
How research on Aquaculture is moving in the United States
A read on the academic research around Aquaculture — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 4,092 United States-affiliated papers.
- Auburn University169
- University of Florida137
- University of California, Davis128
- Mississippi State University125
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service114
- Fishery11→68
- Fish
4→33 - Ecology1→16
- Oyster1→13
- Population5→16
- Fishery71→243
- Fish
28→122 - Aquaponics18→81
- Oyster8→63
- Nutrient8→58
- Fishery97→302
- Fish
29→161 - Sustainability7→94
- Agriculture13→74
- Production (economics)11→67
Where aquaculture is researched across United States
Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.
Who's filing aquaculture patents in the United States
United States aquaculture patent filing is accelerating — 592 filings from 326 assignees (2016–2025), led by X DEV, Innovasea Systems, Intervet; annual filings 42→64.
- X DEV69
- Innovasea Systems43
- Intervet39
- Lindgren Peter B33
- NCH28
- Forever Oceans26
- DU PONT26
- Pentair Water POOL24
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.