German aquaculture technology company Oceanloop has secured up to €38.5 million in financing to scale its software-driven recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and expand commercial production of Giant Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) in Europe. The financing marks a major transition for Oceanloop, which has spent more than a decade developing and operating land-based marine aquaculture systems. The company has now moved from biological and technical development into commercial production, becoming the first company to farm Giant Grouper in Europe.
The funding combines new equity commitments from Hatch Blue’s Blue Revolution Fund and Stolt Ventures, the venture investment arm of Stolt-Nielsen, with a €32 million venture-debt facility from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EIB financing is supported by the European Union’s InvestEU programme and is intended to support Oceanloop’s research, development and commercial expansion in Germany and Spain.
The company’s existing land-based farm in Strande near Kiel began commercial sales in April 2026 through Oceanloop’s sister company, Honest Catch. The facility is expected to produce approximately 20 tonnes of Giant Grouper in 2026 and around 40 tonnes in 2027. The new capital will support the next phase of Oceanloop’s expansion. Construction of a new 250-tonne-per-year farm in Kiel is planned to begin by the end of 2026. The company is then planning a 2,000-tonne commercial facility on Gran Canaria, with construction currently scheduled to start in 2029.
“This financing marks the beginning of Oceanloop’s industrial scale-up,” said Dr. Fabian Riedel, Founder and CEO of Oceanloop. “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,” he added.
From R&D to commercial production
Oceanloop’s financing comes at a critical point in the company’s development as it seeks to demonstrate that land-based marine aquaculture can move beyond pilot and R&D facilities into repeatable commercial operations. The company’s existing site in Strande near Kiel has been used to develop and optimise its biological and technical systems. With commercial sales now underway, Oceanloop is using the site as a foundation for its larger-scale expansion.
The planned 250-tonne Kiel farm will complement the existing R&D operation and is designed to become both a commercial production facility and a reference platform for Oceanloop’s wider technology rollout. The facility is expected to combine farming operations with applied research, biological optimisation, laboratory services, digital monitoring, software development and operator training.
Oceanloop intends to use the facility to demonstrate its complete operating model under commercial conditions, covering the production cycle from juvenile stocking and biological management to harvesting, processing and product quality. Data generated at the Kiel site will be used to continuously improve future farm designs, feeding strategies, animal welfare, energy efficiency and overall production performance.
The company expects this approach to help convert its more than 10 years of operational, biological and engineering experience into a repeatable model that can be deployed in other locations.
Gran Canaria to become first industrial-scale platform
Following the expansion in Kiel, Oceanloop plans to develop a 2,000-tonne annual production facility on Gran Canaria. Oceanloop already operates a local subsidiary on the island and is progressing project development, planning and site-related activities. The proposed facility is intended to become Oceanloop’s first industrial-scale production platform and a key reference project for the international deployment of its RAS technology.
The Gran Canaria project is being designed as an integrated aquaculture platform covering hatchery operations, farming, processing, digital farm management and quality control. The location is also expected to offer several advantages for land-based aquaculture, including access to seawater, renewable-energy potential, aquaculture expertise and proximity to major European seafood markets. The company currently expects construction to begin in 2029.
Giant Grouper becomes Oceanloop’s lead commercial species
Oceanloop will initially focus the commercial rollout of its own farms on Giant Grouper, a species that the company considers particularly well suited to its land-based farming platform. Giant Grouper is one of the world’s largest grouper species and is highly valued in Asian premium seafood markets. It is known for its firm white flesh, delicate flavour and culinary versatility.
Oceanloop believes these characteristics make the species attractive to professional kitchens, foodservice operators and premium seafood distributors. By producing Giant Grouper locally in Europe, the company aims to establish a new premium seafood category while offering European buyers an alternative to long-distance imports.
The company’s focus on Giant Grouper is also intended to demonstrate the flexibility of its technology. Oceanloop’s RAS platform is designed to be modular, software-controlled and adaptable to different marine species, farm sizes and regional operating requirements.
The company will continue its research and development activities in land-based shrimp farming. Oceanloop is already in discussions with potential international partners interested in deploying its technology for regional shrimp production. These discussions could result in licensing agreements, strategic partnerships and joint ventures in seafood markets that remain heavily dependent on imports.
Oceanloop says its platform can support partners throughout the development process, from assessing species, market conditions, locations, water supply and energy availability to detailed engineering and construction supervision. Future operating teams could also be trained at the Kiel facility before Oceanloop specialists assist with system commissioning, stocking and biological stabilisation at new sites.
“Our own European farms will initially focus on Giant Grouper, but the wider Oceanloop platform is designed for international replication across different species and markets,” said Dr. Bert Wecker, Founder and CTO of Oceanloop. “We see significant interest from partners that want to produce premium seafood closer to consumption without having to develop the required biology, engineering, software and operational expertise from the ground up,” Wecker said.
Hatch Blue brings specialist aquaculture investment expertise
The new financing brings Hatch Blue’s Blue Revolution Fund (BRF) into Oceanloop’s growth story. Hatch Blue is a global investment firm focused on aquaculture, combining investment with venture programmes and advisory activities across major aquaculture production markets.
The Blue Revolution Fund is a €92 million fund focused on scaling sustainable innovation in aquaculture from Seed to Series A. For Oceanloop, Hatch Blue brings specialist knowledge of aquaculture, an international network and experience supporting technology-driven farming companies as they move from pilot operations towards commercial scale.
Its expertise spans areas including biology, farm economics, seafood markets and international project development. “Oceanloop has demonstrated the quality of the product, the strength of the technology, and a clear market strategy, backed by a team that combines technical expertise, biological understanding and commercial savviness,” said Georg Baunach, Founder and CEO of Hatch Blue.
Stolt Ventures adds decades of seafood experience
Stolt Ventures, the venture investment arm of Stolt-Nielsen, is also participating in the financing. Stolt-Nielsen has longstanding interests in logistics, distribution and aquaculture. Through Stolt Sea Farm, the group has been involved in premium seafood farming since 1972.
Stolt Sea Farm is a land-based aquaculture company and supplier of turbot and sole, with experience covering species development, hatchery operations, farming, processing, biosecurity, product quality, food safety and international seafood distribution. The company has also developed and operated recirculation systems for marine species.
Oceanloop said Stolt Ventures brings more than financial capital to the partnership. Its connection to Stolt Sea Farm provides access to decades of practical experience in scaling premium marine aquaculture, developing species, operating facilities in different locations and establishing routes to market. “The combination of Stolt-Nielsen’s operational aquaculture experience and Oceanloop’s integrated RAS platform creates a strong strategic fit,” Riedel said.
“Very few investors can combine long-term capital with first-hand knowledge of hatcheries, marine biology, farm operations, processing and international seafood markets,” he added. Axel de Mégille, Head of Stolt Ventures, said Oceanloop has developed a differentiated platform for the controlled production of premium marine species on land. “Its focus on biology, repeatable farm design and commercial operations strongly aligns with Stolt-Nielsen’s long-term experience in aquaculture and the development of high-quality seafood markets,” de Mégille said.
EIB provides €32 million venture debt
The European Investment Bank is supporting Oceanloop with a €32 million venture-debt facility. The facility was initially signed on October 7, 2024, and amended on July 20, 2026, to include Giant Grouper farming. The financing is intended to support Oceanloop’s growth in Germany, its expansion to Gran Canaria and continued development of its recirculating aquaculture technology.
The EIB project commitment covers research, development and innovation activities in Germany, as well as the construction and operation of an RAS and processing unit for Grouper in the Canary Islands. EIB venture debt is designed to support innovative European growth companies by combining long-term financing with instruments linked to company performance. This allows companies to finance major growth programmes without relying exclusively on conventional equity capital.
The Oceanloop facility is backed by InvestEU, the European Union programme designed to mobilise investment in sustainable infrastructure, innovation and strategic European industries. The EIB’s participation highlights the potential role of land-based aquaculture in strengthening European seafood supply, innovation and lower-impact protein production.
“Land-based aquaculture can become an important additional pillar of European seafood supply,” Riedel said. “The EIB financing allows us to invest with a long-term perspective in our technology, infrastructure and biological capabilities that are difficult to finance through conventional start-up capital alone,” he added.
Building a European platform for land-based seafood
Oceanloop’s latest financing represents a shift from proving the feasibility of its technology to building a scalable commercial business. The company’s immediate priorities are the expansion of its Kiel operation, development of the planned Gran Canaria facility and continued optimisation of its software-driven RAS platform.
While Giant Grouper will remain the initial focus of Oceanloop’s own European farms, the company intends to use the underlying technology across species and markets. Its longer-term strategy is to establish a platform that allows premium seafood to be produced closer to consumers while reducing dependence on long-distance supply chains.
The combination of specialist aquaculture investors, commercial seafood expertise and European growth financing gives Oceanloop a new capital base from which to pursue that strategy. With commercial sales already underway in Germany and two larger facilities planned, the company is now entering the next stage of its ambition: turning more than a decade of marine biology, engineering and operational experience into a repeatable model for industrial-scale land-based aquaculture.
