Women in Ocean Food opens 2027 applications in Mexico, as alumni companies reach USD 11.7 million raised

LA PAZ, Mexico, 28 September 2026 Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures have opened applications for the 2027 Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio, the programme's fourth edition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Founders from across the region will meet in La Paz on January 25, 2027.

Latin America and the Caribbean produce some of the world's most commercially significant seafood, from Ecuador's shrimp industry to Brazil's tilapia sector and coastal seaweed value chains. The women building companies across those value chains face inequitable access to capital and supporting networks, yet remarkable growth stories have emerged in recent years. Women in Ocean Food surfaces these founders early, helping them build their business and raise capital or grants.

Who the Studio is for

Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures are looking for the next cohort of companies working across sustainable and regenerative aquaculture, marine biotech, aquatech, seafood value chains, seafood waste revalorisation and blue carbon. Applicants must be women who are founders or current decision-makers at their company.

The studio is open to startups with high-potential solutions, established companies ready to scale, research teams with at least a proof of concept and a route to market, and cooperatives and associations structuring their growth.

What Participants Receive

The programme includes 9 days on-site in La Paz and 12 months of support, building investment readiness and introductions to investors and buyers.

Participants receive:

• Business and fundraising support, from market intelligence and go-to-market strategy to pitch and investor guidance
• Investor connections, independent of any investment decision, and consideration for follow-on investment from Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures
• Industry connections, including discovery trips to aquaculture facilities, and a global network of women-led companies across the blue economy
• Mentorship from industry leaders and one-to-one sessions with the organising teams

Alumni Growth Stories

Companies led by alumni of the region's three previous cohorts have raised USD 11.7 million to date. Notable success stories include:

• AquaViridi in Brazil, led by CEO Fabiane Almeida, which has secured $1.25 million in grants and $250,000 in investment to scale production and validate new extracts
• SOS Biotech in the Dominican Republic, co-founded by CTO Elena Martínez, which has earned USDA accreditation, securing US market access and working directly with several American farmers
• MareaRosa in Ecuador, founded by Annabell Palacios, which has earned ASC Shrimp Standard certification to secure premium pricing and access key markets including the USA
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"Every cohort we run is balanced between venture-focused companies and community-based projects, and the companies coming out of Latin America are now more commercially focused and aware. They are raising capital, winning certification and entering new markets on their own terms. What the studio does is surface those leaders early and give them the resources to run with the businesses they have built, from an equal footing," says Wayne Murphy, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Venture Programs at Hatch Blue

“Across Latin America and the Caribbean, we are seeing a growing pipeline of companies with solutions to some of the region’s most pressing challenges across a range of sectors, from sustainable aquaculture and fisheries to the circular economy and creating resilient coastal livelihoods. Many of the most promising opportunities are being led by women entrepreneurs, yet they continue to face significant barriers to accessing capital, networks, and technical support. Programs like Women in Ocean Food help close that gap, unlocking the talent and innovation needed to build a more sustainable and inclusive ocean economy,” adds Gracie White, Senior Director of Global Ocean Investments from Conservation International Ventures.

"Women in Ocean Food is, without question, one of the most important programs in Aqua Viridi's history. I arrived with strong products and a great desire to grow, but I was still discovering what it truly meant to step into my role as CEO. I left with something much bigger: vision, confidence, and purpose. In the 12 months that followed, we joined national and international programs across Latin America and Europe, consistently placed among the top participants, and in many cases finished first. And when a company truly understands its purpose, it discovers just how far it can go," confirms Fabiane Almeida, CEO & Co-founder, Aqua Viridi

How to Apply

Applications close on 7 November 2026. Apply and read the full criteria here
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Read more about the globalWomen In Ocean Food program and its alumni in the Women in Ocean Food case study.
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