CREST Accelerator
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assets under management
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The world’s leading aquaculture accelerator keeps getting better.
We’re evolving the accelerator model to provide greater value and flexibility for your startup based on feedback from the 100’s of companies we have worked with. With the extensive capabilities of the wider Hatch Blue group, we have built a program where startup development meets strategic consulting.
The Hatch Blue Crest accelerator delivers concrete outputs bespoke for your venture while building upon the benefits of previous programs. These are business-ready assets that any founder would need to accelerate their growth as they expand their global network of mentors, investors, and industry partners.
What you get (Outputs):
• An in-depth Market & Competitor Study for your first product conducted by Hatch Innovation Services.
• An Intellectual Property Strategy including freedom-to-operate study and patent landscape analysis conducted by Hatch Innovation Services
• A product Life Cycle Assesssment assessing the environmental footprint of your product conducted by a third party
• A Marketing & Branding Strategy including corporate identity work conducted by sector-expert marketing agency The Fish Site
Join the program to receive
Co-working office space.
Access to both cold AND warm water testing.
Customer and industry discovery trips to partner farms and feedmills in Hawai’i, Norway, Singapore, and Vietnam.
Exposure to our global network of investors, industry representatives, farmers, and first adopters built over the last decade.
Investor-readiness analysis and advice conducted by our fund managers.
Join a community of 135+ ventures and entrepreneurs from previous accelerators and innovation studios for learning and collaboration.
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Our core offering
Exposure to our global network of investors, industry representatives, farmers, and first adopters built over the last decade.
On-hand marketing and design help.
Investor-readiness analysis and advice conducted by our fund managers.
Mentor sessions with industry leaders and personalized discussion opportunities.
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HATCH empowered us as entrepreneurs to be around like-minded colleagues while increasing the impact of our enterprise via the following: much quicker market entry for our products, providing critical global exposure for our Hawai’i-based company and introducing us (in-person) to the decision-makers or champions inside relevant organizations.
HATCH got us back out into the world of aquaculture with meetings and contacts which have been extremely valuable. Through Hatch we met people and companies we otherwise would not have met.
Investment
We make a USD 75,000 investment into your company via an uncapped SAFE note with a stepped discount.
USD 65,000 is in-kind to finance the bespoke outputs we produce for you and to deliver the full program.
USD 10,000 is in cash intended to cover costs of travel related to the program.
This is an investment in your company as we build alongside you the key components high-growth startups need for success. Follow-on funding is available from Hatch Blue funds.
We invest across the following sectors
Contact Us
For questions about current program please contact our team
FAQs
There is no deadline but there are limited positions for startups on each on-site workshop and industry trip which is filled on a first-come first-served basis. We review applications on a rolling basis. If you’re interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
The first on-site workshop takes place in Hawai'i from July 8th to 19th, 2024.
The next on-site workshop in Norway starts Sep 9th, 2024.
Our on-site workshops are at the National Energy Laboratory of Hawai’i Authority (NELHA) in the Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology park (HOST), where our Americas office is located. The industry trips are in Bergen and Singapore where we have offices as well.
We invest USD 75,000 in your company through a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) note. USD 65,000 is in-kind to finance the bespoke outputs and to deliver the full program. USD 10,000 is in cash and is intended to cover the costs of attending.
Yes.
Yes, you are still eligible. Hatch Blue is unique as it is the world’s leading accelerator focused on ocean technology, aquaculture, and blue carbon sectors that can offer both business support and/or sector expertise to suit the startup’s needs.
Our program is a hybrid one with on-site and virtual portions. For the on-site portions, you need to inform us at least 4 weeks in advance if you intend to join the upcoming on-site workshop or industry trip. Once the position has been confirmed by both parties, the CEO must participate in all the sessions organized as part of that on-site program segment.
Yes, at each Singapore industry trip there will be a Demo Day.
The program concludes when you receive all your outputs and when you complete all 3 on-site portions (the on-site workshop and the 2 industry trips), or in 18 months, whichever is the quickest. We will continue providing you with support as part of our portfolio and we will continue to have monthly virtual mentor sessions that all portfolio companies are invited to attend.
Hatch Blue was started in late 2017 by three co-founders, Wayne Murphy, Georg Baunach and Carsten Krome. Today, Hatch Blue has become an organization of 30+ staff active in accelerator programs, venture capital investments, consulting and publishing — all in aquaculture, alternative seafood, marine biotechnology, and blue carbon.
Program specific questions
Do we have an option on visiting other countries that are not part of the program?
There will not be any additional trips as part of the CREST Program beyond the locations that are listed on the program, namely Hawai'i, Norway, Vietnam, and Singapore. We will, however, support you with introductions to the global network of the aquaculture industry for sub-sectors, species, and geographies that are of interest to you to the best of our abilities.