Case study hero image
Regenerative ecosystems

Aqua-Spark

Private equity

Impact venture and growth capital

Global

There is an increasing urgency to reduce pressure on our ocean and transition to a food system which is healthier for people and nature. Better solutions to farm our waters - aquaculture - is the answer to the world’s growing appetite for fish, but has been plagued by issues such as environmental damage and pollution, disease outbreaks and excessive use of antibiotics. Aqua-Spark is the first and largest investment fund in the world dedicated to sustainable aquaculture. Changing an industry requires a full redesign of the parts and how they fit together, so the fund invests strategically along the value chain. Its investments complement and support each other and contribute to the overall Aqua-Spark mission to move to a healthy, sustainable and affordable aquaculture industry, whilst generating attractive comparable financial returns. Solutions in the portfolio include best practice sustainable farms, farm management technology, alternative fish feed such as insect meal, natural alternatives to antibiotics and other methods of reducing industry usage of wild resources.

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Impact

66 million

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fish saved in 2022 by Aqua-Spark with alternative feed ingredients.

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Financial

>20%

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net internal rate of return (depending on entry).

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Impact

66 million

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fish saved in 2022 by Aqua-Spark with alternative feed ingredients.

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Financial

>20%

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net internal rate of return (depending on entry).

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Impact

66 million

Icon alt text

fish saved in 2022 by Aqua-Spark with alternative feed ingredients.

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Financial

>20%

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net internal rate of return (depending on entry).

Mixed media asset
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Impact

66 million

Icon alt text

fish saved in 2022 by Aqua-Spark with alternative feed ingredients.

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Financial

>20%

Icon alt text

net internal rate of return (depending on entry).

Mixed media asset
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Impact

66 million

Icon alt text

fish saved in 2022 by Aqua-Spark with alternative feed ingredients.

Mixed media asset
Mixed media asset

Financial

>20%

Icon alt text

net internal rate of return (depending on entry).

Mixed media asset
Mixed media asset

Impact

66 million

Icon alt text

fish saved in 2022 by Aqua-Spark with alternative feed ingredients.

Mixed media asset
Mixed media asset

Financial

>20%

Icon alt text

net internal rate of return (depending on entry).

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Meet the team:

Aqua-Spark

How this investor is generating great returns cleaning up the seafood business “We intend to grow our invested capital to approximately €1 billion and our AUM to €3-5 billion by 2030, with matching positive impact,.” says Aqua-Spark CEO Lissy Smit. The fund has now attracted over 350 investors across 30+ countries. They include ImpactAssets, the Louis Dreyfus Company, Snowball and a range of family offices and institutional investors. Co-founders Amy Novogratz and her husband and co-founder, Mike Vellings, originally met at a TED floating ocean conference and went on to create Aqua-Spark inAqua-Spark2015. The fund has now attracted 190 investors across 29 countries. They include ImpactAssets, the Louis Dreyfus Company, Snowball and a range of family offices and institutional investors. Listen here to lifelong entrepreneur Mike discussing why aquaculture is such an exciting sector for investors.

Underlying holdings