Three Pacific Island sustainable seafood businesses were among 40 finalists from across the globe that pitched to investors at the Fish 2.0 Innovation Forum at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, USA. Representing the Pacific Islands were Didds Fishing Company, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu’s Shepherd Islands Organic Seafood and Indigo Seafood Palau.
The room erupted when Toata Molea of Didds Fishing Company was announced as the winner of the Pacific track of the competition. Mr Molea was ecstatic about being named a winner.
‘I still can’t believe it; I’m so happy. All the pitches were of such a high standard; I feel very honoured to have won the Pacific track,’ said Mr Molea.
Chad Morris, General Manager, Investment and Tourism, Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia travelled to Palo Alto to support the Pacific finalists and ran a preparatory workshop to prepare the Pacific fishing entrepreneurs with their pitches.
‘Raising capital from investors is difficult.
Investors have limited time and you may only get one chance, so when you have the opportunity it’s crucial you nail the pitch and articulate a compelling and interesting story’.
The preparatory workshop initiative by PTI Australia was vital to the success of the pitches for the Pacific Island finalists.
It provided the finalists one last chance to practice their pitches, build their confidence and refine their approach with feedback from the guest representatives from the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), Calvert Foundation and the USA state department. When they took to the stage in the US, Mr Morris said the pitches from the Pacific stood out.
‘Each of the Pacific enterprises did an amazing job pitching; their authentic delivery and their story made them stand out from the competition.
They did the Pacific proud and too see how far they have come as individuals, and the clarity in their business from when they started the competition is immense. To have made it to the stage at Stanford University and to pitch to a room full of investors is a huge achievement – they should be very proud.’
‘There are many tips for perfecting your elevator pitch, my top tips would be; know what you want and know your audience, tailoring your pitch to them. Start off strong in your delivery to command their attention and tell a story, keeping it authentic. Finally, ensure you close your pitch by creating an opportunity for further discussion.’
2017 Fish 2.0 Winners
- USA South Atlantic track: Panacea Oyster Co-op
- Chile and Peru track: Sustainable Fishery Trade; Lima, Peru
- New England track: Real Oyster Cult; Duxbury, Massachusetts, USA
- Pacific Islands track: Didds Fishing Company; Honiara, Solomon Islands
- Southeast Asia track: EnerGia; Bangkok, Thailand
- West Coast and Alaska track: Northline Seafood; Sitka, Alaska, USA
- Supply chain innovation track: NovoNutrients; Sunnyvale, California, USA
- Transparency and traceability track: ThisFish Seafood Traceability; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Short pitch competition winner: American Unagi; Thomaston, Maine, USA
About Fish 2.0
Fish 2.0 connects seafood businesses and investors to grow the sustainable seafood sector. Working through our unique global network, competition platform and events, Fish 2.0 participants collaborate to drive innovation, business growth and positive impact. Entrepreneurs meet potential investors, partners and advisers who help them accelerate impact and growth.
Investors and advisers get early access to investment opportunities and learn about emerging technologies and trends, while industry leaders gain direct access to sustainable seafood suppliers and partners.
PTI Australia, The US Department of State, The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency are sponsors of the Fish 2.0 Pacific Islands track.
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Published December 2017
