Fish 2.0 has announced 40 finalists from across the globe that will pitch to investors in November at the Fish 2.0 Innovation Forum at Stanford University, USA.
This is the culminating event in the Fish 2.0 2017 competition for sustainable seafood businesses.
Fish 2.0 builds the knowledge and connections needed to increase investment in the sustainable seafood sector. Fish 2.0 competitors improve their business models and learn how to approach investors. In turn, participating investors gain early access to new deals and learn how sustainable seafood can help build their portfolios.
Three of the finalists representing the Pacific Islands are Didao Fishing Company, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu's Shepherd Islands Organic Seafood and Indigo Seafood Palau.
The finalists were selected from an initial pool of 184 entrants, standing out for their market traction and high potential for impact on the seafood sector. As a Fish 2.0 sponsor, Pacific Trade Invest Australia (PTI Australia) is thrilled with the announcement of the three Pacific Island finalists.
Chad Morris, General Manager Investment & Tourism, said PTI Australia understands the importance of the ocean and sustainable fishing to the Pacific Islands, which is why they got behind Fish 2.0 - to bring the competition back to the Pacific Islands.
'To see how the enterprises have developed and grown since the Fish 2.0 workshop held in Suva, Fiji last year is immense. I'd like to congratulate Toata Molea [of] Didao Fishing Company, James Sanderson [of] Indigo Seafood Palau and Obed Matariki [of] Shepherd Islands Organic Seafood - there was a lot of competition and they should be proud of this achievement. 'PTI Australia decided to come onboard as a sponsor for Fish 2.0 as we could see the value for Pacific Island fishing enterprises. The opportunity that's ahead for the three Pacific Island finalists is huge. We will be travelling to Stanford and will run a preparatory workshop for the Pacific Island finalists to ensure they are ready to make the most of this opportunity.'
Obed Timakata, owner of Shepherd Islands Organic Seafood, said being part of the Fish 2.0 competition has been very valuable and he was excited to be named as a finalist.
'I was overwhelmed when I got the news that I'm a Fish 2.0 2017 competition finalist. I am very grateful for all the support provided by Pacific Trade Invest Australia in bringing back Fish 2.0 to the Pacific. It's absolutely a valuable program indeed. I'm very excited to be representing Vanuatu at the 2017 Fish 2.0 Innovation Forum Finals in November.'
At the Innovation Forum, the 24 highest scorers will give three-minute pitches to panels of expert judges. They will present in four groups: ventures taking pressure off wild fisheries; aquaculture production and related technologies; transparency, traceability and fisheries technology; and supply chain innovations, including new paths to market for fishers.
The winners will receive cash prizes. The remaining 16 finalists will give 90-second pitches directly to the audience of 300 seafood experts and investors who come to Fish 2.0 to share knowledge and find opportunities.
In addition, all finalists are eligible for ICX (Industry Connection) prizes, which provide exceptional networking and mentoring opportunities.
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Published October 2017
