Hatch Blue Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio (Africa)

Expired Impact Investor · Found: 2026-03-11 11:22

Program for female founders driving change in blue economy across sustainable aquaculture, marine biotech, seafood value chains, ocean conservation, and blue carbon. Travel and accommodation covered. Access to investors including Conservation International Ventures.

Source: https://hatch.blue/programs/women-in-ocean-food-africa

Funding Details

Funder

Hatch Blue / DOEN Foundation / Mustardseed Trust / Anchor Foundation

Funding Goal

Equity-free business accelerator program supporting female founders and leadership teams in the blue economy across Sub-Saharan Africa, covering sustainable aquaculture, marine biotech, seafood value chains, ocean conservation, and blue carbon.

Funding Amount

No direct monetary grant or equity investment. Travel, accommodation, and food costs covered for 2 participants per team. Potential for follow-on investment from Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures post-program.

Deadline

2025-10-17 (Fixed)

How to Apply

Applications via Hatch Blue website. Deadline was October 17, 2025 (current round closed). Teams of 1-2 co-founders apply; 2 participants per team can attend the in-person studio with all costs covered. Future rounds expected annually through at least 2027.

Target Region

Sub-Saharan Africa (studio hosted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

Contact

Shamim Nyanda, Community Manager - Africa: shamim@hatch.blue | Leah Davis, Programs Associate: leah@hatch.blue | General: info@hatch.blue

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:30

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Company or project must be led, founded, or co-founded by women, or have women as true decision-makers
• Must operate in a blue economy sector: sustainable aquaculture, marine biotech, seafood value chains, ocean conservation, or blue carbon
• No registered company required at time of application, but entity registration expected by program end

Project Scope

• Program is in Sub-Saharan Africa; geographic focus on that region preferred
• Team of 1-2 co-founders; up to 2 participants per team receive fully covered travel, accommodation, and food

Required Documents

• Apply via Hatch Blue website; current round closed October 17, 2025 — watch for future annual cohorts

Constraints

• Full on-site presence required for the 2-week studio in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• Program is delivered in English only

Summary

The Women In Ocean Food Innovation Studio (Africa) is a 12-month equity-free accelerator program run by Hatch Blue in partnership with Conservation International Ventures. It targets female founders, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in the blue economy across Sub-Saharan Africa. The program kicks off with a full-time two-week in-person studio in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, followed by ongoing post-program support. All travel, accommodation, and food costs are covered for up to two participants per team. Participants receive individualized mentorship from global industry experts, business strategy and commercialization support, fundraising guidance, and access to a global network of female-led blue economy companies. There is no equity taken and no direct investment during the program, but teams gain access to Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures' investor networks, with potential for follow-on investment if eligibility criteria are met. A Community Day demo event concludes the studio where finalists pitch to investors and stakeholders. The program is funded by the DOEN Foundation, Mustardseed Trust, and Anchor Foundation. It is the first edition of the Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio to be held in Sub-Saharan Africa, building on prior editions in Southeast Asia and Latin America & the Caribbean. Hatch Blue has secured multi-year funding to run annual studios through at least 2027, making future Africa cohorts likely. Applications for the current cohort closed on October 17, 2025, with program delivery postponed and now expected to begin in April 2026. As of the page publication date (March 2026), the program has not yet launched, but future rounds are anticipated given the multi-year funding structure. Across all Women in Ocean Food cohorts globally, 43 companies from 24 countries have graduated and alumni have raised a combined $263M in funding.

Historical Context

Hatch Blue launched the first Women in Aquaculture Innovation Studio in 2021. In 2022, the Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio launched in Southeast Asia in partnership with Conservation International Ventures. By 2024, the program expanded to Latin America and the Caribbean with multi-year funding through 2027. The Africa edition launched in 2025 as the first Sub-Saharan Africa cohort. Across all cohorts: 4 female-focused Innovation Studios hosted, 43 companies from 24 countries graduated, $263M in total funding raised by alumni.

Why it was added

CE/waste accelerator or incubator

Similar Programs

← Back to list