Hatch Blue - BIM Aquatech Innovation Studio

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Enriched accelerator · Found: 2026-03-11 07:51

Hatch Blue and BIM partnership for aquatech innovation studio.

Source: https://www.hatch.blue/es/programs/bim-aquatech-innovation-studio

Funding Details

Funder: Hatch Blue & Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland's Seafood Development Agency
Funding Goal: Scale-readiness intensive support for established Irish aquatech companies to sharpen market positioning, refine commercial strategy, and execute growth plans in the aquaculture sector. Program provides strategic compression, commercial pressure-testing, and execution planning over a 3-day in-person intensive in Galway, Ireland, followed by targeted follow-up engagement. Focus areas include salmon and shrimp aquaculture value chains, go-to-market strategy, market assessment, and fundraising strategy preparation.
Funding Amount: No cost and no equity taken. Participants gain access to €28M+ network of previously funded companies. Travel expenses not covered.
Deadline: 2026-03-31 (Fixed)
How to Apply: Apply via online form at https://www.cognitoforms.com/HATCHBlue1/AquaScaleBIMAquatechInnovationStudio. Application deadline: 31 March 2026, 5pm GMT. Info deck available at https://docsend.com/view/27wx2xtx3mrxnzcr. Contact: Jessica Giannoumis, Community Manager Ireland, jessica@hatch.blue
Target Region: Ireland (Galway). In-person intensive held at PorterShed, Galway, Ireland.
Contact: Jessica Giannoumis, PhD, Community Manager - Ireland, jessica@hatch.blue, https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-giannoumis/
Official Page: https://www.hatch.blue/programs/aquascale
Last Checked: 2026-03-15 12:36

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Must be a registered company actively selling into the aquaculture market (Irish aquatech)
Company must already have customers, pilots, or revenue — pre-revenue startups not eligible
Company must be Irish or operating within Irish aquaculture value chains

Project Scope

Focus on salmon or shrimp aquaculture value chains (BIM program scope)
Must be preparing for market expansion, scaling, or sharper market focus

Required Documents

Application deadline: 31 March 2026, 5pm GMT

Constraints

Full-time attendance for all three days (26–28 May 2026, Galway) is mandatory
No financial cost and no equity taken — program is free to participants
Minimum 1 participant per team (ideally 2) for the in-person intensive
Travel expenses to Galway are not covered by the program

Summary

The AquaScale BIM Aquatech Innovation Studio+ is a scale-readiness intensive program co-hosted by Hatch Blue and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland's Seafood Development Agency. The program is designed to help established aquatech companies sharpen their market position and execute growth strategies with confidence. It is a three-day in-person intensive held in Galway, Ireland (26–28 May 2026), followed by targeted post-program support including 1-to-1 follow-up sessions and network access. The thematic scope covers the aquaculture value chain with particular emphasis on salmon and shrimp sectors. Priority areas include market positioning, go-to-market strategy, commercial pressure-testing, strategic decision-making, competitive analysis, and fundraising preparation. The program is explicitly not a research program — it focuses on commercial scale-readiness and execution. Eligible activities include participating in strategic workshops, receiving individualized mentorship from industry leaders, gaining market assessments from Hatch Blue Consulting, connecting with investors and the global Hatch Blue network, and developing structured action plans for scaling. Geographically, the program is focused on Ireland, with the in-person intensive hosted in Galway. There is no geographic requirement for the company's market, but applicants must be Irish aquatech companies or operating within Irish aquaculture value chains. Eligible applicants are registered aquatech companies that are already active in the market — with customers, pilots, or revenue — and are selling into the aquaculture sector. Early-stage startups and pre-revenue ventures are explicitly excluded. Minimum one participant per team is required, and full-time attendance for all three days is mandatory. Target beneficiaries are scaling aquatech enterprises in Ireland focused on aquaculture and seafood innovation. The program is provided at no cost and no equity is taken. An international Aquatech stakeholder event (Demo Day) is planned for October 19th, 2026 as a finale. The program has a strong track record: 66 companies accepted over previous editions, €28M+ in total funding raised by alumni, and 173 jobs created.

Historical Context

The BIM Aquatech Innovation Studio has run annually since 2019 with Bord Iascaigh Mhara. Previous editions: 2019 (5 startups), 2020 (13), 2021 (8), 2022 (8), 2023 (8), 2024 (9). To date, 66 companies have been accepted across all editions, raising €28M+ in total funding and creating 173 jobs. The AquaScale BIM Aquatech Innovation Studio+ is the latest evolution of this program, with a Demo Day planned for October 19th, 2026.

Sources

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