Speaker

Interview

1. What excites you most about investing in seaweed innovation in Southeast Asia?

• What excites me about investing in seaweed innovation in Southeast Asia is building upon the region's deep-rooted history with seaweed. We know that 98% of seaweed is produced in Asia and seaweed cultivation has been an integral part of Southeast Asia for generations. Given this strong foundation of seaweed, the time is apt for innovations to scale the value chain with new technologies, products, and business models. 
• As someone with personal ties to Southeast Asia, it's particularly inspiring and humbling to support the region's growing startup ecosystem and to back founders and companies that are creating a positive impact on coastal communities and the environment. 

2. Why do you think seaweed is gaining attention in the impact investment world right now?

Seaweed is a nature-based solution that has multifaceted potential to transform global food systems through applications like biostimulants and aquafeed supplements, create climate resilience through methane-reducing animal feed, and mitigate pollution through applications such as bioplastics. Not only this, but the cultivation phase itself generates significant positive impact by building robust coastal livelihoods, particularly for marginalized communities, while also fostering marine biodiversity. Coupled with exciting innovations in areas like sustainable materials and high-value product streams such as nutraceuticals and cosmetics, seaweed presents a unique convergence of environmental, social, and financial viability that resonates strongly with impact-driven capital. 

3. What do you look for when backing a seaweed startup?

• The team! First and foremost, I look at the founders and want to understand their story and what led them to become not just a founder, but a founder in the seaweed space. Having been a former founder, I know that being a founder requires a unique combination of vision, passion, and drive, and therefore it’s important to understand that story and whether they have a good team to support them. 
• Impact: As impact investors, the 'impact' element is paramount. It’s important to see a clear and credible pathway for the startup to deliver on key impact areas. 
• Business model: Beyond the team and impact, I look for a sustainable business model that can be financially viable and have a path towards profitability. At the end of the day, impact is only sustainable if a company is financially viable, so they need a realistic plan for growth, scalability, and generating revenue.