Research & Innovation

BIM, Ireland’s seafood development agency, has announced its plan to support a global Accelerator Programme for Aquaculture to help position Ireland as a leader in the next phase of aquaculture innovation. The Accelerator programme, an intensive fixed-term programme aimed at up-scaling start-ups, including access to investors, workshops and mentoring, is being funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and will be managed by Hatch, who recently ran the world’s first Accelerator program focused on the aquaculture industry in Bergen, Norway.

Jim O’Toole, CEO of BIM, said: “Ireland has the ambition to position itself as an international leader in the global seafood industry. Start-ups are crucial to the continued development of Ireland’s aquaculture sector because of the role they play in driving new ideas and innovation.”

The three-month programme will take place in a state of the art co-working space in Cork city, offering six to eight aquaculture start-ups from around the world the opportunity to work directly with, and receive mentorship from a global team of experts from disciplines including aquaculture, technology, finance and marketing.

Wayne Murphy, COO of Hatch, spoke of how “the pace at which a start-up can make decisions or change course is multiplied on an Accelerator programme. This type of programme is often the launchpad of incredible innovation, as the start-ups receive the real support they need to develop and tap into a network of investors, commercial partners, experts and experienced entrepreneurs.”

The Accelerator programme is being launched in Cork on 18 September.

Details on how to apply can be found here