Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio (Fourth Cohort)

About

An equity-free, 12-month programme for women founders and decision-makers in Latin America and the Caribbean that begins with a nine-day in-person studio in La Paz, Mexico, and provides business, fundraising, mentorship and investor-connection support.

Benefits

• 🛟Equity-free support
  The programme is described as equity-free and provides no cash or equity investment.
• 🎓Nine-day in-person studio
  Selected participants attend a nine-day studio in La Paz, Mexico, from 25 January to 3 February 2027.
• 🧭Twelve months of support
  Participants receive 12 months of ongoing support, including quarterly follow-ups.
• 🚀Business and fundraising support
  Support covers market intelligence, go-to-market strategy, pitch development, fundraising and investment readiness.
• 🤝Investor and buyer introductions
  Participants receive introductions to investors and buyers, independent of any investment decision, and are considered for follow-on investment from Hatch Blue and Conservation International Ventures.
• 🌐Industry connections and mentors
  The programme includes discovery trips to aquaculture facilities, access to a global network of women-led companies across the blue economy, and mentorship from industry leaders and one-on-one sessions with the organising teams.
• ✈️Travel, accommodation and meals
  Travel, accommodation and meals are covered for two participants per selected team, and no cash or equity investment is provided.

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: women founders or current decision-makers at the applying company.
• Mandatory: based in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Mandatory: working in sustainable and regenerative aquaculture, marine biotechnology, aquatech, seafood value chains, seafood waste revalorization, or blue carbon.
• Eligible applicant types include startups with high-potential solutions, established companies ready to scale, research teams with at least a proof of concept and a route to market, and cooperatives or associations structuring growth.
• Teams must be led or founded by women, or have women as real decision-makers.
• At least one participant is required; two co-founders are preferred.
• No other preferred criteria are stated in the available sources.

Participation Commitments

• Applications must be submitted online by 7 November 2026.
• Selected participants begin with a nine-day, full-time, in-person studio in La Paz, Mexico, from 25 January to 3 February 2027.
• Participants receive 12 months of ongoing support, including quarterly follow-ups.
• The programme is equity-free and provides no cash or equity investment.

Target Region

Applicant geographic eligibility: women founders or decision-makers based in Latin America and the Caribbean. The in-person studio is in La Paz, Mexico; that is a delivery location and is not stated as an additional applicant-eligibility restriction.

Target Sector

Agriculture & Food, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Other