Coast 4C, a regenerative seaweed company operating in Southeast Asia, has secured an oversubscribed US$2.5 million seed funding round aimed at scaling its seaweed farming platform, improving smallholder productivity, and strengthening marine conservation efforts.
The investment round was led by Hatch Blue’s Blue Revolution Fund (BRF), a €92 million fund focused on sustainable aquaculture. Other participants included Conservation International Ventures, elea, RS Group, Potato Impact Partners, Minderoo Foundation, Kibo Invest, and Azulito Fund.
Coast 4C works to connect smallholder seaweed farmers with global buyers through a traceable and responsible supply chain. While Southeast Asia produces most of the world’s carrageenan—a seaweed-derived ingredient widely used in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors—the industry remains fragmented, often relying on informal supply networks that can affect product quality, consistency, and farmer incomes.
To address these challenges, Coast 4C provides farmers with technical assistance, production inputs, and market access, enabling them to cultivate higher-quality red seaweed for international processors. The company also promotes regenerative farming practices and community-managed marine protected areas to support coastal ecosystem health.
According to Coast 4C Founder and CEO Nick Hill, the new funding marks a significant milestone for the company. He said the capital will be used to help Coast 4C reach breakeven ahead of a future Series A fundraising round, while accelerating growth across Southeast Asia before expanding into other regions. The company also plans to broaden its network of farmers in coastal communities and complete the rollout of its digital farm management and traceability platform.
“The successful completion of the funding round marks a pivotal moment for Coast 4C. We will use the proceeds from the seed round to reach breakeven ahead of a Series A round, driving scale initially within Southeast Asia before expanding into other regions.” Hill said.
The investment also reflects Hatch Blue’s long-standing support for Coast 4C, having backed the company through its accelerator program and pre-seed fund. Sol Park, Principal at Blue Revolution Fund, said the investment demonstrates growing confidence in aquaculture businesses that combine financial returns with measurable social and environmental impact.
Park noted that smallholder farmers have traditionally been viewed as recipients of grants rather than participants in equity-backed business models. Having worked closely with Coast 4C during its early stages, Hatch Blue believes the company has demonstrated that impact-focused enterprises can attract institutional capital and scale successfully.
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Investors also highlighted the company’s role in creating economic opportunities for coastal communities while supporting marine conservation.
Stéphanie Abels, Executive Director of elea, said Coast 4C is among a small number of entrepreneurial ventures creating meaningful economic opportunities for marginalized coastal populations. She added that by making seaweed farming a sustainable source of income, the company helps provide both the motivation and resources for communities to protect the marine ecosystems on which their livelihoods depend.
Bernice Tang, Director of Impact Investments and Strategy at Potato Impact Partners, pointed to a lack of investment flowing into Southeast Asia’s seaweed sector despite the region’s status as one of the world’s leading producers. She said the industry continues to face quality supply constraints and emphasized the need for companies like Coast 4C to help address those challenges.
The funding round was supported by a grant from the Blue Carbon Action Partnership, an initiative hosted by the World Economic Forum and backed by the UK Government’s COAST programme, which helped cover legal costs associated with closing the investment.
The announcement was made during the Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly at London Climate Week. Coast 4C was also a finalist in the 2024 Earthshot Prize, an environmental innovation award launched by Prince William in 2020 to accelerate solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
Founded to address inefficiencies in the seaweed supply chain, Coast 4C says its model not only improves farmer livelihood, particularly for women, but also supports the protection of blue carbon ecosystems, contributing to broader climate and conservation goals.
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Image source: The Earthshot Prize Impact
