Recruitment underway for 2020 Irish Aquaculture Accelerator programme

Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency announced today (Thursday, 14^th May) that recruitment is underway for this year’s Aquaculture Accelerator programme. The two-week programme, managed by aquaculture accelerator Hatch and funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, is taking place in the RDI (Research, Development, Innovation) Hub in Killorglin, Co Kerry this October.

Richard Donnelly, Development and Innovation Manager, BIM said:

Last year’s aquaculture workshop, held in Dublin, resulted in 3 of the participating Irish businesses receiving significant capital investment and going on to join the Hatch Global Accelerator programme in Hawaii. It’s clear that many more concepts and ideas await discovery and development in Ireland given the right environment, investment and focus.

Like most accelerators, the BIM Aquaculture Accelerator offers access to investors, fin-tech and other specialists, but this programme is specifically tailored to the aquaculture sector. This is the third such BIM aquaculture accelerator to take place since 2018. Start-ups on the programmes are diverse. Previous years’ businesses have included innovative technologies in salmon cage manufacturing to online trading platforms for aquaculture products.

Wayne Murphy, Co-Founder and COO, Hatch said:

We are excited to partner with BIM once again to create and drive more opportunity and innovation within the aquaculture sector in Ireland. The ultimate aim with this initiative is to grow, develop and support more early stage ideas and talent in what is the fastest growing food sector in the world right now ($230B).

Ten start-up businesses from Ireland will have the opportunity to work directly with and receive mentorship from a global team of experts from aquaculture, fin-tech and marketing disciplines in October.

Commenting on today’s announcement Helen Rea, Programme Manager with RDI Hub, said:

We are excited to welcome BIM and Hatch to Kerry later this year. The purpose of RDI Hub is to catalyse innovation and create high skilled ICT jobs and achieving these objectives is accelerated through cross-fertilisation of ideas and solutions across sectors. Consequently, partnering with BIM and Hatch on this important initiative is a natural fit for RDI Hub.

The BIM aquaculture accelerator programme is taking place from the 5^th until the 16^th of October in the RDI Hub, Killorglin, Co Kerry. For details on how to apply, please go to www.hatch.blue.