Women in Ocean Food
Bridging the gap for female founders in the blue economy
Ocean food sustains the livelihoods of more than 600 million people around the world (FAO, 2024), but women continue to be left out of key roles in the sector.
The Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio is actively working to address these gender disparities by hosting an equity-free, business support program for female founders and leadership teams driving change in the blue economy.
The program equips startup founders, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to build solutions and drive change across sustainable aquaculture, marine biotech, seafood value chains, ocean conservation, and blue carbon.
Participants receive mentorship from global industry experts, curated connections, and ongoing post-program support to accelerate commercial growth and real-world impact.
This year, Women in Ocean Food Goes Global
In 2021, Hatch Blue hosted the first iteration of an all-female program. In 2022, we partnered with Conservation International Ventures to deliver the inaugural Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio in Southeast Asia. By 2024, the movement expanded to Latin America and the Caribbean. And in 2025, the initiative will officially go global with the launch of the first Women in Ocean Food Innovation Studio in Africa!