S2G Ventures to invest up to $100m in ocean and seafood firms

S2G Ventures has announced that it will invest up to $100 million under a new strategy focused on firms promoting sustainability in the ocean and seafood supply chain.

The company has also announced that Kate Danaher and Larsen Mettler have joined S2G to manage the oceans and seafood strategy.

Executed by a newly established oceans and seafood investment team, the strategy aims to invest in early, venture, and growth stage companies globally.

It will focus on areas including seafood and alternative protein sources, aquaculture and supply chain innovation, ecosystem services, traceability and transparency, as well as algae and seaweed.

The company says that it aims to support entrepreneurs in developing scalable solutions to the challenges that threaten the world’s oceans, which play a ‘critical role’ in the health of the planet.

Headquartered in Chicago, S2G Ventures invests in companies that are ‘improving the overall health and sustainability of the food system’. Beyond Meat, Apeel Sciences and MycoTechnology are all among the firms that it has backed.

With the addition of the oceans and seafood strategy, S2G says that it is expanding its scope across the food system.

“I look forward to accelerating the growth initiatives our investors and entrepreneurs are looking for from a strategic investment partner,” said Larsen Mettler, newly appointed managing director at S2G.

“Kate and I bring complementary experience that will help us to be a value-added partner to entrepreneurs looking to build great businesses.  Entrepreneurs in this sector are looking for more than just capital.  Our skillset, in combination with S2G’s value-added toolkit, make us a partner of choice.”

Kate Danaher, newly appointed managing director at S2G, added: “Joining S2G and building out a new strategy in oceans is very exciting.  I am eager to be able to support some amazing entrepreneurs making real and necessary change in the oceans and seafood space. 

“Larsen and I will seek out entrepreneurs that are disrupting the value chain of existing incumbents, as well as spin out opportunities in collaboration with those incumbents.”