Blue Ambition 2025: Why Ireland Might Be Europe’s Best Launchpad for Aquaculture Innovation

Last Thursday, I attended Blue Ambition 2025, an event hosted at the Dublin Stock Exchange and organized by Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency (BIM) together with Hatch Blue, the well-known aquaculture accelerator. The event brought together leaders from government, venture capital, and industry. Timmy Dooley, Irish Minister of State for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Caroline Bocquel, CEO of the Seafood Development Agency, and Sarah-Jane Larkin, Director General of the Irish Venture Capital Association where among the attendees.

As an entrepreneur trying to grow aquaculture technology companies in Europe, I left the event with mixed feelings: gratitude and admiration on one hand, but also reflection on where Europe as a whole stands.

Europe’s Scaling Problem

Despite all that Europe has given me (opportunities to grow, connect, and learn) I have found it difficult to grow and let alone scale. We have brilliant minds and a thriving culture of innovation. But, the combination of regulatory hurdles, risk aversion, and limited access to capital often leaves companies stuck at small sizes or their innovation at the pilot stage.

Part of it, I believe, is structural. We all have something to say about bureaucracy, complex taxation systems, fragmented markets. However, another part is cultural. We lack a shared European vision that gives us all the trust comfort and money we need to take risks. We’re rarely told, from the top, that growth beyond borders is good, is possible, and that we should aim for it. And then Ireland felt different.

A Different Spirit in Ireland

Within 20 minutes of the event starting, it became clear that Ireland is cooking something unique: a coordinated, strategic approach to growing its aquaculture and marine technology sectors.

From the Minister’s opening words to the discussions between development agencies and investors, there’s a clear sense of shared purpose. I saw a national vision that connects government, finance, and entrepreneurship. Through the event, the message continued to repeat: we need everyone, including you, entrepreneur, engineer and scientist. And this was not talk. What found in a few hours:

1. BIM (an agency), and HatchBlue (a business accelerator) work closely together. I have not seen this elsewhere.

2. Enterprise Ireland has offices abroad. This means they are scouting for businesses outside of Ireland and convince them to set up shop in Ireland. Unheard of during my career.

3. This year alone, BIM brought 25 companies to Aqua Nor, the world’s largest aquaculture exhibition, helping them find business partners and clients in Norway. BIM is also actively building trade bridges with Norway.

4. One of their success cases: Aquamonitrix are already entering the Norwegian market, something that would have been much harder without that level of support, in my opinion.

5. How the Irish Venture Capital Association is looking to help companies scale up

Frankly, I have not seen any other European country taking this kind of proactive, organized approach to scaling aquaculture technology.

A Personal Reflection

I’ve been aquaculture tech businesses in Europe 15 years. Over my last years, I have held the opinion you have to expand beyond your borders. Perhaps, approaching early adopters in places like Norway, then going into growing markets like Turkey, then jump globally. But, the difference between doing that alone and doing it with an entire ecosystem that wants you to succeed is enormous. I learned this is what Ireland is offering with optimism, warmth and professionalism. It was contagious.

And in the end, Ireland does not have the largest aquaculture industry or market, so, it won't be your destination. But, it can be your springboard because Ireland is a country that understands that growth depends on trade, on connection, relationships (fueled by Guinness) and looking outward.

As for me Chimana Tech, I left Dublin energized. I will be exploring how we can become part of this Irish story. I'm looking forward to collaborate, connect, and help build what’s might become the most dynamic aquaculture innovation ecosystem in Europe.

For any founder out there longing for a fresh downwind breeze, I’d say look at Ireland.