Indian aquaculture technology company Aquaconnect announced plans to invest USD 4.5 million (EUR 4.1 million) into the research and production of aquaculture biological solutions that should help the firm provide science-driven health innovations for shrimp and fish farmers.

In order to make this happen, Aquaconnect said it plans to leverage its network of 850 aqua partners across India – its own term for entrepreneurs in rural areas who provide Aquaconnect with real-time performance tracking and feedback.

“What truly sets us apart is how we seamlessly integrate a data-driven approach with cutting-edge biotechnology in our product development. Our data-driven feedback loop systematically captures research data at scale, helping us accelerate product development cycles, fast-track lab-to-market transitions, and enhance formulation precision,” Aquaconnect Head of Life Sciences Sudip Sen said.

Aquaconnect has established its research and development base in the western Indian state of Gujarat to facilitate the project, Aquaconnect Entrepreneur-in-Residence Sudhakar Velayutham told SeafoodSource on 26 March.

The project aims to provide the aquaculture market with next-generation innovations in nutrition, water quality, pond bottom management, growth optimization, and biosecurity. These formulations are being introduced under Aquaconnect’s farm-care brand “Dr.Grow,” which was launched over a year ago “to capture significant market share in aquaculture inputs across India and globally,” the company said.

Aquaconnect CEO Rajamanohar Somasundaram said he expects the new investment will help Aquaconnect become one of the top aqua biology solutions companies in India.

To further those plans for growth, the firm said it is fostering international cooperation. It is in discussions with biotech companies in the E.U. and the U.S. in order to capitalize on their research capabilities and jointly develop formulations optimized for Indian aquaculture systems.

Founded in 2017 as a technology startup, Aquaconnect has grown to become an integrated seafood company after a number of funding rounds. The company provides a rising number of local fish and shrimp farmers in several states across India with smart farm management tools, financial services, and customers to support their operations. It also provides a solution to help farmers sell their products to customers in other countries.

Source - https://www.seafoodsource.com