Oceanloop founders, CEO Fabian Riedel & CTO Bert Wecker
Photo: Oceanloop
German aquaculture technology company Oceanloop has secured financing of up to €38.5 million to scale its land-based giant grouper production in Europe, following earlier trials that demonstrated the species' potential in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).
The financing combines new equity commitments from Hatch Blue's Blue Revolution Fund and Stolt Ventures, together with a €32 million venture-debt facility from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EIB facility was originally signed in October 2024 and amended in July 2026 to include giant grouper farming, according to Oceanloop.
The funding will support construction of a new farm at Oceanloop's existing site in Strande, near Kiel, designed to produce around 250 tonnes of giant grouper annually. Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2026.
A second, substantially larger facility is planned for Gran Canaria, with annual production capacity of approximately 2,000 tonnes. Oceanloop currently expects construction there to begin in 2029.
The investment marks the next stage in Oceanloop's work with Queensland giant grouper, Epinephelus lanceolatus. In 2025, WeAreAquaculture reported that Oceanloop, the Alfred Wegener Institute and Sander had successfully trialled the species in RAS in Germany as part of the OPTI-RAS project, using fingerlings imported from Australia.
The trials recorded survival rates of up to 99%, while Oceanloop reported economic feed conversion of 1.0 and successful production at stocking densities of 80 to 120 kg per cubic metre. The consortium said at the time that the results showed promise for commercial grouper farming in European RAS.
Commercial sales have since begun through Oceanloop's sister company Honest Catch. The existing facility near Kiel is expected to supply around 20 to 30 tonnes annually, according to the company.
“This financing marks the beginning of Oceanloop’s industrial scale-up,” said Oceanloop founder and chief executive Dr Fabian Riedel, in a press release.
“Together with our shareholder and technology partner Sander, we have spent more than a decade developing, operating and continuously improving land-based marine aquaculture systems. With Hatch Blue, Stolt Ventures and the European Investment Bank, we are bringing together specialist aquaculture investment expertise, decades of commercial seafood experience and long-term European growth financing. This gives us the foundation to scale Oceanloop from proven technology into an international aquaculture platform,” he said.
The planned 250-tonne Kiel facility will operate alongside Oceanloop's existing R&D operation and is intended to serve both as a commercial farm and a reference site for its RAS technology.
Oceanloop said the site will combine fish production with applied research, biological optimisation, laboratory work, digital monitoring, software development and operator training. Operational data will be used to refine areas such as feeding, fish welfare, energy efficiency and farm design.
Following the Kiel expansion, Oceanloop plans to develop a commercial farm on Gran Canaria with annual production capacity of approximately 2,000 tonnes.
The company has already established a subsidiary on the island and said planning and site-related work are under way.
The proposed facility is being designed to integrate hatchery operations, grow-out, processing, digital farm management and quality control. Oceanloop said the location offers access to seawater and renewable-energy potential, as well as proximity to European seafood markets.
Queensland giant grouper, Epinephelus lanceolatus.
Oceanloop said giant grouper will now become the main species for the rollout of its own European farms. The company will, however, continue developing its RAS platform for other marine species, including shrimp, and said it is discussing possible licensing agreements, strategic partnerships and joint ventures with international partners.
“Our own European farms will initially focus on Giant Grouper, but the wider Oceanloop platform is designed for international replication across different species and markets,” said CTO Bert Wecker.
“We see significant interest from partners that want to produce premium seafood closer to consumption without having to develop the required biology, engineering, software and operational expertise from the ground up.”
Hatch Blue's Blue Revolution Fund has joined Oceanloop as lead equity investor. The €92 million fund focuses on aquaculture companies from seed to Series A stage.
Stolt Ventures, the venture-investment arm of Stolt-Nielsen, has also invested. Through Stolt Sea Farm, the group has more than five decades of experience in aquaculture and specialises in land-based production of turbot and sole.
“Oceanloop has demonstrated the quality of the product, the strength of the technology, and a clear market strategy, backed by a team that combines technical expertise, biological understanding and commercial savviness,” said Hatch Blue founder and chief executive Georg Baunach.
Axel de Mégille, head of Stolt Ventures, said: “Oceanloop has developed a differentiated platform for the controlled production of premium marine species on land. Its focus on biology, repeatable farm design and commercial operations strongly aligns with Stolt-Nielsen’s long-term experience in aquaculture and the development of high-quality seafood markets.”