Regenerative seaweed company secures investment to scale Southeast Asia smallholder farming

Coast 4C to expand smallholder seaweed farming and improve traceability in a region that produces most of the world’s carrageenan

A company working with smallholder seaweed farmers in Southeast Asia has raised $2.5 million to expand production and improve supply chains for the global seaweed industry.

Coast 4C, a regenerative seaweed company operating in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia, said the funding will be used to expand its farmer network, scale operations and roll out a digital traceability platform. The oversubscribed seed round was led by Hatch Blue’s Blue Revolution Fund, with participation from Conservation International Ventures, elea, RS Group, Potato Impact Partners, Minderoo Foundation, Kibo Invest and Azulito Fund.

“The successful completion of the funding round marks a pivotal moment for Coast 4C,” said Nick Hill, founder and CEO of Coast 4C. “We will use the proceeds from the seed round to reach breakeven ahead of a Series A round, driving scale initially within Southeast Asia before expanding into other regions. We also plan to expand our farmer network across coastal communities and complete the rollout of our digital farm management and traceability platform.”

The company works with smallholder farmers who produce red seaweed used to make carrageenan, an ingredient commonly found in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. Although Southeast Asia supplies most of the world’s carrageenan, production remains fragmented across informal networks, limiting quality, consistency, and farmer income.

“Smallholder farmers have long been treated as grant recipients rather than equity-backed producers,” said Sol Park, principal at Blue Revolution Fund, Hatch Blue. “Having supported Coast 4C through our accelerator and pre-seed fund, Hatch Blue has seen firsthand what this company is capable of. BRF’s investment is our way of proving that impact-oriented companies can sustain institutional capital, and that the sector is ready for it.”

For seaweed farmers in Zanzibar, a chance for real growth

Coast 4C said its model provides farmers with technical support, production inputs and market access while helping buyers secure traceable supplies of seaweed. The company also promotes regenerative farming practices and community-managed marine conservation initiatives.

“There’s a lack of investment going to Southeast Asian seaweed despite it being one of the world’s top producers,” said Bernice Tang, director of impact investments and strategy at Potato Impact Partners. “The region faces a bottleneck in quality supply that has repercussions on the industry. We need companies like Coast 4C to help change that.”

The funding round was announced during London Climate Week at the Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly. Coast 4C was named a finalist for the Earthshot Prize in 2024, a global competition launched by Prince William to support environmental innovations.

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