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NEWS

2024.07.01

Oisix ra Daichi's CVC 'Future Food Fund' invests in ARK, which is developing a system for building land-based aquaculture anywhere and selling seafood products

Expectations are high for the business expansion  of land-based recirculating aquaculture systems  that aim to avert food crises


At the end of May 2024, “Future Food Fund 2”¹, a  CVC fund specialising in the food innovation  sector operated by Future Food Fund Co. Ltd.  (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kohei  Matsumoto, hereinafter referred to as Future Food  Fund), an investment subsidiary of Oisix ra Daichi  Co. Ltd., which provides food subscription  services, has made a new investment in ARK Inc.  (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Japan  Representative: Koyo Takeshita, hereinafter  referred to as ARK), which develops and sells  land-based recirculating aquaculture systems such  as “ARK”.


This transaction represents the 11th investment  project within the ongoing fund “Future Food Fund  2”, which will continue to make further investments  in startup companies related to food sector  innovations.  

(¹: Future Food Fund 2 Investment Business  Limited Liability Partnership)


Left: ARK's aquaculture systems, ARK-V1 (2 units  from the right) and REF-V1 (1st unit from the left),  installed and operated at the University of the  Ryukyus.  

Right: Malabar grouper aquaculture using an ARK system.


■ Social Issues of Aquatic Products Leading to  Food Crisis  

With the increase in global population, the global  production of aquatic products has been  increasing², with much of it supported by  aquaculture. In Japan, the production of fisheries  and aquaculture peaked in 1984 and has since  been declining. This decline is believed to stem  from changes in marine environments, depletion of  aquatic resources, and challenges in production  systems due to reductions in fishing industry  employees and vessels³. Looking ahead, concerns  are rising about a "protein crisis" where demand  for food proteins could surpass supply by 2050. In  the 2020s, disruptions in the global supply chain  due to environmental issues and the spread of  infections have further heightened concerns about  food security.


(²:2023. Annual Report on Aquatic Industry. Chapter 4: International situation of the aquatic  industry. 

https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/kikaku/wpaper/R5/ attach/pdf/240611-8.pdf) 

(³:Referenced from Part 1 of the 2023 Annual  Report on Aquatic Industry, Chapter 2: 

Developments in Japan's Aquatic Industry in the  Fiscal Year 2023)


Trends in Fisheries and Aquaculture



* Referenced from Part 1 of the 2023 Annual  Report on Aquatic Industry, Chapter 2:  

Developments in Japan's Aquatic Industry in the  Fiscal Year 2023  

https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/kikaku/wpaper/R5/ attach/pdf/240611-6.pdf


■ Introduction to ARK's Business and Investment  Background  

ARK aims to address these societal challenges  sustainably by promoting "aquaculture  

decentralisation" as its mission. We want to enable  aquaculture anywhere and by anyone by  developing and selling land-based, recirculating  aquaculture systems⁴, which are small-scale,  decentralised Closed Recirculating Aquaculture  Systems (CRAS).


This investment aims to contribute to the  sustainable development of Japan's aquaculture  industry by utilising ARK's technology to start  decentralised aquaculture with small-scale  investments and operations, unlike existing large scale aquaculture systems. One of its distinctive  features is significant reduction in energy costs  and environmental impact through the use of  renewable energy. ARK's aquaculture systems  target high-value species such as Malabar  grouper, longtooth grouper, and flounder (Hirame).  Concurrently, seaweed cultivation and sea urchin  farming using seaweed are also possible,  enhancing the profitability of land-based  aquaculture operations. These technologies from  ARK are expected to contribute to the continuity of  Japan's traditional and flavourful fish-eating  culture, as well as the sustainable development of  Japan's aquaculture industry. Moreover, there are  expectations for early recovery of the aquaculture  industry in times of disasters, such as the  significant impact of disasters on fisheries in  regions like Sanriku and Noto. Post-disaster  industrial recovery hinges on resuming fisheries  and sustaining peripheral industries. Once  fisheries cease, it takes considerable time to  resume operations, but the early adoption of  ARK's technology and aquaculture systems can  accelerate the recovery of fisheries and related  industries.  

At Future Food Fund, we actively support the  distribution of aquaculture products produced with  ARK's technology and introduce companies  considering the adoption of aquaculture systems.

⁴: An aquaculture system that circulates water in a  closed space on land


 

■ARK Inc.  

Headquarters: Shibuya Ward, Tokyo  

Japan Representative: Koyo Takeshita Company website: https://www.ark.inc/ 

ARK's mission is to "decentralise aquaculture" by  providing a system where anyone, anywhere can  engage in aquaculture. We develop and sell small 

scale, decentralised, land-based recirculating  aquaculture systems such as "ARK." Unlike  traditional large-scale aquaculture systems, these  systems enable decentralised aquaculture with  minimum investment and operational costs.


■ ARK Inc. Japan Representative: Koyo  Takeshita's Statement  

ARK is a research and development startup  dedicated to developing, manufacturing, and  selling products such as the small-scale,  decentralised closed recirculating aquaculture  systems ARK-V1, REF-V1, and STARBOARD BY  ARK. Our mission, inspired by the concept "LET  THE OCEAN REST, CREATE YOUR OWN," aims  to empower anyone, anywhere to participate in  sustainable aquaculture production on land.


I sincerely welcome the participation of the Future  Food Fund as investors of ARK. Oisix ra Daichi  Corporation and its affiliates are pioneering  companies in the new food industry frontier in  Japan. We are confident that our collaboration will  generate important synergies as we implement the  new industry of land-based aquaculture. We look  forward to our future endeavours together.


■ Statement from Mr. Murata, the fund manager of  Future Food Fund  

The three founding members have different  favourite fish: one likes horse mackerel, another  likes blue-striped angelfish, and the third one likes  Japanese char. Their hobbies are equally varied:  eating, rearing, and fishing aquatic species.  Despite these differences, they share a passion for  fish, and their complementary expertise makes  them a strong team. This investment marks Future  Food Fund's first foray into aquatech. On June 6th  this year, we held a business introduction event for  investees including ARK, in anticipation of World  Oceans Day, which was covered by four TV news  outlets. Growing awareness of the future of the  seafood industry might be a significant factor that  contributed to this media interest. In recent years,  there has been an increase in aquatech startups.  We look forward to collaborating with ARK on  issues beyond seafood resources, such as  alternative feeds and spreading the sashimi  culture abroad. We hope to tackle future  challenges in aquaculture together and achieve  business growth.


 

About Future Food Fund Co. Ltd.  

The company was established in August 2019 by  Oisix ra Daichi Co. Ltd. to operate as an  investment subsidiary focused on creating Japan's  food startup ecosystem, specialising in the food  innovation sector. Together with partner  companies, it actively invests in advanced food,  agriculture, and healthcare sectors both  domestically and internationally. The fund also  provides support such as sales and product  development, aiming to build an ecosystem that  supports startup companies in Japan.  

(Future Food Fund Company Website:https:// futurefoodfund.co.jp/)


About Oisix ra Daichi Co. Ltd.  

Oisix ra Daichi Co. Ltd. (Representative: Kohei  Takeshima) offers home delivery services of safe  food products, including organic and specially  cultivated vegetables, as well as minimally  processed foods free from additives, under three  brands: "Oisix," "Radish Boya," and "Daichi wo  Mamoru Kai." Our company is guided by the  principle of "future dining tables, future fields,"  aiming to address societal food issues through  business solutions.


Oisix ra Daichi Co. Ltd. Press Release List:  

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/searchrlp/company_id/ 8895 

Oisix ra Daichi Co. Ltd. Person in Charge:  Yokomizo  

TEL: 050-5305-0549(Direct) E-mail: publicity@oisixradaichi.co.jp 

(Changes to the above information may occur  without prior notice. For the latest updates, please  contact us using the details above.)





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