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.