One of my passions is to find new, disruptive ideas that can alter the way that we think and do business. One such company is Forever Oceans, which is committed to building a sustainable and scalable aquaculture platform. The company, founded in 2014, delivers high-quality, sashimi-grade fish to kitchens across the globe.
Using their patented technology, Forever Oceans is able to raise fish in deep ocean habitats. Currently, the company is raising fish off the coasts of Indonesia, Panama and Brazil.
Founded by Jason Heckathorn, Forever Oceans has raised more than $111 million and has more than 100 employees.
Forever Ocean’s Mission & Goals
Forever Oceans’ mission is to make fishing sustainable while helping revitalize damaged oceans. The company employs technology that allows them to raise fish in the deep ocean, where fish naturally thrive.
The idea for their technology came from one of their scientists and a former Alaskan fisherman. The goal was to repurpose satellites to help control large fish enclosures in the open ocean.
The company’s system uses advanced automated systems to maintain and inspect enclosures and feed the fish without the need for human interaction. Employees can work remotely while ensuring the fish receive the proper care they need to thrive.
Their rugged enclosures can withstand hurricanes and allow fish to experience ocean swells. Fish swim just as they would in the wild and being raised in the deep ocean has less of an environmental impact.
With overfishing becoming an increasing concern, Forever Ocean’s mission and goal is to provide healthy and nutritious fish raised sustainably.
Forever Oceans has become the first company to achieve offshore, deep-water aquaculture on a commercial scale.
Investors & Leadership
Investors are excited about the possibilities that Forever Oceans offers. In total, the company has raised over $111 million in funding through multiple rounds:
- March 2016 – $1.1 million
- May 2019 – $42 million
- June 2021 – $68 million
Additional sources of income came during the company’s earlier years in the form of grants and early-stage venture capital.
The leadership team includes major players, such as:
- CEO – Bill Bien – 25 years of experience as a startup leader with a focus on high-tech, clean-tech and ag-tech sectors.
- CFO – Ilya Cantor – former CFO of the Wall Street Journal, CEO of EPAM and a leader in driving profitability.
- COO – Ross Gordon- Former CEO of Baja Aqua Farms and held a senior role in Clean Seas Seafood before joining Forever Oceans.
The experienced leadership behind Forever Oceans has helped the company launch its products across the United States.
The Debut of Product in US Restaurants
A major announcement on October 19, 2022 revealed that the company’s products were available across the United States. Top chefs from around the country welcomed their products with much enthusiasm, including the fish in tacos, sushi and more.
Restaurant owners and chefs agree that the food is high quality and focusing on sustainability make it even better. The patented and artificial intelligence are transforming raising fish by allowing them to keep them in the deep ocean water while still keeping track of them.
Forever Oceans is working to make the world’s seafood industry “sustainably delicious.” The debut of the company’s sustainable product is available in stores from coast to coast in the United States and shows how innovation can even change one of the world’s oldest industries: fishing.