Calling all seafood entrepreneurs!

We’re excited to introduce Catch+Create, our brand-new accelerator program designed for seafood innovators! We're thrilled to support our first cohort of 5 early-stage startups and small businesses in transforming their West Coast Groundfish product ideas into market-ready solutions. Whether you're working on canned seafood, seafood snacks, prepared meal solutions, frozen products, pet food, or even novel ways to utilize groundfish byproducts, we’re ready to help you launch your product.

Our 6-months program is focused on product development, supply chains and operations, and retail readiness. Experts and mentors will guide you through every step - from idea to market launch. But we won’t stop there – after you’ve completed the accelerator program, we’ll boost your product launch with a comprehensive marketing package to help your products stick the landing. Our program is delivered remotely, offering you the flexibility to build your business from wherever makes the most sense for you.

With a rising consumer demand for healthy, sustainable food that tells a compelling story, we aim to harness the untapped potential of local West Coast Groundfish species to create innovative, versatile, and delicious products that meet today’s consumer needs.

Join us and bring your seafood ideas to life!

 
 

PROGRAM BENEFITS

 

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT STIPENDS

Each Start-up will receive up to $20,000 to help fund product development costs such as brand design, packaging development, recipe commercialization, nutrient testing, web design and so forth. This stipend may not be used to pay salaries to start-up team members.

IDEA-TO-MARKET COURSE LEARNING

Our program entails a 6-month long course, with 2-hour class sessions held once every 2 weeks, where subject matter experts will take you through all major steps and considerations of the product development process from idea to market launch. You will work on your start-up concurrently with this curriculum. The accelerator program will be delivered online so you can build your business wherever works best for you and your business. However, we will have 3 in-person gatherings - at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the program. At the final pitch event you have the opportunity to introduce your product to people in the seafood and CPG industry, journalists, buyers, and investors.

MENTORSHIP & SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS

You will have regular 1:1 sessions with your business development mentor, all of whom have years of experience in building and marketing products. Your mentor will help you navigate the challenges you will come up against, and connect you to the right resources and subject matter experts (e.g. food scientist, accountant, IP lawyer etc.) if and when necessary.

MARKET DATA AND CONSUMER INSIGHTS

Having good data a) leads you to make better decisions, and b) helps you develop a much more convincing pitch for buyers or funders. We will help you test your ideas with large panels of consumers in your target group - this will help you reiterate, improve and hone your offer. Moreover, we will give you access to our entire bank of market intelligence which is extremely valuable but expensive and typically out of reach for most startups.

NETWORKING WITH INDUSTRY INSIDERS

Knowing who to speak to is half the battle. We are a very well-connected collaborative of stakeholders and experts from many different fields. You will hear from a broad array of expert speakers, meet representatives from different parts of the supply chain, and connect with industry players from along the entire West Coast. We give you the benefit of our collective experience and network and fast-track you into becoming a part of this industry.

PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING & COMMUNITY

The value of connecting with and working alongside other start-up teams who are on a similar journey is not to be underestimated. Sharing experiences, learning from eachother’s successes or mistakes, and building a supportive community, is great fuel for our entrepreneurial journeys.

 

LAUNCH SUPPORT

 
Catch + Create Accelerator Benefits Launch Marketing Support
Catch + Create Accelerator Benefits Photo and Video assets
Catch + Create Accelerator Benefits Trade Show exhibits
Catch + Create Accelerator Benefits Social Media Advertising
Catch + Create Accelerator Benefits PR expert retainer
Catch + Create Accelerator Benefits Membership
 
 

PARTICIPATION

 

OUR ASK

ELIGIBILITY

 

PROGRAM TIMELINE

 
 
 

CONTACT US

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you are interested in learning more about our accelerator program - be it as a potential applicant, delivery partner, or investor.

 
 
 
Catch+create Accelerators FAQs

Common Questions

  • Yes. Our Catch+Create Accelerator program is open to early-stage startups and small businesses with the ambition to grow their packaged groundfish business. You are eligible for our program if you have a packaged groundfish product that is currently still in limited distribution (i.e. that you sell at your local farmer’s markets, on your own website, or in select stores). We also encourage you to apply if you want to change an existing non-groundfish product into a groundfish product.

  • Yes, you can apply with a product idea (pre-sales), but you should have at least developed a product prototype by the time you apply to our program.

  • Yes, our Catch+Create Accelerator program is open to participants who work on pet food ideas, or other innovative ideas for full fish utilization, i.e. skins, bones, cartilage, collagen etc.

  • Our program is open to teams as well as solo enterpreneurs.

  • Absolutely. You don’t have to be a fisherman to participate in our Catch+Create Accelerator program. We can help you source groundfish up and down the West Coast. We hope to include entrepreneurial talent from all walks of life. If you have a great groundfish product idea, the vision to make it into a real brand, and the commitment to build a successful company, then we will support you in your journey.

  • Yes, you can continue working your day job or going to school during the accelerator program. Our 6-month long program is delivered remotely, with sessions held once every 2 weeks in the evenings. We will also have 3 in-person meetings (2 days each) that requires some travel to West Coast locations.

    However, concurrently with our 6-month curriculum, we expect you to develop your product and get it ready to launch. Building a business, setting up operations and supply chains, and developing new packaged products takes a lot of time, energy and laser-focused commitment. Our program is designed to accelerate you through the product development process at breakneck speed. So we are looking for your full commitment and availability to do so.