Aqua Spark
Aqua-Spark is a Netherlands-based impact investment fund founded in 2013 that invests across the global sustainable aquaculture value chain, managing approximately €260 million in assets from 300+ LPs across 25+ countries, with a portfolio of 24+ companies spanning production, feed, disease management, aqua-tech, and seafood alternatives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersUtrecht, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Aqua Spark does
Aqua-Spark is a Netherlands-based impact investment fund, legally structured as Aqua-Spark Coöperatieve U.A. (a Dutch cooperative), founded in 2013 by Mike Velings and Amy Novogratz. The firm invests exclusively across the sustainable aquaculture value chain, deploying capital into fish farms, feed mills, hatcheries, feed ingredient producers, disease-management companies, aqua-technology providers, waste valorisation businesses, and seafood alternatives. Its portfolio spans 24+ companies across more than a dozen countries including Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, and multiple Sub-Saharan African markets. The fund targets at least 90% of net assets in sustainable investments under EU SFDR Article 9 ("dark green") classification and operates under an EuVECA marketing passport for EU distribution.
The firm monetizes through fund management: it charges management fees on assets under management (currently approximately €260 million post the December 2024 eFishery fraud writedown, down from ~€450 million) and is entitled to carried interest upon successful exits. Its investor base comprises 300+ LPs from 25+ countries, including family offices, impact investors, and development finance institutions such as KfW, AgriFI, and Silverstrand Capital. The fund enforces a minimum investment of €100,000 from accredited investors and accepts only qualified purchasers from the U.S. GTM combines direct investor relationship management with content marketing through the Aqua Insights report series.
Aqua-Spark differentiates through an ecosystem model where portfolio companies commit to working together with favorable terms, annual portfolio gatherings, and shared impact-measurement frameworks aligned to 11 UN SDG outcomes. The firm has spun out the Stichting Aqua-Spark Foundation (2021) as a non-profit entity focused on R&D and smallholder farmer outreach, particularly in Africa. In March 2026, the firm closed its dedicated Africa Fund at USD 48 million, targeting growth to USD 250 million over the next decade.
Aqua Spark firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aqua Spark
- Legal name
- Aqua-Spark Coöperatieve U.A.
- Website
- https://aqua-spark.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Aqua-Spark is a Netherlands-based impact investment fund founded in 2013 that invests across the global sustainable aquaculture value chain, managing approximately €260 million in assets from 300+ LPs across 25+ countries, with a portfolio of 24+ companies spanning production, feed, disease management, aqua-tech, and seafood alternatives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aqua Spark industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Impact Investment Fund
- NAICS
- Other Financial Vehicles (525990)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds (BPADACAO), Environmental & Resource Efficiency Funds (Water, Waste, Recycling, Efficiency) (FSANAEAE), Water & Waste / Circular Economy Funds (FSANAJAF)
Keywords
Where Aqua Spark is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Utrecht
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aqua Spark business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fund Management: Aqua-Spark operates as an impact investment fund managing capital for accredited and institutional investors. Revenue is generated through fund management structures with the fund targeting sustainable investments in aquaculture companies along the value chain. The fund targets at least 90% of net assets in sustainable investments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Standard Investment |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Aqua Spark product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aqua-Spark is an impact investment fund that manages pooled capital from accredited and institutional investors to finance sustainable aquaculture businesses worldwide. The firm invests across the aquaculture value chain — including production, feed ingredients, disease management, aqua tech, waste valorisation, and seafood alternatives — through dedicated vehicles including the Aqua-Spark Global Fund and the Aqua-Spark Africa Fund. It generates returns through fund management fees and targets at least 90% of net assets in sustainable investments under Article 9 SFDR classification.
Product overview
Aqua-Spark is a Netherlands-based sustainable aquaculture investment fund structured as a holding company of innovative solutions across the aquaculture value chain. The company operates primarily through two core investment vehicles: the Aqua-Spark Global Fund (worldwide investments) and the Aqua-Spark Africa Fund (Sub-Saharan Africa focused). Their investment portfolio spans six key areas: Production (fish farms, feed mills, hatcheries), Feed Ingredients, Disease Battling, Aqua Tech, Waste Valorisation, and Alternatives (plant/cell-based). The company also publishes the Aqua Insights report series and blog, and operates the Aqua-Spark Foundation, a non-profit entity supporting research, development, and outgrower programs, particularly in Africa.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Aqua-Spark Global Fund
- Aqua-Spark Africa Fund
- Aqua-Spark Foundation
Quantifiable outcome
- Fund aims to invest at least 90% of net assets in sustainable investments
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Aqua Spark
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aqua Spark technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Aqua Spark partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)coreAqua-Spark joined the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Initiative (SBEFI) in January 2021, a UN-convened community focused on intersection between private finance and ocean health.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Aqua Spark competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Prelude Ventures: San Francisco-based early-stage impact fund focused on climate solutions including sustainable food and agriculture. Overlapping mandate with Aqua-Spark's Climate-Smart Agriculture and aqua-tech themes.
- Acumen: Global impact investing pioneer with multiple funds targeting East Africa and South Asia. Comparable governance and impact-measurement approach, and a natural comp for Aqua-Spark's Africa-focused fund investor base.
- Khosla Ventures: Large Silicon Valley venture firm with significant investments in food, alternative proteins, and climate. A competitor for the same upstream deal-flow (alternative proteins, aqua-tech) Aqua-Spark targets.
- Obvious Ventures: San Francisco-based venture firm investing in world-positive companies across multiple sectors. While broader than Aqua-Spark, it shares a thesis-driven impact framework and a portfolio that includes aquaculture-adjacent food and climate investments.
Direct peers
- Encourage Capital: New York-based impact investment firm with funds targeting ocean health, sustainable seafood, and blue economy — directly overlapping Aqua-Spark's blue-economy and aquaculture thesis and LP sources.
- Closed Loop Partners: New York-based impact investment platform with funds spanning circular economy, water, and waste. Comparable to Aqua-Spark's waste valorisation and circular-economy portfolio and its LP base of institutional and corporate capital.
- S2G Ventures: Chicago-based impact fund with ~$2B AUM focused on food, agriculture, and oceans. Operates a similar thesis-driven impact model investing across the food and aquaculture value chain, making it the closest comparable to Aqua-Spark in scale and approach.
- Cuna del Mar: Mexico-based aquaculture-focused impact fund investing in sustainable seafood production and processing across Latin America. Direct peer as it occupies the same aquaculture-only impact-fund niche with similar LP community and value-chain focus.
Regional players
- Mirova Natural Capital: Paris-based fund manager investing in natural capital, sustainable agriculture, and aquaculture across Europe and emerging markets. Comparable fund structure and impact-mandate to Aqua-Spark, with stronger European institutional LP reach.
Emerging players
- Elemental Excelerator: Hawaii-based impact fund and accelerator focused on climate, water, and ocean solutions. Comparable in deploying catalytic capital into early-stage sustainable ventures with an Asia-Pacific and US footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aqua Spark social profiles
Digital presenceAqua Spark compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Aqua Spark financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aqua Spark leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles21 records
Aqua Spark subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Aqua Spark funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aqua Spark M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments41 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aqua Spark
What does Aqua Spark do?
Aqua-Spark is an impact investment fund that manages pooled capital from accredited and institutional investors to finance sustainable aquaculture businesses worldwide. The firm invests across the aquaculture value chain — including production, feed ingredients, disease management, aqua tech, waste valorisation, and seafood alternatives — through dedicated vehicles including the Aqua-Spark Global Fund and the Aqua-Spark Africa Fund. It generates returns through fund management fees and targets at least 90% of net assets in sustainable investments under Article 9 SFDR classification.
Is Aqua Spark a public or private company?
Aqua Spark is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Aqua Spark founded?
Aqua Spark was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Aqua Spark based?
Aqua Spark is headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Aqua Spark make money?
One revenue line is on record: fund Management.
Who are Aqua Spark's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Prelude Ventures, Acumen, Khosla Ventures and Obvious Ventures. Direct peers are Encourage Capital, Closed Loop Partners, S2G Ventures and Cuna del Mar. Mirova Natural Capital is listed as a regional player. Elemental Excelerator is listed as an emerging player.
Does Aqua Spark have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aqua Spark.
What industry is Aqua Spark in?
Aqua Spark's product category is Impact Investment Fund. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure), with a secondary code of BPADACAO, Impact Investment & Development Investment Funds. Its NAICS code is 525990 and its SIC code is 6282.