Aotearoa New Zealand Seaweed Association (ANZSA)

What Aotearoa New Zealand Seaweed Association (ANZSA) does

Aotearoa New Zealand Seaweed Association (ANZSA) is a nonprofit industry association incorporated in New Zealand and headquartered in Auckland, founded on 8 July 2021 following a meeting convened by Aquaculture New Zealand in Nelson. It serves as the unified national voice for the country's emerging seaweed sector, convening marine farm consent holders, iwi aquaculture organisations, wild harvesters, processors and marketers, research institutions (Victoria University of Wellington's Ferrier Research Institute, University of Waikato, University of Auckland, NIWA), government agencies (MPI), NGOs, students, and individual supporters across the entire value chain.

ANZSA does not develop proprietary technology; its offering is a portfolio of member services built around advocacy, networking, and knowledge coordination. Core products include tiered membership (Affiliated Student free, Student NZ$50, Individual/Small Organisation NZ$225, Large Organisation NZ$495, all + GST, on an annual 1 April–31 March cycle), the annual Seaweed Summit, the annual Policy Symposium, semi-regular Member Meet Ups (MMUs), two formal sector clusters (Agriculture/Biostimulant and Food & Human Nutrition), a curated Resources Library, and ongoing government submissions and stakeholder convening — notably the co-developed Seaweed Sector Framework published with Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge in October 2022.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual membership subscriptions supplemented by event sponsorship (e.g., Bank of New Zealand as 2026 Summit Gold Sponsor) and in-kind support (e.g., Ceres Organics, Kernohan Engineering). The organisation is governed by an eight-member elected Board chaired by Dr Michael Lakeman with Clare Bradley (AgriSea) as Founding Chair and Hayley Fraser-Mackenzie (Ceres Organics) as Deputy Chair, supported by a small five-person operational team including a Communications Manager.

Name

Aotearoa New Zealand Seaweed Association (ANZSA)

Legal name

Aotearoa New Zealand Seaweed Association Incorporated

Website

https://anzsa.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aotearoa New Zealand Seaweed Association (ANZSA) is a nonprofit, membership-based industry association founded in 2021 that serves as the unified national voice for New Zealand's seaweed sector, convening aquaculture operators, iwi, processors, researchers, government agencies, and students through annual summits, policy advocacy, working clusters, and knowledge resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Industry Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Industry association membership
• Seaweed sector advocacy
• Aquaculture industry development
• Marine ecosystem policy
• Biostimulant sector coordination

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: ANZSA generates revenue through annual membership fees collected from individuals, organisations, and students across the seaweed value chain. Membership runs from 1 April to 31 March annually. Four tiers of membership are offered at different price points to encourage broad participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ANZSA is a membership-based nonprofit industry association that provides the unified national voice for the Aotearoa New Zealand seaweed sector. It sells organizational and individual memberships across four tiers, convenes the annual Seaweed Summit and Policy Symposium, runs Member Meet Ups and sector working clusters, and delivers industry advocacy to government on aquaculture policy, regulation, and funding priorities. It also curates an industry resources library linking members to research, market intelligence, and best-practice guidance.

Product overview

ANZSA is a membership-based industry association offering a portfolio of member services including annual conferences (Seaweed Summit), policy symposiums, Member Meet Ups, sector-specific working clusters (Agriculture/Biostimulant, Food & Human Nutrition), industry advocacy and government liaison, and a resources library. The organization does not offer a software product but provides value through networking, knowledge sharing, advocacy, and event coordination across the New Zealand seaweed industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ANZSA Membership Organizational and individual membership offering access to industry networking, sector-specific clusters, government liaison, resources library, and influence over sector direction. Available in four tiers: Affiliated Student ($0), Student ($50 + GST), Individual/Small Organisation ($225 + GST), and Large Organisation ($495 + GST). Membership runs annually from 1 April to 31 March.
• Seaweed Summit Annual industry conference bringing together researchers, innovators, policymakers, and commercial leaders to showcase seaweed sector developments, present market insights, address policy updates, and share latest science. Rotates between locations including Nelson and Auckland; 2026 edition scheduled for the New Zealand Maritime Museum in Auckland.
• Member Meet Ups (MMU) Semi-regular online events delivering information and conversation sessions on topics prioritised by members, including seaweed farming regulation, production, hatchery, and food safety. Recorded sessions are made available to members.
• Policy Symposium Annual policy-focused event bringing together government officials, industry operators, researchers, iwi entities, and NGOs to address regulatory barriers and advocate for policy changes enabling industry growth. The 2026 edition was hosted by BNZ Partners Centre in Wellington.
• Sector Clusters Product-focused working groups enabling companies and individuals with common interests to pool resources and address pre-competitive challenges. Active clusters include the Agriculture/Biostimulant Cluster led by ANZSA and the Food & Human Nutrition Cluster.
• Industry Advocacy and Government Liaison Government liaison and advocacy service providing a united voice for legislative change, helping inform government decision-making, policy change, and funding priorities. Includes submissions on behalf of industry to government consultations including MPI, MFE, and DOC.
• Resources Library Curated collection of external reports, guides, and research materials about the global and NZ seaweed sector, including Sustainable Seas Challenge reports, World Bank publications, MPI fact sheets, and industry benchmarking reports.

Quantifiable outcome

• Building an industry delivering healthy marine ecosystems, thriving communities and sustainable economic growth for Aotearoa New Zealand
• +1 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and foundational.

• Ceres OrganicssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Ceres Organics provided seaweed sprinkles for lunch at the 2026 Policy Symposium. Hayley Fraser-Mackenzie, Food Cluster Lead at Ceres Organics, serves as ANZSA's Deputy Chair.
• GreenWaveNZcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022EnviroStrat has been collaborating with GreenWave since 2019 to adapt its successful regenerative ocean farming model for New Zealand. GreenWaveNZ conducted New Zealand's first large scale outplanting of hatchery grown native Ecklonia radiata seaweed with 228 metres of seedlings planted off Coromandel.
• Aquaculture New ZealandfoundationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2021ANZSA was formed following a meeting in Nelson on 8 July 2021, organized by Aquaculture New Zealand, of those interested in developing the Aotearoa New Zealand seaweed sector. This foundational partnership led to the establishment of ANZSA.
• Sustainable Seas National Science ChallengecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANZSA references and links to reports from the Sustainable Seas Challenge, which has conducted comprehensive research on the NZ seaweed sector including market analysis, species characteristics, environmental effects, and Te Tiriti considerations. The Seaweed Sector Framework was co-developed through this partnership.
• EnviroStratcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnviroStrat led the $5 million regenerative ocean farming pilot, collaborating with iwi, industry partners, and universities to create an economically viable seed-to-harvest model for seaweed farming in New Zealand.
• Ngāti Pūkenga and Ngāi Tai ki TāmakicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThese iwi entities are providing consented water space in the Hauraki Gulf for the seaweed farming pilot, demonstrating the importance of iwi partnership in the sector's development.
• Premium SeascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium Seas, led by ANZSA board member Lucas Evans, is facilitating access to water space, managing the Coromandel hatchery, and providing oversight for farming operations while gaining efficiencies along the way.
• University of WaikatocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Marie Magnusson and Dr Rebecca Lawton from University of Waikato are overseeing the research and trial design for the seaweed farming pilot.
• University of AucklandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Andrew Jeffs at University of Auckland is leading monitoring to establish the biodiversity impacts of co-locating mussels and seaweed farming.
• AgriSeacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgriSea is contributing post-harvest processing, production, and market expertise, and will purchase the biomass produced by the pilot. Co-owner Clare Bradley serves as ANZSA's Founding Chair and Biostimulant Cluster Lead.
• NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerANZSA references NIWA's publications and resources on seaweed, including the 'Secret Life of Seaweed' and species classification work.
• CH4 GlobalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in the Seaweed Sector Framework case studies as an existing seaweed venture in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Kelp BluesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in the Seaweed Sector Framework case studies as an existing seaweed venture in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Pacific HarvestsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific Harvest's journey is featured in the Seaweed Sector Framework case studies and NZ Business Magazine as an example of unlocking seaweed export potential.
• Te Whānau-ā-ApanuisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in the Seaweed Sector Framework case studies as an iwi organisation involved in the seaweed sector.
• Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)coreOthersMPI is referenced as a key government agency for aquaculture policy and is listed as a potential member group. ANZSA advocates directly to MPI for policy changes to enable industry growth.
• Ferrier Research Institute (Victoria University of Wellington)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Richard Furneaux, a Distinguished Scientist at the Ferrier Research Institute, serves on the ANZSA board. The Institute is New Zealand's leading Applied Organic Chemistry and Synthetic Biology R&D capability with over 50 science staff and 20 PhD students.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• GreenWave: US-based regenerative ocean farming non-profit; GreenWaveNZ is its New Zealand adaptation referenced in ANZSA's pilot data. Same multi-species seaweed + shellfish co-cultivation model and same hub-association convening role for a national seaweed sector.
• Atlantic Sea Farms: US-based kelp farming and market-development company focused on commercialising seaweed with fishermen cooperatives. Comparable role in standing up a domestic seaweed value chain that did not previously exist.
• CH4 Global: Australia/NZ-focused company commercialising seaweed-based feed additives to reduce livestock methane; referenced as a case study venture in ANZSA's Seaweed Sector Framework and engaged with ANZSA's Biostimulant cluster.
• AgriSea: New Zealand seaweed biostimulant manufacturer co-owned by ANZSA's founding Chair Clare Bradley; provides post-harvest processing and offtake for the regenerative ocean farming pilot — the closest commercial peer member within ANZSA's own community.
• Kelp Blue: Large-scale kelp cultivation company operating in Namibia and expanding internationally; explicitly featured as a case study in ANZSA's Seaweed Sector Framework. Same regenerative ocean farming thesis and multiple end-market exposure (food, biostimulants, blue carbon).
• Premium Seas: New Zealand seaweed cultivation venture (CEO Lucas Evans sits on ANZSA's board) operating the Coromandel hatchery and providing water-space access for the $5M regenerative ocean farming pilot — a direct operational peer within the ANZSA ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• World Aquaculture Society: Global professional aquaculture association; broader in scope than ANZSA but operates a comparable membership, conference (WAS annual meeting), and policy-advocacy model across academia, industry, and government.

Regional players

• European Aquaculture Society: Europe-wide aquaculture association running member conferences and policy engagement; comparable continental-scale association model for ANZSA, though operating in a far more mature regulatory and commercial environment.
• Sea Forest: Australian company producing Asparagopsis-based livestock feed supplements; operates in the same Oceania region and end-market (seaweed-as-methane-reducer) as a key ANZSA member thesis.

Direct peers

• Aquaculture New Zealand: NZ's broader aquaculture industry body, which convened the 2021 Nelson meeting that led to ANZSA's formation. Same membership-association model, same New Zealand remit, overlapping membership across aquaculture consent holders and iwi operators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/anzsa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aotearoa New Zealand Seaweed Association (ANZSA)