© Seaweed for Health
Bright Tide aims to encourage a nature-informed approach to food production for improving soil health, boosting terrestrial/marine biodiversity and carbon sequestration, as well as providing resilient, long-term livelihoods for farmers around the world.
The participants in the first accelerator represent diverse farm sizes, geographical locations and agricultural sectors.
At sea, they are: Algapelago, Atlantic Mariculture, Pine Island Redfish, Aquit, Three-Sixty Aquaculture, Ficosteera, Healthy Seaweed Cafe, Oyster Restoration Company, Ole Blu and Sea Ventures.
On land, they include: Nunwell Farm, New Foundation Farms, Wildfarmed, Gentle Farming, Sea Water Solutions, Agreed Earth, Tierra Foods, Chirrup AI, ReGeneration and Afro Valley.
”In the face of such pressing issues as biodiversity loss, climate change, and food insecurity, our commitment to nurturing sustainable practices is more pertinent and urgent than ever,” explained Harry Wright, Bright Tide’s CEO and founder, in a press release.
The belief that regenerative farming is a feasible and necessary solution is also shared by the accelerator’s partner organisations: Hogan Lovells, Muzinich & Co, Kennedys, Ecosulis, CreditNature, Barclays, Cadman Capital Group, Next Energy Group, Boatfolk and Bankers for NetZero.
Bright Tide hopes that by harnessing the benefits of both systems, the programme will maximise resource utilisation and ensure a holistic approach to sustainable food production. And they believe that fostering collaboration across these different farming communities will allow for fresh knowledge exchange and encourage the adoption of regenerative practices on a larger scale.
The three main pillars of the programme are high-level networking, upskilling, and fostering collaboration between the ventures.
A three-step agenda
- A series of exclusive in-person networking events at the offices of Hogan Lovells on 22 February and the House of Commons on 4 March, 2024. These events will provide ventures with the opportunity to network and connect with potential new customers, policy makers and investors.
- An 8-week virtual programme that will take place between mid-March and mid-May 2024. This will offer over 20 hours of free technical, advisory, and pro bono legal support to the cohort. Bright Tide has confirmed that global experts, mentors and private sector organisations from around the world will deliver this support.
- A showcase pitching event will also occur at the Barclays offices in Canary Wharf on 24 May. At this event, ventures will have the chance to pitch their business in front of an audience of up to 150 potential supporters, customers and investors.