Episode 13 - Mark Huang, SeaAhead

Mark Huang, Co-Founder and Managing Director of SeaAhead, is connecting the dots between land-based agriculture, tech, and oceans. We have come full circle— we started the summer season talking with Monica Jain of Fish 2.0 about drawing investment to seafood in 2013 when the space was largely off the investment radar. We are wrapping the summer season with Mark Huang talking about the future of innovation and oceans. 

Mark answers the question why those focused on soils and agriculture should care about oceans. A sneak peak: 70% of our planet is ocean, and as our growing population and the growing middle class demand more protein we will need ocean-based protein. And what happens deep inland in agriculture, has a profound impact on the oceans. Another reason to care:consumer demand for alternative proteins is growing rapidly, and seafood has the lowest carbon footprint of all animal proteins.

From his vantage point at SeaAhead, experience as a venture capitalist, and leadership in public sector economic development Mark is talking about forming ocean innovation clusters. Using southern Mississippi as an example, we talk about public-private partnerships and characteristics needed for new clusters to bloom. 

Drawing comparisons to the growth of the renewable energy sector, Mark forecasts how the distinct policy and incentive systems in Europe, the U.S., and Singapore are driving development of bluetech. We are highlighting the specific characteristics of U.S. innovation—the venture ecosystem and the role of consumer-led demand.  Dive in with us!