Second Ocean, a Korean startup specializing in land-based seaweed(Gim) aquaculture systems, has raised KRW 500 million in seed funding. The investment round was led by TheVentures, with participation from AUM Ventures, The Invention Lab, and Antler Korea. Second Ocean is transforming seaweed(Gim) farming and export processes with its innovative, self-developed solutions.

As rising sea temperatures caused by global warming reduce winter seaweed(Gim) production, global demand for seaweed continues to grow. TheVentures stated, “Second Ocean is addressing the global seaweed(Gim) supply-demand gap as a leader in sustainable production. Their multi-stage farming system and repurposing of industrial seaweed(Gim) are advancing sustainability in the industry.”

The company’s groundbreaking solution is a smart aquaculture system powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Using data collected from land-based environments, the AI system guides and automates the entire seaweed(Gim) farming process, making it accessible not only to professional fishermen but also to farmers and individuals with no prior experience in seaweed(Gim) cultivation.

Lee Han-gil, an investor at TheVentures, explained, “We were impressed by Second Ocean’s technological innovation in overcoming the seasonal constraints of seaweed(Gim) farming. Their indoor aquaculture system, which combines seaweed(Gim) farming with hydroponics technology, demonstrates the team’s ingenuity and forward-thinking approach.”

Moon Kyung-hyun, CEO of Second Ocean, added, “With this seed funding, we will focus on advancing our technology to promote Korean seaweed(Gim), which is gaining global popularity, and to expand our impact internationally.”