AquaBloom raises seed funding to turn Indonesia’s seaweed into climate armour for farmers
Along Indonesia’s coasts, smallholder farmers tie seaweed to lines strung across shallow water. A few hundred kilometres inland, other smallholders watch El Niño bake their rice paddies. Jakarta-based AquaBloom wants the first group’s harvest to rescue the second group’s yields, and it now has fresh capital to test whether that idea scales. The agri-biotech startup […] The post AquaBloom raises…
Jakarta-based agri-biotech startup AquaBloom has secured seed funding to develop seaweed-based biostimulants that can improve the resilience of Indonesian farmers' crops against climate shocks, according to wire material. The company, founded in 2024 by CEO Michelle Arsjad, will use the undisclosed capital to expand its manufacturing capacity, research and development, field trials, and distribution network across Indonesia.
AquaBloom's products are validated on nearly 30 crops, with yield improvements of 20 to 30 percent observed in field trials during El Niño conditions. The startup is targeting smallholder farmers who face rising costs and unpredictable weather patterns, hoping to provide them with more efficient and cost-effective solutions. AquaBloom's biostimulants work by helping crops absorb nutrients more efficiently and cope with stresses like heat and drought, potentially reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.
The company's products have already been registered for sale in Indonesia, with third-party trials backing the yield claims. Investors, including Spiral Ventures, PIP, Archipelago VC, and several angels, are attracted to AquaBloom's regulatory groundwork, diverse crop range, and existing distribution networks. However, the startup faces challenges in distribution, farmer adoption, and competition from imported biostimulant brands and agrochemical majors.
AquaBloom aims to scale production and distribution over the next 12 to 18 months, with a strategic buyer or acquisition as a potential exit route.
Written by urgent.news from e27's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
