Aquaconnect, an aquaculture technology platform has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with StartupTN to promote blue economy initiatives in the state. Through this, Aquaconnect aims to foster innovation and support the growth of new-age startups in the aquaculture sector in the state.  

In line with this, Aquaconnect in collaboration with StartupTN, backed by the Tamil Nadu government and Sathyabama University - Technology Business Incubator (Incubation Partner), launched ‘The Fish India’s Grand Aquaculture Innovation Challenge, at the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet on January 07, 2024.  

The Fish Tank aims to promote innovation in the Indian aquaculture sector by providing a unique platform for early-stage startups and college students (UG/PG/Ph.D.) to showcase their next-generation ideas to the world and scale for impact. The program will cover broader aspects of the aquaculture value chain in both pre and post-harvest value chains wherein applicants can propose ideas related to affordable IoT/Software solutions to monitor water quality, daily feeding, animal health, biotechnological advancements to improve production efficiency, seafood processing, preservation, and value addition amongst others. 

The collaboration, which aligns squarely with The Government of Tamil Nadu’s ambitious goal of developing a 1 trillion dollar economy, further aims to nurture emerging talent and offer support to startups in Tamil Nadu to strengthen the fisheries value chain.  

Sivarajah Ramanathan, mission director and CEO of StartupTN, “StartupTN’s Blue economy forum is first of its kind professional network to promote collaborative efforts between government initiatives, academia, and industry players which will drive a transformative growth, for making Tamil Nadu a hub for seafood-focused start-ups. I invite all aspiring entrepreneurs, and early-stage startups to solve the challenges of “Fish Tank” and contribute to the blue economy of the state.”  

Speaking on the development, Rajamanohar Somasundaram, founder and CEO, of Aquaconnect said, “The collaboration with StartupTN underscores our commitment to accelerating blue economy initiatives in Tamil Nadu. We are excited to witness how this will unfold and impact the sector on a large scale. Being the second largest producer globally, India's aquaculture sector holds enormous potential, and it needs wider participation from forward-thinking individuals. I believe FishTank will be a pivotal step in fostering young entrepreneurship and unlocking the doors for incredible talent in Tamil Nadu.” 

The top ten candidates will have an opportunity to participate in the incubation program at Sathyabama TBI with access to resources and mentorship support while also gaining access to StartupTN's blue economy network, which encompasses fisheries research and development institutes, academic institutions, and their facilities across the state. In addition to this, two winners will be selected and awarded a cash prize of 1 Lakh each and an opportunity to work with Aquaconnect to launch and scale their solution in the market.