SEAentia

About SEAentia

SEAentia is a Portuguese aquaculture company established in September 2017 with a focus on producing high-quality, sustainable seafood. The company was founded by biologists João Rito and Nuno Leite, along with Sónia Rito and John Jones. João Rito holds a Master's in Biology and is the President of the BlueBio Alliance, while Sónia Rito has a Master's in Economic Sciences. The founders' academic and research backgrounds in biology, aquaculture, and finance form the scientific and business foundation of the company. The company is pioneering the commercial-scale production of Meagre (Argyrosomus regius), also known as Corvina, using a land-based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS). This makes it the world's first facility to produce this species in a RAS environment. Located in Peniche, a major seafood hub in Portugal, SEAentia's production method avoids the use of antibiotics and chemicals, ensuring biosecurity and minimizing environmental impact. The RAS technology allows for the control of water quality, waste reduction, and provides an optimized, low-stress environment for the fish. In 2021, the company launched a pilot project to gather essential data and prove the concept's economic viability, supported by the MAR2020 program. This facility now serves as its R&D hub for collaborations on nutrition, welfare, and production refinement. In early 2025, SEAentia secured €16 million in funding from Indico Capital Partner's Blue Fund and the Mar2030 Programme to scale its operations. The company's goal is to manage the full production cycle, from hatchery to market size, with a projected capacity of 700 tonnes per year. The business model targets distributors, restaurants, and seafood retailers, initially in the Iberian peninsula and later expanding to the broader European market. By not handling processing internally, SEAentia plans to stimulate local job growth by partnering with local processing companies.