The Latin American Ocean Capital Collective provides an engaging space for a group of stakeholders across the continent to work together to co-design transformative solutions for the challenges affecting Latin America´s oceans and coastal communities. Using a participatory multi-stakeholder process we will design, curate and deploy mechanisms to distribute capital to Latin America´s ocean entrepreneurs who are working to support healthy oceans and resilient coastal communities in the region.
Small-scale fishing boats tied up at a dock
At the heart of our mission lies a profound commitment to nurturing the vibrant and diverse community of ocean entrepreneurs across Latin America. Our vision is clear: to design an impact finance ecosystem that empowers these innovators, enabling them to drive positive change and sustainable growth in the region's blue economy.
Latin America boasts some of the world's most awe-inspiring marine environments, from the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean to the rugged coastlines of the Pacific. Our oceans are not just a source of breath-taking natural beauty; they are also a crucial economic asset. The blue economy in Latin America holds immense potential, with opportunities ranging from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture to renewable energy, and eco-tourism. Across the continent, millions of people depend on the oceans for their livelihoods and food security and ocean services contribute over $20 billion to regional GDP.
Yet, critical funding gaps exist to ensure that these coastal communities are resilient to climate and other global changes, and are able to continue their march towards sustainable practices. Philanthropy can help kick-off projects but can only take them so far, and many regional donors are now very aware of this. The finance sector is cautious due to a dearth of information and high levels of uncertainty, and the venture capital model, despite its growing interest in the ocean still has misaligned financial returns expectations and the region does not need a blitz of scaling, quick exits and big returns. The Latin American ocean economy needs scalable business models that meet the needs of local communities and which catalyze the next generation of impactful innovative and sustainable businesses.
<aside> 🔷 Realizing the potential that the ocean economy has in Latin America requires more than just ambition. It requires resources, support, and a holistic approach to financing that takes into account the unique challenges and opportunities that ocean entrepreneurs face in this dynamic region. That's where the Latin American Ocean Capital Collective comes in. We are a dynamic and diverse group of individuals, organizations, and institutions united by a common goal: to catalyze the growth of Latin America's ocean economy through innovative finance solutions.
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Our Collective is dedicated to fostering a sense of community among ocean entrepreneurs, investors, policy-makers, and environmental stewards. We believe that collaboration is the key to unlocking the full potential of our oceans sustainably.
Fisher in Baja California Sur catching MSC certified lobster
LATAM Ocean Economy_ Concept Paper.pdf
Help us map the start-up finance ecosystem in Latin America!
English survey: https://airtable.com/appyyKvIj4w1ehUA6/pagjJp1WkgtMLuzEA/form
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LATAM Economia Oceanica_ Concept_ESP.pdf
Spanish survey: https://airtable.com/appyyKvIj4w1ehUA6/pagdrafc5fKqPR58K/form
https://airtable.com/embed/appyyKvIj4w1ehUA6/pagdrafc5fKqPR58K/form
COBI (Comunidad y Biodiversidad) is a prominent Mexican non-profit organization focused on marine conservation and sustainable fisheries. COBI´s mission is to conserve marine biodiversity and promote the well-being of fishing communities through the effective participation of all fishery stakeholders. Through their innovative projects and initiatives, COBI strives to achieve effective management of marine resources, restore ecosystems, and ensure the long-term sustainability of fisheries and livelihoods in Mexico and Latin America.
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Future of Fish is an international non-profit focused on developing business and investment solutions to support thriving coastal economies through the sustainable use of ocean resources. Collaborating deeply with local partners, Future of Fish provides unique expertise to bridge the gap between resource providers and blue economy businesses and workers, supporting the flow of capital, technology and other resources to drive better, more profitable business practices.
Armillaria is a systems lab for the design, development, and deployment of distributed digital infrastructure for addressing global goals. As a cooperative venture, we work together with communities and organizations to more effectively address complex environmental, social, and economic challenges using contemporary innovations in technology, finance, and law.
The International Institute for Environment and Development is an independent policy research institute whose stated mission is to "build a fairer, more sustainable world, using evidence, action and influence in partnership with others.”
Servicios Digitales para la Pesca Sostenible (SEPES) was founded in 2022 in Mexico as a social enterprise to host the PescaData technology and scale the implementation of its business model. PescaData is a mobile app and web enterprise software for small-scale fishers and fishing organizations. PescaData provides software-as-a-service to fishing organizations, peer-to-peer tools for sharing ideas and solutions to common problems and communication tools for fishers in Latin America.
The MAR+Invest initiative is a blended finance mechanism that aims to invest in market-based solutions that positively contribute to the health and resilience of coral reefs and its reef-dependent communities in the four countries of the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR): Mexico (in the state of Quintana Roo), Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. The initiative, implemented through a strategic alliance of organizations, is supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR). The alliance includes the Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund), the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature (FMCN)/Sureste Sostenible (SS), Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative (HRI), and New Ventures/VIWALA.
Please fill out the form below and tell us about your interest in the Latin American Ocean Capital Collective.
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