A pioneering North Yorkshire business, founded by a former fisherman, has secured a substantial six-figure funding package to expand its innovative work in seaweed and shellfish cultivation.
From Antarctic Research to Yorkshire's Coast
Seagrown was launched in 2018 by Captain Wave Crookes, a former Royal Navy officer and fisherman, and Professor Laura Robinson, a marine scientist. The pair met while working on the prestigious British Antarctic Survey.
Operating from a 25-hectare site off the coast of Scarborough, the company has developed a unique cultivation system. Their technology was proven in a £2.8 million Government demonstration project, which concluded it could transform the seaweed industry in the UK.
Proven Success and Ambitious Growth Plans
Seagrown has already forged successful partnerships with major industry players. The company has trialled its methods with the UK's two largest windfarm operators, Ørsted and RWE, and even won an international biodiversity competition run by RWE last year.
The new funding, a six-figure loan from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, will fuel the next phase of growth. This investment could see the company's current team of 16 employees double in size over the next two years.
Seagrown is now looking to extend its collaborative work with ports, offshore operators, and utility companies seeking to mitigate their environmental impact.
A Vision for a Healthier Ocean and a Stronger Economy
Captain Wave Crookes, Seagrown's Founder and Operations Director, explained his motivation: "As someone from a fishing family who has spent their life on the water, I have been saddened to see the state the oceans are in. Laura and I decided to dedicate our talents and experience to tackling this crisis." He added that with their Kelpedo system now tried and tested, it is exciting to roll it out globally.
Andy Clough of Mercia Debt highlighted the significance of the investment: "Seagrown’s unique system could drive rapid uptake by enabling cultivation at scale. The funding will help establish the company as a key player in the UK’s ‘blue economy’."
Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, praised Seagrown as an example of how innovative Northern businesses are leading the way in sustainable technologies that benefit both the economy and the environment.
Beyond its core cultivation, Seagrown sells a range of seaweed products and runs a Plant a Tree in the Sea scheme to help corporate clients meet their sustainability goals. A recent project for the Department of Energy and Net Zero found Seagrown's work positions the UK to lead the way in Europe and develop a national blue carbon capability.
