Zenbird Editorial TeamUMITO Partners, a Japanese consultancy specialising in marine sustainability, and Beyond Impact, a Swiss firm focused on regenerative innovation, signed a strategic partnership to strengthen international cooperation in the blue economy. This collaboration will connect advanced technologies from Europe with implementation platforms in Japan and Asia to accelerate ocean resilience and industrial growth.
The ocean economy is projected to double from 1.5 trillion dollars in 2010 to 3 trillion dollars by 2030. However, the sector faces a significant shortage of funding and high barriers to commercialising new technologies. Global protein demand is also expected to rise by up to 56% by 2050, while wild-capture fisheries have reached their production limits.
This partnership seeks to address these challenges by shifting from resource-extraction models to regenerative systems, and evolving the concept of ocean impact. While current efforts often focus on the mitigation of environmental damage, the partners intend to drive additionality by creating entirely new value through technology and market integration.
The alliance focuses on several key areas of marine deep tech, including next-generation aquaculture systems, B2B alternative protein platforms, and marine biotechnology for pharmaceuticals and materials. The partners also target decarbonisation technologies for shipping, such as low-carbon fuels and vessel efficiency, alongside infrastructure for environmental monitoring and carbon removal.
The partnership is also planning the Blue Frontier Fund, an impact fund to accelerate the social implementation of technologies in food tech, biotechnology, and clean tech. The bridging of the gap between European research and Asian coastal industries would create new value in the marine sector.
Shunji Murakami, Founder and CEO of UMITO Partners, shared that the marine environment is changing rapidly, affecting the foundations of life and industry. Responding to this change requires new industrial structures that balance economic growth with environmental conservation through innovation.
Claire Smith, CEO of Beyond Impact, said that ocean innovation is entering a phase where scientific breakthroughs must translate into scalable industrial solutions. The partnership connects Europe’s deep tech ecosystem with Asia’s ocean industries to create a platform for systemic change.
The two organisations will hold an online briefing for the media on 19 May to discuss the details of the partnership and the outlook for the Blue Frontier Fund.
[Website] UMITO Partners
