Impact

O14C treats impact like it would finance. The team benchmarks and measures impact properly; understanding that a respect for the ocean’s resources ultimately generates the greatest returns.
Dive Deeper
The blueprint for a healthy ocean

Our humanity depends on Sustainable Development Goal 14 Life Below Water, which aims to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. Despite this, SDG 14 is the most underfunded of the SDGs.

StrategyClose

The blue economy is only as good as the ocean it operates in. Robust impact work drives the success of Ocean 14 Capital’s investments. O14C’s natural capital strategies are as rigorous as its financial ones.

Market-leading returns and embedded impact in every deal.

O14C’s impact strategy is based on a bottom-up view of threats to ocean health and their underlying causes, overlaid with a map of commercial players able to address or influence them. The team’s experience and firm parameters further filter the businesses most profitable and impactful to invest in – late-stage venture and growth stage SMEs.

The team uses science-based metrics to show how investments measurably impact SDG 14.

ProcessOpen

1. Proprietary Impact Investment Theses

Identify opportunities where commercial, technology, and sustainability drivers converge.

2. Pipeline Development

Filter investments based on fit with proprietary theses, O14C focus areas, and impact.

3. Due Diligence

Analyse qualitative and quantitative SDG14 impact and evaluate ESG performance.

4. Portfolio Management

Engage to enhance value and impact creation, monitor impact, and report to investors.

5. Portfolio Exit

Deploy strategies to maximise ongoing impact post-exit.

ExclusionsOpen

O14C believes engagement with challenging sectors is more constructive than exclusion and can offer significant opportunities for improved commercial and ocean impact.

However, O14C will only invest if competitive returns and a high probability of measurable positive, or reduced negative, impact can be achieved.


Sustainable
Aquaculture
Sustainable
fisheries
Alternatives to
fish protein
Circular
Plastics
Marine flora/
seaweed
CautionWe always exercise caution where commercial drivers are misaligned with sustainability drivers, or where marginal impact is created.High tropic-level species such as tuna. Preventative use of antibiotics.There is a risk of modern slavery in some fisheries.CO2 emissions of energy intensive industrial processes.Novel polymers with long & costly gestation periods.Introduction of non-native species or displacement of sensitive habitats. Untested geo-engineering.
No go zonesWe will only make investments that fully comply with, and where possible exceed, all relevant legal and regulatory requirements.High negative impact fish farming where potential for achieving change is constrained.Intrinsically harmful practices – shark finning, marine mammals, cyanide.Terrestrial micro-algae cultivation without ocean impact (e.g algal biofuels, textiles).Plastic waste processing without current or future ocean impact. Non-ocean degradable/compostable (bio-) plastics.Unsustainable harvesting of wild seaweeds.

The ocean provides

+ 50% of our oxygen
+ 90% of ecological living space
+ Absorption of 90% of heat from climate change
+ Absorption of 25% of anthropogenic CO2

200m people are directly or indirectly employed by the marine fishing industry

3bn+ people rely on oceans as their primary source of animal protein

Our vision

A healthy ocean for everyone through a sustainable and regenerative blue economy.

Our mission

To partner with and build value in companies that will have the greatest impact in the blue economy and regenerate natural capital and biodiversity.

To drive investments in SDG14 by backing new technologies and optimising industries that are responding to changing consumer behaviour, value chain pressure and technological advances.

Our values

Collaborative
Bold
Innovative
Respectful
Accountable

Driving Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015 aim to provide prosperity while protecting the planet.

Since their publication, it has become apparent that long-term societal and economic goals cannot be achieved without the foundation of a stable and healthy biosphere. The ocean – covering 70% of our planet, driving weather systems, and modulating climate – is a critical part of that foundation. SDG14 must be addressed now to achieve the other Goals.

Co-benefits of achieving targets for Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water

“In line with SDG14, our key objective through the Flourishing Ocean’s initiative is to return our ocean to a healthy thriving state. To facilitate this, we are committed to ending overfishing; ending the dumping of plastic, heat and CO2 in our ocean; supporting the sustainable use of ocean resources; conserving key habitats; and facilitating world class research. This is why we are supporting a new venture where the Ocean 14 Capital Fund will invest in projects aligned to our objectives.”

Dr. Tony Worby Chief Executive Officer, Minderoo Foundation’s Flourishing Ocean

“This investment will enable Ocean 14 Capital to deliver the innovation needed to meet our climate and sustainability goals. The sustainable blue economy is now a key focus for us and this is a rallying cry for start-up and scale-up marine innovators globally to come forward and help avert the crisis in our oceans and return them to a healthy thriving state.”

Jean Castellini Minister of Finance and Economy of Monaco

“There has never been a more important time to invest in the oceans as a critical way to protect our planet and combat climate change. I am excited to back Ocean 14 Capital and their vision to make a significant positive impact in the blue economy.”

Niklas Zennström

“Builders Vision Fund is excited to be part of Ocean Capital Fund I’s first close. Builders is committed to developing the ecosystem of businesses focused on ocean health and sustainability. We believe the team at Ocean14 Capital have the drive and commitment to lead this impact-focused growth fund for oceans to meaningful market investments that can improve the health of our oceans.”

Peter Bryant Senior Program Officer, Builders Initiative

“Impact investments are an important part of Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker’s investment strategy and with the investment in Ocean 14 Capital Fund I we will total ten impact investments. Our interest in Ocean 14 Capital stems from the importance we see in ensuring sustainable business practices in the ocean to foster future prosperity for this vital part of our ecosystem alongside the unique capabilities we have identified within the team. For this reason, we are delighted to become a cornerstone investor in this exciting venture.”

Claus Gregersen Chief Executive Officer, Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker