Connecting Startup Technology to Seaweed Farming… CNT Tech and the Korea Seaweed Industry Association Connect Demonstration and Sales Channels

The smart transformation of the seaweed industry cannot be completed solely through technology development. It requires an understanding of the working methods and production environments at aquaculture sites, as well as opportunities to test developed equipment and solutions at actual farms. Following the demonstration, startups must secure demand sources and distribution networks to create repeatable business models. Early-stage investment accelerator CNT Tech is partnering with the Korea Seaweed Industry Association to connect the technologies of marine and fisheries startups with the seaweed industry and sales channels.

CNT Tech signed a business agreement with the Korea Seaweed Industry Association to discover and support the growth of innovative companies in the marine and fisheries sector. The signing ceremony took place on the 4th at the '2026 Unicorn Bay Blue Market Connect Day,' attended by Choi Hyun-soon, Head of CNT Tech, and Choi Kyung-sam, Head of the Korea Seaweed Industry Association.

Based on this agreement, the two organizations will jointly identify innovative startups in the marine and fisheries and seaweed industries. They will link startup support programs with networking events and appoint experts to participate in fostering startups and providing policy advice. They will also share information related to the marine and fisheries venture ecosystem and successful startup cases.

At the heart of this collaboration lies the process of applying startup technologies to traditional seaweed farming and production sites. By leveraging the industry experience and field networks of the Korea Seaweed Industry Association, the problems that startups need to solve are identified, and the applicability of the developed technologies is verified.

Based on its experience in acceleration and early-stage investment, CNT Tech seeks companies capable of enhancing productivity and operational efficiency in the seaweed industry. Utilizing results verified during the technology demonstration process, the company refines business models and investment strategies, and also examines the potential for follow-up investment and business collaboration.

The two organizations will focus on supporting the field demonstration of smart aquaculture technologies and the development of sales channels. This approach involves applying aquaculture management equipment and data-based solutions developed by startups to seaweed production sites to identify necessary functions and improvements during actual work processes.

Field demonstration is a stage that verifies whether the technology is operational and whether it can actually be used by fishing households. Factors determining commercialization potential include ease of installation and management, integration with existing work methods, introduction costs, and productivity improvement effects.

The Korea Seaweed Industry Association leverages a network of member companies and industry stakeholders to identify technological demands and provide on-site points of contact necessary for demonstration. Technologies whose effectiveness is verified through these demonstrations are introduced to relevant companies and demand agencies, which can lead to product supply, joint ventures, and market expansion.

This collaboration is also linked to the '2026 Marine and Fisheries Accelerator Program Unicorn Bay,' operated by CNT Tech. Unicorn Bay is a program hosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and organized by the Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST) to support the commercialization, investment attraction, and growth of promising marine and fisheries startups.

CNT Tech can connect companies among the Unicorn Bay incubated enterprises that possess technology applicable to the processes of seaweed farming, production, processing, and distribution with the Association's field network. The Korea Seaweed Industry Association conveys the problems and technology application conditions required by the industry and supports startups in designing products and services tailored to the market.

The two organizations also jointly promote events that allow startups, seaweed industry stakeholders, investors, and experts to interact. The structure aims to discover new business cooperation opportunities by conveying on-site demands from the seaweed industry to startups and sharing technology demonstration results with the industry.

"With this agreement, a foundation has been laid for marine and fisheries venture companies to directly reflect the voices of the field, develop effective technologies, and commercialize them," said Jeon Hwa-seong, CEO of CNT Tech. "By combining CNT Tech's acceleration know-how with the association's industry expertise, we will foster marine and fisheries companies capable of competing in the global market."

The seaweed industry involves multiple interconnected stages, ranging from farming sites to processing and distribution, making it difficult to decide whether to adopt a technology based solely on its performance. Startups must adapt their technology to on-site production methods and translate demonstration results into purchase and supply contracts to ensure sustainable business operations. The success of this collaboration depends not on the number of companies discovered, but on how many instances are created where the technology of Unicorn Bay's incubated firms is verified at seaweed production sites and leads to actual adoption by fishing households and companies.