Fremantle Seaweed raises $2.3m to transition pilot operations into commercial stock feed production

Climate-tech startup Fremantle Seaweed has raised $2.3 million in seed funding as part of a $6.5 million raise to transition its pilot operations harvesting native Asparagopsis seaweed for cattle feed into commercial-scale manufacturing.

The company says a successful transition will position Australia on the edge of a “positive tipping point” in livestock methane reduction.

Investors in the seed round include public relations and marketing agency Third Hemisphere, which is among the largest investors in the round, as part of a new venture investment arm designed to accelerate the growth of mission-driven organisations across climate, technology, sustainability and industry transformation.

The WA-based Fremantle Seaweed is planning to raise an additional $4.32 million from sophisticated investors to potentially push the seed round up to $6.5 million in support of a full commercial build-out.

Asparagopsis, a native red seaweed, has been shown by CSIRO to reduce methane emissions from cattle by up to 80 per cent, which Fremantle Seaweed says offers one of the most promising climate solutions for the beef and dairy sectors.

Backed with $4 million from the WA Government’s Investment Attraction Fund, Fremantle Seaweed has spent the past four years building the technology, engineering systems, and ocean-based infrastructure needed to deliver Asparagopsis at scale.

What began in 2020 as a small team trialling longlines in Cockburn Sound has evolved into a fully integrated ocean-tech platform from hatchery to harvest.

The company has designed and deployed high-density longline cultivation systems, secured modular, containerised hatcheries and developed a purpose-built harvesting vessel to support commercial expansion.

Fremantle Seaweed says this innovation positions the company as both a producer and a “technology impact” company, solving the commercial obstacles that have slowed global Asparagopsis production.

The new funding will be used to accelerate development of the company’s 3,000ha North-West Hub, the centrepiece of its commercial rollout.

“The support behind Fremantle Seaweed has been incredible,” says Chris De Cuyper, co-founder and managing director of Fremantle Seaweed.

“Our analysis shows that scaling to the North-West Hub could abate close to one million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions each year, roughly the same as offsetting a small LNG facility.

“That’s the kind of real-world impact that investors, producers, and policymakers are looking for.

“What excites me most is the sense of shared purpose. Farmers want practical, natural tools that make sense on-farm, and our job is to deliver those - technology that fits seamlessly into existing systems and creates value across the board.”

Modelling shows that in operation, the North-West Hub will have the capacity to meet more than 20 per cent of Australia’s dairy and feedlot Asparagopsis needs.

This milestone represents a significant shift for dairy farmers and feedlot operators who the company says have been waiting for reliable, local and large-volume access to methane-reducing feed solutions.

To support industry uptake, Fremantle Seaweed is preparing a 400-day Wagyu feedlot trial with 60 head of cattle, using more than 1,500kg of dried Asparagopsis. 

The trial is designed to deliver performance and productivity results under real commercial feeding conditions, providing the critical data required to drive widespread market adoption.

“Fremantle Seaweed stood out because they aren’t just farming seaweed; they’re developing the hardware, systems, processes, and operational IP needed to scale a completely new industry from the water up,” says Jeremy Liddle, managing director of Third Hemisphere.

“Their technology gives them a genuine competitive edge. They’re building longline systems, containerised hatchery infrastructure, and purpose-built seaweed and harvesting vessels designed for commercial-scale production.

“That’s what makes them such an exciting and scalable aquaculture and technology business.”

Fremantle Seaweed says that with agriculture responsible for roughly half of Australia’s methane emissions, large-scale access to Asparagopsis represents a “transformational opportunity” by giving farmers a pathway to materially cut emissions while enhancing competitiveness in a low-carbon global market

Annie Hill, from Hill Tribe Family Office, has supported Fremantle Seaweed’s latest raise due to the conviction of “a small WA company taking on one of agriculture's hardest problems with optimism, science and integrity”.

“Chris and the team aren’t waiting for change to happen; they’ve created it from the ground up, or in this case, from the ocean up,” says Hill.

“For me, this investment is about more than climate impact. It’s about regional renewal - creating skilled jobs, building capability, and proving that innovation can thrive in WA. Fremantle Seaweed is showing how local ingenuity can deliver global solutions.”

Port Hedland-based Pardoo Wagyu is participating in the feedlot trial by Fremantle Seaweed to determine the impact of Asparagopsis on meat quality.

“For a premium Wagyu producer like Pardoo, the quality of our beef is everything - flavour, marbling and fat distribution are what define our product and reputation,” says Grant Rockman, CEO of Pardoo Wagyu.

“So, when we look at innovations like Asparagopsis, we want to understand not just the environmental impact, but how it performs where it matters most - on meat quality and consistency.

“Fremantle Seaweed’s approach gives us confidence because it’s grounded in science and designed with farmers in mind.

“We’re excited to be part of the upcoming feedlot trial to see how this supplement performs in a commercial setting, and whether the productivity gains stack up.”