Fundraising Pack: Halcyon Sea Farms
Written by the venture (a fictional example) using the Seaweed Economy Venture Workspace. The figures and evidence are the venture's own. Seaweed Economy has not reviewed or verified them, and this is not a recommendation to fund.
What we are asking for
$210,000 for a shared drying unit and the first full season
- Kind of money
- Equipment or shared-infrastructure finance
- Needed
- Before the spring 2027 harvest
- How it would be spent
- Shared dryer and installation, $180,000, with two partner farms. Seed, gear and crew for the first full season, $30,000.
- What it gets the venture to
- A first full harvest dried on the coast and sold to two buyers.
The venture
A two-hectare sugar kelp farm planning to sell dried kelp to food and ingredient makers in BC.
- Product, species and region
- Dried sugar kelp, Sugar kelp, British Columbia
- Type of venture
- Seaweed farm
- Ownership
- Joint venture or partnership with a Nation
- Objective for the next six to twelve months
- Complete a 20-tonne wet harvest in spring 2027 and sign two buyers for dried kelp.
Does it pay
Without grants
-$12,000
loss a year
With $15,000 in grants a year
$3,000
profit a year
Sales of $67,200 against costs of $79,200 a year. The price needed to cover costs without grants is $33.00 per kg dried.
| Number | Value | How firm | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selling price | $28.00 per kg dried | Assumption | The founders' estimate. The snack brand has not named a price. |
| Volume sold a year | 2,400 kg dried | Assumption | The 2025 test line yield (measured, see Evidence) scaled to two hectares, and assumed all sold. No buyer has agreed to this volume yet. |
| Cost for each unit | $33.00 per kg dried | Assumption | Worked out in the Farm Economics Calculator, all costs included. |
| Yearly costs that stay the same | $0 a year | Assumption | Included in the cost for each unit. |
| Grants and subsidies a year | $15,000 a year | Assumption | A wage subsidy applied for, not confirmed. |
What the investment changes
Without grants, the investment takes the venture from a loss of $12,000 a year to a profit of $16,800 a year.
| A year | Today | After this investment of $210,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Selling price (per kg dried) | $28.00 | $28.00unchanged |
| Volume sold a year | 2,400 kg dried | 2,400 kg driedunchanged |
| Cost for each unit (per kg dried) | $33.00 | $21.00AssumptionThe shared dryer in place of contract drying. From the supplier quote and the founders' estimate. |
| Yearly costs that stay the same | $0 | $0unchanged |
| Grants and subsidies a year | $15,000 | $0AssumptionThe wage subsidy would have ended. |
| Result without grants | loses $12,000 | earns $16,800 |
| Result with grants | earns $3,000 | earns $16,800 |
The right hand column is the venture's own plan, not a forecast by Seaweed Economy. A plan is an assumption until it happens.
Fit for equipment or shared-infrastructure finance
- Possible with work
- In placeEconomics and finance gate at least partly met (now partly met)
- In placeThe equipment or facility you need is recorded with a cost
- In placeCapital need written, with purpose and amount
- Not yetEconomics and finance rated 3 or more
Worked out by plain rules from the information in this pack. It is a type of funding, not a specific program, and not a decision to fund.
What backs it
Test line results, 2025 season (Tested, May 30, 2026)
Shows: Yield per metre on a 200 metre test line over one season.
Does not show: One season and one line, in a mild year.
Lab results on two dried samples (Tested, Jul 20, 2026)
Shows: Moisture and heavy metals measured on two dried samples.
Does not show: Two samples only. No microbial testing yet.
Seed string quote from a hatchery (Documented, Jun 10, 2026)
Shows: Seed string for two hectares at a stated price for the 2026 season.
Does not show: One season only, from a single hatchery.
Email from a snack brand (Documented, Aug 5, 2026)
Shows: Interest in 500 kg of dried kelp a year if it meets their specifications.
Does not show: No price agreed and no commitment.
Tenure application acknowledged (Documented, Aug 28, 2026)
Shows: The tenure application is submitted and acknowledged.
Does not show: Not approved yet. The aquaculture licence is still to come.
1 confidential item left out.
Where the venture stands
Prototype stage.
- Seaweed supply: Partly met.
- Regulation and safety: Partly met.
- Economics and finance: Partly met.
What it depends on
- Drying capacity for 20 tonnes wet a season: In discussion, A shared dryer is under discussion with two other farms.
- Cold storage: Provider contacted, Local fish plant.
- Vessel and dock access: Confirmed, Own vessel; community dock.
The plan
| Milestone | By | Cost | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secure shared drying capacityDone when: A written agreement to dry 20 tonnes wet in spring 2027. | Feb 28, 2027 | $180,000 | In progress |
| Aquaculture licence approvedDone when: Licence issued for the two-hectare site. | Dec 15, 2026 | $2,500 | In progress |
| Sign two buyers for dried kelpDone when: Two letters of intent with volume and price. | Jan 31, 2027 | $6,000 | Not started |
| Microbial testing on dried samplesDone when: Results for three batches. | Nov 30, 2026 | $1,800 | Not started |
What is not in place yet
- The venture does not pay for itself without grants.
- 5 of the 5 key numbers are assumptions, not yet backed by evidence.
- 2 of the 2 numbers for after the investment are assumptions.
- No buyer has yet offered or paid a price in writing.
- Seaweed supply: partly met. Rated 3 of 5.
- Regulation and safety: partly met. Rated 2 of 5.
- Economics and finance: partly met. Rated 2 of 5.
- Depends on drying capacity for 20 tonnes wet a season, which is not confirmed yet.
- Depends on cold storage, which is not confirmed yet.
- For equipment or shared-infrastructure finance: Economics and finance rated 3 or more, not yet in place.
Stated by the venture. A funder will ask about these, so they are listed here first.