#44: Chris Gorell Barnes (Ocean 14 Capital) – An Investor’s View on the Biggest Opportunity in the Blue Economy

<p><a href="https://www.feddegobbi.com/walkandtalk" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Here is a link</a> to get more information about <em>The</em> <em>Ocean Age Walk &amp; Talk</em> and join the waitlist.</p><p><b>Episode</b> <b>Intro:</b></p><p>The blue economy is growing fast. It's expected to reach US$3 trillion by 2030. And if you're an ocean founder, you may be wondering: where is that growth happening? How do I tap into that potential and contribute to positive change? Chris Gorell Barnes from Ocean 14 Capital thinks the biggest opportunity to drive growth is to transition the established, proven businesses to become more modern, digitalised, and sustainable. Plug innovation into what already exists rather than building something new from scratch.</p><p><b>Chris's bio:</b></p><p>Chris Gorell Barnes is a Founding Partner at Ocean 14 Capital, an impact fund investing in the blue economy. Before he moved into ocean investment, he built a career in media and marketing, founding the brand communications agency Adjust Your Set, which he later sold to the OLIVER group, and producing the award-winning documentary The End of the Line, about the global overfishing crisis. He also co-founded the Blue Marine Foundation, a marine charity that creates marine reserves and works to establish sustainable models of fishing.</p><p>Ocean 14 Capital backs growth-stage businesses across the blue economy, from sustainable aquaculture and alternative proteins to seaweed and plastics, all guided by UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. Launched in 2020, its first fund closed at €201 million, making it one of the largest dedicated to the blue economy, with backers including Nestlé, the European Investment Fund, Monaco's sovereign wealth fund, and Skype founder Niklas Zennström. The firm is a certified B Corp.</p><p><br /></p><p>Timestamps:</p><p>00:00:00 - Introduction<br />00:01:25 - Who Chris is and what Ocean 14 Capital does<br />00:02:53 - The fund's two themes, food security and marine ecosystems<br />00:03:23 - Kingfish and the case for land-based fish farming<br />00:04:47 - Why the real gap is growth capital, not startup money<br />00:05:46 - Transitioning fish farms off Excel spreadsheets<br />00:08:38 - Venture fatigue and the shift to growth equity<br />00:11:33 - The biggest misconception about the ocean<br />00:12:30 - Why SDG 14 is the least funded goal<br />00:15:22 - Where investors lose money, insect protein and RAS<br />00:20:40 - The sales