This recent funding complements previous investments from Aqua Spark and Chroma Ventures, amassing to more than £10m since the company’s series A round.

The capital injection will boost ACE Aquatec’s product portfolio and market reach, fuelling developments like the biomass camera, a tech solution for fish farming currently in production after successful trials.

Earth Capital’s senior investment manager, Bradley Jones, will join the ACE Aquatec board, alongside Chris van der Kuyl of Chroma Ventures as chairman and Nina Santi from seafood industry advisory firm INAQ AS as a non-executive director. ACE Aquatec, known for its welfare-centric approach in aquaculture technology, projects job growth in engineering, software and sales support roles, anticipating the creation of ten new jobs in Dundee and Chile.

The investment aligns with both ACE Aquatec and Earth Capital’s shared commitment to sustainable food production. With seafood providing 17% of the world’s protein and a rapidly growing population, technology such as ACE Aquatec’s can play a vital role in promoting responsible farming and meeting increasing demand. The company’s innovative solutions, such as the biomass camera using artificial intelligence and machine learning, aim to ensure sustainable and humane fish farming practices.

ACE Aquatec’s recent growth in key markets, including the UK, Europe, Canada, Southeast Asia, and South America, will benefit from this capital infusion, enabling further market penetration and distributor network expansion.

Mr Jones said: “We are excited to be partnering with Ace Aquatec, a key player in the aquaculture industry, on the next stage of its development journey. Championing sustainable practices and setting high welfare standards paves the way to ensuring that seafood farming becomes one of the biggest opportunities to responsibly feed a growing population.

“Sustainable farming aligns perfectly with Earth Capital Limited’s mission to advance technology within the energy, food, and water sectors while driving towards a net-zero future.”

Nathan Pyne-Carter, CEO of Ace Aquatec, said: “Earth Capital Limited shares our outlook and passions – namely, the critical importance of technology to drive sustainable food production. Together we can tackle one of the world’s most pressing issues by providing sustainable and responsible protein for a growing world population.

“The team’s support and expertise will help us scale the business and take another huge step forward in the development of high-welfare products for the global seafood industry.

“We are also excited to welcome Bradley Jones to our board, whose deep knowledge and strategic insights will be invaluable in guiding our future growth.”

Josien Bakker, investment manager at Aqua Spark, added: “Since our first investment in Ace Aquatec, we’ve known they had the vision to transform the sector by developing products that make fish farming more humane while protecting the environment.

“We have built a well-known brand, due to the company’s accessibility and scientific evidence, its growth since then is proof that breakthrough technologies are being embraced by farmers, processors, and supermarkets pushing for improved fish welfare across the entire industry.

“We’re looking forward to partnering with Earth Capital Limited, a fund committed to sustainable technology that will spotlight how much we can do to improve the welfare of fish across the industry.”

Legal advice on the deal was provided by Peter Savage from Gunnercooke LLP to Ace Aquatec, and Penelope Garden from Field Seymour Parkes to Earth Capital.