BRISBANE / Australia, 12 December 2025: Fremantle Seaweed, a Western Australian startup focused on reducing livestock methane, has raised $2.176 million in a Seed crowdfunding round at an $11 million pre-money valuation. The funding comes a week after Tasmanian rival Sea Forest (ASX:SEA) debuted on the ASX, raising $20.5 million at a $112 million market cap, with shares surging 72% since listing.
Like Sea Forest, Fremantle Seaweed develops solutions based on native red seaweed, asparagopsis, which can cut enteric methane emissions from cattle—responsible for roughly 10% of Australia’s total emissions. Over the past four years, the startup has built ocean-based infrastructure, including longline cultivation systems, modular hatcheries, and a harvesting vessel to grow and process asparagopsis at scale.
The Seed round drew 676 investors via OnMarket, with Fremantle Seaweed targeting an additional $4.32 million from sophisticated investors to reach $6.5 million. Proceeds will fund a 3,000-hectare aquaculture lease, the North-West Hub in Cockburn Sound, and a 13-month trial with 60 cattle at Pardoo Wagyu feedlot in the Pilbara.
Cofounded in 2020 by Chris De Cuyper and Mick Holland, the startup previously secured a $4 million WA Government grant and $1.26 million via Birchal crowdfunding. De Cuyper highlighted the project’s potential to abate nearly one million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions annually, emphasizing solutions that integrate seamlessly into farm operations while delivering climate impact and regional economic benefits.
Investor Annie Hill noted the team’s “optimism and conviction” in tackling agriculture’s toughest problems, calling Fremantle Seaweed a model for local innovation with global relevance.
