Smolt raises 200 million yen for heat-tolerant Sakura trout breeding

Smolt, a startup originating from Miyazaki University, has raised approximately 200 million yen through a third-party allotment of shares to develop heat-tolerant Sakura trout. The funding round was led by mint, with participation from Samurai Incubate, ANOBAKA, and Chugin Capital Partners.

To combat rising sea temperatures in Japanese waters, which have increased by an average of 1.33 degrees Celsius per 100 years, Smolt utilizes selective breeding rather than genome editing or genetic modification. Through seven generations of breeding, the company has developed trout capable of growing in water temperatures around 24 degrees Celsius. This technology aims to address the decline in cold-water fish populations and the challenges faced by the aquaculture industry due to climate change.

The raised capital will be used to strengthen collaborations with fisheries operators nationwide and to expand production bases for both the heat-tolerant trout and the company’s processed fish roe products, such as ‘Tsukimi Ikura®’.