TOKYO—MOL PLUS (Representative: Takuya Sakamoto; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) today announced its investment in ARK Inc. (CEO: Koyo Takenoshita; Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo), a company that designs, develops, and manufactures closed recirculating Land-based aquaculture systems (Note 1) and develops and offers associated services.
ARK’s mission is to “democratize aquaculture,” with the goal of solving three issues: sustainable food supply, reduction of marine and global environmental impact, and avoidance of production and logistics crises, while offering a “system that enables anyone anywhere to farm aquaculture.”
MOL PLUS is pleased to participate in this financing in the hope that ARK’s initiatives will make a significant contribution to addressing the ESG issues of solving food insecurity and reducing environmental impact through the realization of environmentally friendly and sustainable aquaculture. MOL PLUS will contribute to the global social Implementation of small and distributed closed recirculating Land-based aquaculture and use ARK’s system to the advantage for MOL Group assets (onboard ships and in port facilities and other real property) from the standpoint of the shipping industry.
MOL PLUS continually works to generate synergetic effects based on startup companies’ innovative ideas and technologies and the MOL Group’s resources through investment in and collaboration with startups, aiming to create new businesses PLUS new value to the ocean shipping industry and society.
(Note 1) About Closed Recirculating Land-based Aquaculture System
Small and distributed closed recirculating aquaculture systems (CRAS) can be installed and operated in the area required by a typical parking space. Unlike existing large-scale aquaculture systems, distributed aquaculture can be started with a small investment and on a small scale. It can also be operated off-grid by utilizing renewable energy sources and at the same time, significantly reduce energy costs and environmental impact. In addition to hardware, ARK also plans to offer remote management applications, materials, and seedling supply services necessary for aquaculture operations.
＜Outline of ARK Inc.＞
Website: https://www.ark.inc/
For further information, please contact:
MOL PLUS (website: https://en.molplus.net/)
Tel: +81-3-3587-7643 / E-mail: molplus@molgroup.com