ARK Raises $8.5M for Land-Based Aquaculture Expansion into UAE
Japanese aquaculture startup ARK Co., Ltd. has raised approximately $8.5 million through equity investment and loans to support its international expansion and technology development.
The Series A round included equity investment from six venture capital firms and corporate investors. UntroD Capital Japan, Beyond Next Ventures and BP Capital, which manages the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Fund, served as lead investors.
ARK also secured loans from lead lender Resona Bank, as well as The Hokkoku Bank and Japan Finance Corporation.
Under the concept “let the ocean rest, create your own,” ARK is an R&D-driven startup working to build the systems and culture that enable anyone to practice land-based aquaculture anywhere.
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To date, ARK has advanced the commercial deployment of modular closed recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and helped develop seafood markets produced through land-based aquaculture.
The company will use the newly raised funds to strengthen its business foundation; advance the technology and product development of its land-based aquaculture systems; develop land-based aquaculture facilities; and recruit the global talent needed to support these initiatives.
ARK identified the Global South as a priority for its expansion, with initial projects planned in the UAE and Indonesia. In June 2026, pilot projects involving its modular RAS technology in both countries were selected for support under a Japanese government programme for feasibility studies and small-scale demonstration projects.
Japan’s Growth Strategy, published in July 2026, identified food technology as one of 17 strategic fields and included land-based aquaculture among its priority products and technologies. With this policy support, ARK will use the new funding to further accelerate the commercial deployment of land-based aquaculture.
“We are delighted and greatly encouraged to have successfully closed this round with such strong partners who share our vision and support our business strategy,” said Yosuke Kurihara, co-founder and CEO of Ark, in a press release.
“The core of our international strategy is our work in the Global South, including Abu Dhabi in the UAE. At a key hub along the emerging India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), we will leverage our RAS technology, which is resilient in harsh environments, and our expertise in grouper aquaculture to build a sustainable seafood supply hub and contribute to food security in each region.”
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