Katapult Ocean

Katapult Ocean sources through its own accelerator program, which brings in cohorts of pre-seed and seed-stage ocean-tech startups annually, and through a proprietary network of research institutions, maritime corporates, and impact investor co-investors. The accelerator acts as a direct pipeline, with graduates receiving follow-on investment consideration. This model gives the firm visibility into companies at formation stage before many institutional VCs enter.

Katapult Ocean operates both a dedicated venture fund and an ocean-focused accelerator program. The accelerator provides early-stage companies with capital, mentorship, and access to the firm's network of maritime and ocean-science partners. The fund invests at seed and early-stage, often as the lead institutional investor, with the accelerator serving as a sourcing pipeline and portfolio support mechanism.

Katapult Ocean targets seed and early-stage companies. It typically acts as a lead institutional investor and focuses on pre-revenue to early-commercialization phases where hard-tech ocean solutions require patient capital before reaching scalability. The accelerator arm feeds pre-seed and seed companies into the broader Katapult ecosystem.

Katapult Ocean invests across aquaculture technology, maritime decarbonization, ocean data and sensor platforms, offshore renewable energy, and alternative seafood. Its portfolio includes companies working on autonomous marine navigation, smart fishing gear, ocean carbon removal, and sustainable aquaculture feed, avoiding pure-play consumer apps or land-based climate solutions.

Katapult Ocean is one vertical fund within the Katapult Group, which includes Katapult Climate and the original Katapult Accelerator. The group, founded by Tharald Nustad, shares a common impact-investing philosophy and back-office infrastructure across its verticals, but each fund maintains dedicated investment teams and sector focus.

Yes, Katapult Ocean regularly co-invests alongside specialist climate and ocean VCs, corporate venture arms from the shipping and energy sectors, and mission-aligned family offices. Its position as a dedicated ocean fund makes it a natural syndication partner for generalist impact funds seeking blue-economy exposure without internal domain expertise.

Founder Tharald Nustad and CEO Jonas Skattum Svegaarden lead the firm's investment strategy, supported by a dedicated ocean-sector investment team split between its Oslo headquarters and Vancouver office. Nustad brings experience from founding the broader Katapult Group, while Svegaarden's operational leadership guides day-to-day fund decisions.