Ambienta builds pioneering sustainable aquaculture platform with four acquisitions

• Four acquisitions, BioMarine, FLS, Smir, and GroAqua, mark first pillar in the creation of a transformative platform accelerating sustainable aquaculture.
• Centred on the North Atlantic, the hub of advanced aquaculture technology, the platform brings together providers of essential technology supporting more sustainable fish farming.
• Aquaculture, one of the most resource-efficient animal protein sources, is a €20bn market, set to double over the next decade.

Milan/London/Paris/Munich/Stockholm, 1 October 2026 – Ambienta SGR S.p.A. ("Ambienta"), one of Europe’s largest asset managers exclusively focused on environmental sustainability, today announces the acquisition, through its Ambienta IV fund, of Bio Marine AS ("BioMarine"), Flatsetsund Engineering AS ("FLS"), Smir AS (“Smir”) and P/F GroAqua Group ("GroAqua") – four leaders in advanced aquaculture technology. Together they form a newly created multi-asset industrial platform set to scale established technologies across fish health, feed optimisation, mission-critical equipment, innovative farming systems, and waste treatment needed to solve aquaculture's key operational and environmental challenges and support the transition toward more sustainable, higher-welfare farming.

The transaction represents a first step in Ambienta’s ambition to become a pioneering Nordic leader delivering diversified industrial technology solutions in sustainable aquaculture. Together, the four companies offer a broad suite of technologies and expertise to help farmers reduce their environmental impact and drive the transformation of aquaculture across species and geographies. The platform will accelerate the adoption of transformative solutions that support responsible industry growth, create cross-selling opportunities across the group and drive faster product development.

Milena Torciano Nyström, Partner at Ambienta, commented: “Aquaculture is one of the most resource-efficient sources of animal protein, and we believe it has a critical role to play in feeding a growing population within planetary boundaries. BioMarine, FLS, Smir, and GroAqua represent exactly the kind of technology-driven businesses we look for: they solve real operational and welfare challenges for farmers today, while materially reducing the environmental footprint of the industry. Bringing them together is the first step in building a pioneering platform that will scale the technologies the sector needs to grow sustainably.”

Sverre Taknes, CEO of the platform, commented: “Each of these four companies has built its leadership position by solving mission-critical challenges that farmers face every day – from feeding efficiency and oxygen management to sea-lice control and biosecurity. By bringing together complementary technologies and deep industry expertise, we are creating a platform that can address these challenges in a more integrated way, accelerate innovation and bring proven solutions to farmers at greater scale. Ultimately, our ambition is simple: to help farmers produce healthier fish, more efficiently and with a lower environmental impact, while supporting the sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry.”

Rúni M. Hansen, Tjaldur Executive Chairman, existing industrial shareholder of GroAqua added: “Joining forces with Ambienta marks an exciting new chapter in this pioneering ambition to build an integrated platform delivering sustainable aquaculture technology. Having been part of this industry's growth for many years, I am confident that together with the wider group, we will create significant value for our customers and industrial stakeholders and accelerate our shared ambitions. By reinvesting alongside Ambienta, we're demonstrating our conviction in the strength of this platform and the substantial growth opportunity that lies ahead.”

Why Ambienta invests in aquaculture

As populations and incomes grow and consumers seek more nutritious diets, global demand for protein continues to rise. Protein supply has more than doubled over the past four decades, with aquatic foods playing an increasingly important role in meeting that demand. Aquatic animal production has grown from around 80 million tonnes in the early 1980s to nearly 200 million tonnes in 2024 and today accounts for approximately 15% of animal protein consumed globally.

With around 85% of assessed marine fish stocks already maximally sustainably fished or overfished and wild catches broadly flat for decades, aquaculture is the only scalable way to expand aquatic food supply to meet future demand.

Farmed fish requires less land and feed and generates lower greenhouse gas emissions. However, intensive aquaculture can increase disease and parasite risks, chemical treatments, mortality and waste, while land-based farming can generate substantial sludge and requires significant energy. The industry therefore needs technologies that address these challenges to support healthier production systems, improve resource efficiency, and reduce negative environmental impacts. Salmon farming, one of aquaculture’s most advanced segments, provides a platform for developing solutions that can subsequently be applied across species and geographies, accelerating more sustainable aquatic food production.

BioMarine, FLS, Smir, and GroAqua address these challenges through complementary technologies spanning prevention, fish health, feeding, monitoring, oxygen management, non-chemical treatment, submerged systems and sludge treatment. Their solutions help farmers protect fish welfare and survival, avoid unnecessary chemical use, reduce feed losses and limit organic and nutrient pollution that affects wild fish populations. The platform therefore qualifies as both a Resource Efficiency and Pollution Control investment under Ambienta's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) framework.

About the acquired companies

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Surnadal, Norway, BioMarine is an aquaculture technology leader with a differentiated portfolio spanning underwater lighting, oxygenation and water circulation, environmental monitoring and protective solutions for sea and land-based aquaculture. With more than 25 years of experience and a research-led approach developed in close collaboration with farmers and research institutions, BioMarine helps improve fish health, production efficiency and aquaculture’s environmental performance.

With a history dating back to 1913 and headquartered in Kristiansund, Norway, FLS is an aquaculture technology leader focused on fish welfare and operational efficiency. Its patented mechanical delousing technology provides a low-impact alternative to chemical and thermal treatments, helping reduce stress and mortality while improving lice control. FLS also provides on-site oxygen generation, biomass counting and digital monitoring solutions, combining in-house engineering with hardware, software and aftermarket services to support leading salmon farmers in Norway and international markets.

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Langevåg, Norway, Smir develops solutions focused on fish welfare, feeding efficiency and more sustainable salmon farming. Its core offering includes waterborne feeding technology, which transports feed directly to the cage through water rather than conventional air-based systems, supporting efficient feeding and enabling greater flexibility in farm operations. Smir also develops UV-C technology for preventive sea-lice control, designed to reduce lice pressure without handling or treating the fish. Its technologies have been developed and tested in collaboration with leading Norwegian salmon farmers, combining engineering expertise with practical aquaculture experience to address some of the industry’s key biological and operational challenges.

Established in 1972, GroAqua is a Faroese aquaculture technology company and a leading provider of integrated feeding systems to the global aquaculture industry. With more than 50 years of experience, GroAqua combines cameras, sensors, feeding equipment and digital solutions to optimise feeding, reduce waste and minimise aquaculture’s environmental impact. Its offering also includes advanced sludge-treatment solutions and turnkey feed barges, backed by a long-standing track record supporting aquaculture operations in demanding environments across the Faroe Islands, the UK and Norway. Completion of the GroAqua transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Ambienta was advised by ABG Sundal Collier, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen, EY, Arkwright, and DNV.

About Ambienta

Ambienta is a European investment manager, founded in 2007, pioneering sustainable investing in environmental champions across private equity, public markets, and private credit. With offices in Milan, London, Paris, Munich and Stockholm Ambienta manages over €4.5 bn in assets and is backed by a global and growing investor base. The firm invests in companies driven by environmental megatrends and whose products or services improve Resource Efficiency or Pollution Control. Its science-driven approach identifies environmental champions of the real economy – businesses that deliver strong financial returns while generating measurable positive environmental impact.

An industry pioneer, Ambienta was one of the first UN PRI signatories in 2012 and attained B-Corp status in 2019. In 2020, Ambienta became IIGCC member and in 2023 committed to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). www.ambientasgr.com

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