Fremantle Seaweed, a Western Australian startup that grows Asparagopsis seaweed as a cattle feed additive, has acquired the onshore nursery, seaweed production technology and equipment of FutureFeed, the CSIRO spin-out that holds the global intellectual property for using Asparagopsis in livestock feed. The deal was reported by StartUp ScaleUp on October 16, 2026, Australian time.
Terms were not disclosed. The sale covers FutureFeed's onshore cultivation capability only. FutureFeed continues to operate as the holder of the intellectual property and the company that licenses it.
Fremantle Seaweed said the acquisition lets it bring its first commercial sales forward to 2027.
What Fremantle bought
Asparagopsis has two life stages. Fremantle Seaweed has grown the gametophyte phase in the open ocean at Cockburn Sound, south of Fremantle, since 2023. The assets bought from FutureFeed are for the tetrasporophyte phase, which is grown in tanks on land and which FutureFeed had spent several years researching.
Owning both phases means Fremantle can control the full growing cycle rather than relying on others for seed stock. The onshore system uses prefabricated tanks, which cost less upfront than recirculating aquaculture systems, takes up less space and uses contamination controls to keep operating costs down, according to StartUp ScaleUp.
"This facility gives us the capability to grow both phases of Asparagopsis at scale, strengthening our ability to deliver a consistent and commercially viable supply to cattle producers," said Chris De Cuyper, Fremantle Seaweed's founder and chief executive.
“We started this business growing seaweed from a boat, and we're now taking a major step towards commercial production by bringing onshore cultivation into our operations.”
FutureFeed and its backers
CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, launched FutureFeed in August 2020 to commercialise research it had carried out with Meat & Livestock Australia and James Cook University. The work found that small amounts of Asparagopsis added to cattle feed can sharply cut the methane the animals burp out.
FutureFeed raised A$13 million (reported at the time as about $9.3 million) in its founding round from CSIRO, Woolworths, GrainCorp, Harvest Road, Andrew Forrest's agrifood group, and a joint venture between AGP Sustainable Real Assets and SparkLabs Cultiv8. Its chief executive is Alex Baker.
"We're pleased to see this cultivation capability move into Fremantle's hands," Baker said, according to IT Brief, adding that the company is now focused on taking production to the next stage. Fremantle has been a FutureFeed cultivation partner since 2025 and became a licensee in August 2026.
The buyer
Fremantle Seaweed has disclosed A$8 million in backing: A$4 million in seed funding and a A$4 million grant from the Western Australian government's Investment Attraction Fund. In April 2026 it used the grant to buy an ocean-backed facility on Mews Road in Fremantle.
"We started this business growing seaweed from a boat, and we're now taking a major step towards commercial production by bringing onshore cultivation into our operations," De Cuyper said.
He said the company's focus is now on turning five years of technology development and cultivation experience into a reliable supply of seaweed-based feed that farmers can adopt at scale. "The farmers we speak to are looking for practical, affordable ways to reduce emissions without compromising the way they operate, and that is the opportunity we are working to deliver."
A test for seaweed feed
Methane from livestock is a significant source of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, and Asparagopsis is one of the most studied feed additives for reducing it. The challenge for the industry has been growing enough seaweed, consistently and cheaply, to supply cattle producers at commercial scale.
By selling its nursery to a licensee, FutureFeed is concentrating on its role as the owner of the science and intellectual property, while Fremantle takes on the cost and risk of production. De Cuyper called the deal an important milestone for both the company and the Australian seaweed industry.
