Special Episode: Sam Van De Velde - Fishway

In this episode of Protein Production Technology International, Sam Van De Velde, co-founder and CEO of Fishway, shares his unconventional journey from finance to the cultivated seafood sector. Sam discusses the founding of Fishway, the challenges of securing patient investors, and assembling a skilled team to drive innovation in cultivated fish biomass production. He highlights the environmental urgency caused by overfishing, the declining health of global fisheries, and how cultivated seafood can help meet rising demand sustainably. Sam explains Fishway’s focus on producing high-quality cell biomass rather than structured products, emphasizing energy efficiency, simple bioreactor design, and robust fish cell lines with impressive doubling capabilities. He also touches on regulatory challenges, the need for collaboration across the sector, and the importance of balancing cost, sustainability, and health benefits to ensure cultivated seafood becomes a viable and accessible alternative in the future.