Oisix's Future Food Fund backs AlgaleX, the startup growing DHA-rich algae from food waste
What's the deal? Future Food FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the corporate venture arm of Japanese food subscription company OisixDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, has made a new investment in AlgaleXDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an Okinawa-based startup that cultivates algae using food waste and AI. The deal, made through the fund's second vehicle, closed at the end of May 2026 and marks Future Food Fund's 41st investment.
What's AlgaleX building? The Uruma-based startup uses a proprietary AI environmental control technology called "Touji-24" to turn hard-to-use food residue — currently including awamori distillery waste — into a growth medium for microalgae. The result is "umamo," a next-generation DHA ingredient the company describes as mercury-free, free of fishy odour, and rich in umami.
Why now? Rising global demand for seafood has intensified concerns about the depletion of natural marine resources. Fish oil and fishmeal — key inputs for aquaculture feed and health supplements — depend heavily on wild small fish, raising the risk of future shortages and price spikes.
What's the endgame? AlgaleX is developing umamo as an alternative DHA source for aquaculture feed, aiming to reduce reliance on wild fish. Its food-grade product is already sold to Michelin-starred restaurants and premium retailers, and the powder can be added to everyday cooking as an accessible source of DHA.
Future Food Fund said it will support AlgaleX alongside Oisix and other limited partners through joint product development and sales channel expansion.
Founder's view: Chief executive officer Daichi Takada, who previously worked at a major trading company, said he saw aquaculture's dependence on wild fish firsthand. "I felt a great contradiction there, and I believed that creating nutrition, rather than competing for it, would be the answer," he said, adding that he founded AlgaleX around 2020 on that premise.
About the fund: Oisix established Future Food Fund in August 2019 to build a startup ecosystem for Japanese food, backing companies in the food, agriculture, and healthcare sectors both domestically and abroad. It also supports portfolio companies with sales and product development.
The signal: The investment reflects growing interest in alternative nutrition sources as aquaculture scales and marine resources come under strain. By turning food waste into a scalable DHA supply, AlgaleX is positioning itself at the intersection of sustainability and a large feed market — a bet Future Food Fund is now backing.
Read more: PR TIMES
Image: microalgae cultures, CSIRO (CC BY 3.0)
