Swiss food tech startup catchfree has raised CHF 1.2 million (€1.3 million) in a seed funding round led by FortyOne Group and Stiftung Startfeld. The round also saw participation from industry and private investors, along with various business angels.
Founded last year, catchfree develops innovative plant-based seafood alternatives made from ingredients such as rice, soy protein, and algae. The startup’s product portfolio currently includes shrimp, fish burgers, and fish bites.
Catchfree will use the new capital investment to scale its production capacity and launch products in Switzerland early this summer.
“Today’s environmentally conscious consumers want to enjoy healthier food – for themselves and for the planet,” said Severin Eder, co-founder of catchfree. “That’s exactly what catchfree offers: an alternative that is just as indulgent and versatile as traditional fish, but made from plant-based protein. Our products feature a minimalist ingredient list and a particularly gentle production process that preserves valuable nutrients such as omega-3 fatty
acids.”
“High-quality plant-based seafood options remain scarce”
Catchfree has emerged from the Swiss university ETH Zurich. The startup aims to address issues faced by the conventional seafood industry, including overfishing and the treatment of farmed fish with antibiotics and chemical additives.
Initially, catchfree will launch at selected restaurants in Switzerland that have already conducted successful market tests. The company will then expand within the food-service sector, before entering national wholesale distribution in the autumn.
Catchfree says it sees enormous market potential, as the trend toward sustainable nutrition grows and awareness of the environmental impact of conventional seafood continues to increase.
“The plant-based seafood category is still in its early stages,” said Eduard Müller, co-founder of the company. “While there are already numerous meat alternatives, high-quality plant-based seafood options remain scarce. We are closing this gap with catchfree. Our long-term goal is to meet the growing demand for sustainable and flavorful seafood alternatives by building a trusted brand and continually expanding our product offerings to serve evolving consumer tastes.”
