Ocean Impact Assessment for Startups

Overview

UMITO Partners conducted Japan’s first assessment using the international Ocean Impact Navigator (OIN) framework for marine startups.
The Japanese version of OIN – developed and published by the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) and the Japan Social Innovation and Investment Foundation (SIIF) – was applied by UMITO Partners to assess four domestic ocean-related startups.
Through quantitative and qualitative indicators aligned with global standards, the evaluation visualized each company’s positive impacts on the marine environment and local communities.
A summary of the results is available on OPRI’s website.

Evaluated companies：

• Kita-Sanriku Factory INC. – Restoration of seaweed beds and utilization of local marine resources such as sea urchins
• Sea Vegetable Company – Production, onshore and offshore cultivation, and sales of seaweed seedlings
• ARK Inc. – Development of small-scale, decentralized closed recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) to reduce marine environmental impacts
• GO Farm Inc. – Virus-free oyster production through entirely land-based cultivation 

【OPRI Website】https://www.spf.org/opri/projects/2025-09_bifi.html

Project Information