Pacific Hybreed Closes $1 Million Round with Support from Hawaiʻi Angels and Blue Startups to Scale Resilient Shellfish Production

KAILUA-KONA AND HONOLULU, Hawaii, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Hybreed, a Big Island-based aquaculture biotechnology company, today announced the close of a $1 million funding round with participation from Hawaiʻi Angels and Blue Startups.

The investment will support the company's expansion of commercial-scale hatchery operations as it works to meet growing demand from shellfish farmers across Hawaiʻi, the West Coast, and beyond.

Pacific Hybreed is the first company to commercialize hybrid breeding in shellfish, applying the concept of "hybrid vigor"—a method long used in agriculture—to oysters and clams. The company's approach builds on traditional selective breeding techniques and does not involve genetic modification, instead producing high-performance seed tailored to specific farm conditions that helps growers improve survival, increase yields, and reduce labor costs.

Shellfish farming is a high-risk business, with farmers often losing a significant portion of their crop before harvest due to environmental stressors and inconsistent seed performance. Pacific Hybreed's approach addresses this challenge at the source by delivering more resilient, uniform seed that performs reliably in real-world farm conditions.

The impact is both biological and economic. Pacific Hybreed's seed has demonstrated approximately 30% greater yield and up to 50% reductions in harvesting costs due to uniform growth. By offering these gains at commodity pricing, the company enables farmers to increase output and profitability without requiring changes to their existing operations.

The company is already working with more than 20 farm customers and research sites across North America, and demand for its seed continues to outpace current production capacity.

"When we stocked Pacific Hybreed seed while we were growing oysters, we consistently found more uniform growth and very few double set oysters. Growing oysters in Hawaii can be more labor intensive than farming in cooler regions, so the performance and quality of each individual oyster seed is critical," said Dave Anderson, Product Manager at Kauai Sea Farm.

"Closing this round allows us to move from proven field results to scaled commercial production at a critical moment for the industry," said Melissa DellaTorre, CEO of Pacific Hybreed. "Hawaiʻi Angels and Blue Startups represent an incredible base of local support. It's so meaningful to build this company here at home with investors who understand both the opportunity and the impact."

Pacific Hybreed will use the funding to scale hatchery production, expand its farm-specific breeding programs, and continue broadening into additional species beyond Pacific oysters, including clams.

"Pacific Hybreed is addressing a critical bottleneck in aquaculture. Improving survival and yield at the seed level has a direct impact on farm economics and the resilience of the broader seafood supply chain," said Rajeev Rai, Hawaiʻi Angels member and deal lead on the investment.

About Pacific Hybreed
Pacific Hybreed is a Big Island, Hawaiʻi-based aquaculture biotechnology company developing high-performance oyster and clam seed through advanced hybrid breeding techniques. By delivering more resilient and productive shellfish, the company helps farmers improve yield, reduce costs, and operate more sustainably. Learn more at pacifichybreed.com.

About The Hawaiʻi Angels
The Hawaiʻi Angels is a Honolulu-based network of early-stage investors that has supported founders in Hawaiʻi and beyond since 2002. Members invest individually but often collaborate on deals like Pacific Hybreed, offering not just capital but also coaching and connections to help startups grow. Learn more or inquire about membership or corporate/VC sponsorship at hawaiiangels.org.

Media Contacts:

Melissa Dellatorre, Pacific Hybreed
207-807-5753
[email protected]

Joey Katzen, Hawai'i Angels
[email protected]

SOURCE Hawaiʻi Angels