Aqua Theon, a Japanese-founded food startup headquartered in Los Angeles, California, announced on April 6 the completion of its third close of a pre-Series A funding round, raising approximately 800 million yen (roughly $5 million USD).
The company develops and sells seaweed-based food products, including OoMee Matcha — a functional beverage combining seaweed and matcha launched in January of this year — alongside MISAKY.TOKYO, a D2C marketplace for Japanese confectionery.
Seaweed-Based Functional Beverage Now in 700 U.S. Stores
Some readers may associate seaweed with ecological risk: certain species are known to disrupt local marine ecosystems in regions where they are not native. At the same time, seaweed has long been a dietary staple across Japan and other parts of Asia. Aqua Theon promotes seaweed as an ingredient with potential benefits for metabolic health, as well as a relatively accessible source of protein.
Seaweed also absorbs carbon dioxide (CO₂). As with trees and other plants and algae, CO₂ uptake tends to be highest during active growth phases. As noted above, some countries treat certain seaweed species as ecological threats — a designation that, viewed from another angle, reflects just how rapidly these organisms can grow. Regular harvesting, then, may also contribute to CO₂ capture.
OoMee Matcha is made with agar — a seaweed-derived ingredient widely used in Japanese cuisine. Matcha, meanwhile, has surged in global popularity to the point where Japanese supply is struggling to keep pace, though some consumers find that its characteristic bitterness takes time to get used to.
OoMee Matcha is designed to make matcha more approachable by blending it with fruit flavors, while simultaneously leveraging agar’s ability to reduce hunger even in small quantities.
Aqua Theon states that OoMee Matcha is already available in 700 stores across the United States.
“We Can Feel the Business Moving Forward,” Says Aqua Theon CEO
The pre-Series A third close saw participation from Limited Partners managed by SPARX Asset Management, venture capital firm Beyond Next Ventures, and media company The Shizuoka Shimbun.
The proceeds will be directed toward strengthening marketing and sales operations.
Alissa Miky, CEO of Aqua Theon, commented: “When we started the company, I never imagined that Japanese seaweed would receive this level of recognition in the global market. But we can feel traction building steadily and the business moving forward — and that is deeply encouraging. With this funding, we will continue to expand the potential of seaweed in the global market and accelerate our growth.”
