At the recent Seedstars Thailand competition, Verifik8 Seedstars Thailand Winner secured the top prize, earning a spot in the global finals in Switzerland. This recognition highlights Verifik8’s impact on sustainable seafood management. Techsauce spoke with Marc-Olivier Roux, Associate Partner at Verifik8, to explore their platform, goals, and experience at Seedstars Thailand.
The company behind Verifik8 Seedstars Thailand Winner, FairAgora Asia, is a Thai compliance and sustainability advisory firm supporting agribusinesses across Southeast Asia. Their expertise lies in addressing compliance challenges, particularly within the seafood supply chain.
Currently, less than 20% of fish farms hold certifications from organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), or FairTrade. Although these programs are valuable, they remain costly and time-intensive. Consequently, certification becomes inaccessible for smallholder farmers. Moreover, the financial and logistical barriers prevent many from meeting these standards, further limiting their market opportunities.
Recognizing this gap, Verifik8 developed a data-driven compliance solution to ensure fair verification and monitoring of seafood producers.
The global seafood market exceeds $130 billion, with 60% of production concentrated in Asia. Leading producers include Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Given the industry’s scale, ensuring sustainability and ethical sourcing is increasingly important.
With increased regulatory pressure from bodies such as the FDA (US), the EU, and Thai authorities, the demand for responsibly sourced seafood is growing. Moreover, as sustainability concerns rise, businesses must adapt to stricter compliance standards. Consequently, seafood producers face mounting expectations to ensure ethical and transparent sourcing practices.
Verifik8 developed a software platform that collects and analyzes real-time social and environmental data from fisheries and farms. This technology enhances traceability and risk assessment for buyers.
By leveraging these features, Verifik8 Seedstars Thailand Winner helps buyers and exporters maintain higher industry standards.
Verifik8’s strategy prioritizes collaborating with seafood buyers and exporters—key decision-makers in the supply chain. They have the power to enforce compliance and drive sustainability.
By integrating with certification bodies like FairTrade and ASIC, Verifik8 facilitates cost-effective compliance verification. Moreover, NGOs such as Oxfam have expressed interest in utilizing Verifik8 to assess smallholder farms and promote ethical sourcing. In addition, this technology-driven solution enhances transparency and traceability across the supply chain, ultimately fostering trust between producers and buyers. As a result, Verifik8 not only supports compliance with sustainability standards but also strengthens partnerships between stakeholders, ensuring a more responsible and efficient agribusiness ecosystem.
The Verifik8 Seedstars Thailand Winner team consists of experts from various disciplines:
To expand operations, Verifik8 plans to hire marketing specialists and customer support staff to strengthen its presence in Thailand and Indonesia.
Thailand is both a major agribusiness hub and home to a thriving startup ecosystem. In addition, the country’s seafood, rice, and sugarcane industries create significant opportunities for agritech innovation. Specifically, the increasing demand for sustainable practices drives interest in technological advancements. Furthermore, this growing sector encourages businesses to adopt technology-driven solutions, making innovation a key factor in long-term industry success.
Moreover, Verifik8 values local partnerships, actively collaborating with Thai businesses to ensure industry-specific solutions. As a result, they strengthen their market presence while simultaneously enhancing supply chain transparency. Similarly, by working closely with stakeholders, they gain deeper insights into local challenges, allowing them to refine their strategies. Notably, their goal is to integrate seamlessly into Thailand’s supply chain while also maintaining a global impact. Ultimately, this approach not only supports sustainable growth and responsible sourcing but also fosters long-term resilience within the agribusiness sector.
As a seed-stage startup, Verifik8 is seeking $250,000 in funding to enhance IT development, machine learning capabilities, and talent acquisition. Their aim is to scale in Thailand and Indonesia, offering a cost-effective compliance solution for seafood sustainability.
Winning Seedstars Thailand has been a turning point for Verifik8. The competition provided mentorship, networking opportunities, and global exposure.
Marc-Olivier Roux shared his thoughts on the experience:
“Winning the contest made us feel: ‘Wow! People believe in what we’re doing.’ This recognition gives us the motivation to scale Verifik8 to the next level.”
As they prepare for the Seedstars Global Summit in Switzerland, Verifik8 aims to showcase its impact-driven startup model and attract Series A investors.
Verifik8 Seedstars Thailand Winner is redefining compliance and sustainability in the seafood industry. By leveraging data, machine learning, and strategic partnerships, they offer a scalable and cost-effective solution for global seafood supply chains.
With growing demand for ethical seafood sourcing, Verifik8’s tech-driven approach is set to revolutionize industry standards.
Link to the original article here.
At FairAgora Asia, we drive sustainability through innovative agricultural practices, social impact training, and environmental risk assessments. Partnering with global organizations, we empower stakeholders to embrace sustainability for a greener future.
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