Artemia is widely used in aquaculture hatchery. This study highlights the untapped potential of Artemia as a scalable protein source for both animal feed and human food markets. It considers the steps needed to catalyze Innovation & Business Investment in these new markets.
A new Artemia innovation and business ecosystem is proposed connecting research, producers, investors, policymakers, and markets.
The core functions of the ecosystem include:
By linking innovation to investment, the approach aims to move Artemia beyond its important but niche role in hatcheries into mainstream markets. Opportunities include biomass protein for aquafeeds and livestock, premium human nutrition products, and integrated saline agriculture systems. Early pilots in Asia and Africa demonstrate feasibility, but scaling requires structured coordination, cost competitiveness, and policy alignment.
The approach proposed here offers a potential platform to deliver these outcomes, creating enterprises that generate food and employment in salt-affected regions, reduce dependence on fishmeal and soy, and explores the role of Artemia as both a feed ingredient and a sustainable human food source. Research support, policy and regulatory framework and quality standards are vital for catalyzing investments and shaping scale-up opportunities (Figure 1).