Lighthouse Finance is a global advisory firm that specializes in capital raising, asset finance and management across the seafood value chain. We represent established and early-stage clients across a wide spectrum of industry verticals including fisheries, hatcheries, integrated aquaculture operations, production and processing businesses.
Working alongside our clients and best-in-class manufacturers, Lighthouse has developed in-depth and distinct knowledge of the critical assets that aquaculture and wild catch businesses utilize. From production to processing, our unparalleled understanding of the seafood value chain minimizes investment challenges and execution problems to maximize returns for clients.
KEY FINANCING TERMS
We use our experience and knowledge of the industry to realize the value of your assets and bring you the best financing terms.
80 to 100% LOAN-TO-VALUE (LTV)
CONSTRUCTION FINANCING ON MOST ASSETS
TAX EFFICIENT LEASING PROGRAMS
ATTRACTIVE FIXED AND VARIABLE STRUCTURES
5 to 10 YEAR MATURITIES
SALE-LEASEBACKS TO MONETIZE ASSETS
OFF-BALANCE SHEET FINANCING
PAYMENT SCHEDULES MATCHING CASH FLOWS
Over the next decade, the seafood industry is poised for unprecedented growth, propelled by an increasing population and higher levels of fish and seafood consumption around the world. However, growth potential remains constrained by:
Lighthouse is expert at developing innovative financing solutions to tackle these challenges. Our team brings together decades of capital markets, seafood industry, and asset finance expertise to create financing solutions to complement your vision for growth and fully realize the intrinsic value of your company.
We draw upon a diverse network of lending and equity partners, industry experts, and manufacturers to navigate the complex investing issues in the global seafood space. Above all, we prioritize you, the client, to ensure that our capital solutions best suit your unique financing needs.
Leading integrated aquaculture companies and fisheries work with Lighthouse to finance significant asset purchases including vessels, feed barges, processing equipment, net pens, and recirculating aquaculture systems. Our structured finance programs are tailored to be global in scope and, if needed, off-balance sheet to maximize client tax benefits and cash flows on each asset. We work as an extension of your team, managing the entire process and providing legal, financial, and regulatory guidance throughout maturity.
The Lighthouse team structures transactions and raises money to finance the construction of new land-based commercial-sized fish farms, integrated aquaculture systems, and large scale fishing and logistics vessels. We have financed projects for established and early-stage seafood companies throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.
Lighthouse has deep relationships and knowledge of credit guarantee programs in key aquaculture-oriented countries around the world. We have worked with GIEK, the Norwegian export credit program, EKF, the Danish export credit program, Export Development Canada, and Ashra, the Israeli export credit program.
Client needs and projects are diverse; when it comes to financing, one size does not fit all. We work closely with the business to understand its farming or harvesting models and to develop unique capital solutions to meet their exacting requirements. Our extensive relationship network of commercial banks, family offices, hedge funds, insurance companies, private and institutional investors ensures that you get the right financial partner at the lowest possible cost.
Lighthouse was founded in 2013 through a management-led buyout of CMA Asset Management AS, a structured asset finance manager serving the Pan-Nordic region since 1973. Lighthouse quickly became a player in the European seafood finance community and expanded to operations in Norway (Oslo, Trondheim), Denmark (Copenhagen), and Sweden (Stockholm).
In 2017, Lighthouse further extended its global presence by entering into a strategic partnership with Simpler Funding, a U.S.-based advisory firm specializing in comprehensive debt solutions for the middle market. The partnership paired a highly experienced asset finance company with a capital raising team that has deep relationships across a diverse set of institutional investors, family offices, and commercial banks.
In 2018, following stellar results of the initial tie-up, Lighthouse and Simpler Funding officially consolidated into Lighthouse Finance, adding a North American presence in New York City and Chicago.
Sotenas, Sweden, together with Lighthouse Finance, is inviting land-based salmon farmers to apply for a license to farm up to 100,000 metric tons in a giant bid to invest in the industry, the Swedish government announced.
Proximar Seafood, a company backed by Norway's Grieg family and other investors, is a month away from starting the building of its first recirculating aquaculture system facility for Atlantic salmon in Japan.
Lighthouse Finance has a string of projects making use of recirculating aquaculture systems in the works, including a 10,000 metric-ton salmon farm in Vietnam. But the investment firm's focus goes beyond land-based, CEO Roy Høiås told IntraFish.
Israeli investors and a firm specializing in recirculating aquaculture systems are planning to build a 10,000 metric-ton Atlantic salmon farm and processing plant in Vietnam with a local partner. Lighthouse finance is involved on the funding side.
Lighthouse Finance is seeking to raise its first aqua asset-backed private debt fund for institutional investors interested in supporting sustainable seafood enterprises.
Lighthouse Finance is pleased to announce the closing of a CAD
45,000,000 term loan from Integrated Asset Management Corp. (TSX:IAM) that will be used to fund an operating lease package for Cooke Aquaculture Inc.
Lighthouse Finance has been selected to moderate a panel discussion titled "Seafood Financing: Challenges and Opportunities for the Year Ahead" at the annual Seafood Expo North America conference in Boston on March 17, 2019.
A partnership between a Wall Street firm and a Norwegian lender that seeks to connect investors to the emerging aquaculture sector is seeing increased interest in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) projects.
Lighthouse Finance provides comprehensive and expert advice for seafood businesses seeking financing. Our in-depth research and proven strategies connect new and established companies with the best solutions for their goals.
See how we can help today.
