Capital Readiness Assessment

Is your product concept clearly defined with a target customer and use case?

Do you have a working prototype or pilot batch?

Has the product been tested for shelf life, stability, safety, or performance?

Is the formulation finalised and reproducible across batches?

Is the product clearly differentiated from existing alternatives?

Have you identified which regulatory pathway applies to your product (for example novel food, CFIA licence, or NHP licence)?

Have you consulted a regulatory expert or used the Seaweed Commons Regulatory Pathway Navigator?

Have your labels and claims been reviewed against Canadian regulations?

Have you submitted any required applications or notifications?

Have you received regulatory approval or is approval confidently pending?

Have you identified the specific seaweed species and form you need as an ingredient or raw material?

Do you have at least one confirmed supplier with documented specifications?

Have you identified at least one alternative source or supplier, even if not yet fully confirmed??

Do you have a traceability system or plan for your supply chain?

Have you shared your supply chain documentation with a buyer, certifier, or auditor?

Do you know your cost per unit or cost per kg of your product?

Have you calculated your break-even volume and break-even price?

Have you modelled your margins across at least two sales channels?

Do you have a plan for working capital requirements through your first production run?

Have your unit economics been validated by an advisor, accountant, or third party?

Have you chosen a primary sales channel (for example DTC, wholesale, retail, or B2B ingredient)?

Do you understand the margin, volume, and regulatory requirements of your chosen channel?

Have you had at least one conversation with a potential buyer or distributor in that channel?

Do you have a pricing strategy that works for your chosen channel?

Do you have an active listing, pending order, or signed agreement in your chosen channel?

Have you shared samples or prototypes with potential buyers outside your personal network?

Have you received letters of intent, sample requests, or expressions of interest from buyers?

Have you completed at least one paid pilot or trial sale?

Do you have repeat purchase orders or active supply agreements with more than one buyer?

Have you had unsolicited inbound interest from buyers you did not approach first?

Does your product have a clear name, visual identity, and brand story?

Can you articulate your product's differentiation in one sentence?

Have you tested your brand or messaging with target customers?

Is your brand consistent across your packaging, website, and sales materials?

Do you have documented customer response data that validates your brand or messaging?

Do you have a documented production process or standard operating procedure?

Do you have access to the facilities and equipment needed for your next production run?

Have you identified and begun addressing your key operational risks?

Do you have a quality control process in place or planned?

Have you produced at least one commercial batch that met your quality specifications?

Have you built a three-year financial projection including revenue, costs, and cash flow?

Do you know your pre-money valuation basis and can you defend how you arrived at it?

Have your unit economics been reviewed by an advisor, accountant, or third party?

Do you know your burn rate and runway at current funding levels?

Has your financial model been stress-tested in at least one investor or advisor conversation?

Does the founding team have direct experience in food production, seaweed, marine science, or a relevant technical field?

Is your company properly incorporated with clean cap table documentation?

Do you have at least one advisor with sector-specific credibility in aquaculture, food science, or regulatory affairs?

Have you identified the key gaps in your team and do you have a plan to fill them?

Has at least one team member previously scaled a food, ingredient, or marine business?

Have you received any third-party validation such as accelerator selection, awards, press coverage, or research partnerships?

Do you have letters of intent or expressions of interest from buyers, distributors, or partners?

Have you completed at least one paid pilot or trial sale?

Do you have signed supply agreements or purchase orders from more than one buyer?

Have you been approached by an investor, accelerator, or strategic partner without actively seeking them out?

Have you documented the specific environmental benefits of your product or production method?

Do you have or are you pursuing any impact certifications or measurement frameworks?

Does your supply chain create documented economic benefit for coastal or Indigenous communities?

Can you connect your impact story to a recognised framework such as the UN SDGs or Blue Economy principles?

Do you have third-party verified impact data or a completed impact measurement report?