Aruna, an e-commerce platform for the fish industry, has raised USD 5.5 million from East Ventures, AC Ventures, and SMDV, the company announced on Wednesday. The startup will use the fresh capital to scale its operations and expand into new domestic and export markets.
Founded in 2016 by Farid Naufal Aslam, Indraka Fadhillah, and Utari Octavianty, Aruna aims to create a sustainable and fair-trade ecosystem for fish and marine products. It has worked with thousands of fishermen in 31 coastal areas across the Indonesian archipelago. Local fishermen can use the platform to export their products to countries in Southeast Asia, East Asia, North America, and the Middle East, or to trade locally.
Aruna continues to expand despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Its revenue grew 86 times in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period last year, according to the company. It recently launched a service called “Seafood by Aruna,” allowing residents in Greater Jakarta, Bandung, and Balikpapan to order fresh fish and seafood products or meals from home.
Indonesia’s fish industry is increasingly using technology for marketing and productivity gains. Earlier today, the Bandung-based startup eFishery announced the close of its Series B funding round that was led by the VCs Go-Ventures and Northstar Group.