Aqua Theon has landed funding for its OoMee drink line as investors dive into marine nutrition as an emerging wellness category
Seven years ago, Alissa Miky was pitching seaweed as a drink, and people laughed.
They’re not laughing anymore.
Aqua Theon, her Los Angeles-based seaweed technology company, has now closed a $13 million seed round, including a $5 million extension for its fruit-forward functional beverage brand OoMee, in a deal that reflects something larger than a startup milestone.
The round was led by Sparx Asset Management, with participation from Beyond Next Ventures and WiL (World Innovation Lab). The funding will expand OoMee’s product line and advance new use cases for seaweed, including supplements.
The investment comes as curiosity for marine wellness ingredients grows. Pinterest flagged searches for agar-agar — derived from red algae and a staple of Japanese cuisine — up 35% in its 2026 trend forecast.
The plant-based gelling agent is linked to benefits ranging from digestive health and weight management to bone and brain health, and is rich in minerals. But there’s a catch: it can be difficult to work with at scale because red algae is delicate. Aqua Theon says it’s the only U.S. company with a supply partnership with Japan’s market-leading agar-agar producer, which has special processing technology.
Agar-agar’s natural gel-forming properties expand in the stomach, promoting fullness without extra calories. OoMee’s drinks get their sweetness from monk fruit and fruit juices. The beverage line is uncarbonated, vegan and under five grams of sugar.
“We’re incredibly grateful to our investors, partners, and community for believing in this vision,” Miky shared on LinkedIn, adding that the company remains open to investment. “The seaweed is just getting started.”
The market for functional beverages is projected to reach $250 billion by 2030, and every corner of it is filling up fast.
Generous Brands paid $500 million for kombucha brand Health-Ade last year, while THC seltzer brands like Last Rep are targeting post-workout recovery, and Kim Kardashian just signed on as co-founder of energy drink brand Update ahead of a rollout into more than 4,000 Walmart stores.
