07/10/2025
Blog Post
SHR!MP – The Startup Saga
Season One (2024)
Episode Guide*
In the gripping first season of SHR!MP, readers follow Gregor’s audacious leap from stem cell biotech into the uncharted waters of onshore aquaculture. It’s a rollercoaster of ambition, setbacks, and quirky innovation, told across ten episodes of grit and humour.
Episode 1: ShrimpoFarm
After reflecting on his Exopharm journey, Gregor dreams up SHRMP.bio: a next-gen seafood manufacturing concept inspired by cell clusters and bioreactors. New Year’s Eve 2023 becomes the launchpad for a year of bold experimentation.
Episode 2: Just Launch, Mate.
A Startup World Cup application and a fight with creative naming paralysis lead to the tongue-in-cheek birth of SHRMP.bio. Launchclub provides structure, early camaraderie, and the first taste of startup hustle.
Episode 3: Beat Queensland
Armed with ambition and the SHRMPcruiser concept, Gregor sets his sights on grant glory and interstate bragging rights. The World Cup jury applauds, but LaunchVic deems the dream too early.
Episode 4: (Another) Hopeful Fool
Cold reality sets in: Australia loves seafood but imports most of it. Industry veterans warn that aquaculture is littered with past failures. Doubt creeps in as short-term thinking dominates the innovation landscape.
Episode 5: AquaFarm(ing)
Pivoting from gut-feel to research, Gregor enrols in aquaculture training and crafts future market scenarios. His “Future of Aquaculture” talk sparks hope: the opportunity is real, but the journey will be long.
Episode 6: Unsung Heroes
A global call for interns births SHRMP.bio’s first team and Startup Internship Programme. Six passionate volunteers drive the creation of the SHRMPreactor plan and demand a live shrimp system. Momentum builds.
Episode 7: Just Build, Mate.
Relocating to Stone&Chalk through Startmate’s Buildmate program, SHRMP.bio finalises its prototype plans. But enthusiasm for an actual bioreactor in the CBD is, well, limited.
Episode 8: Finding SHRMPy
With no lab, team, or funds, Gregor shifts to outreach mode. Pitching everywhere, refining messaging, and introducing SHRMPy – the cheeky mascot – inject fun and resilience into the journey.
Episode 9: 300 (Prepare for Glory)
As Buildmate ends, SHRMP.bio loses its city base and is left with $300 in the bank. Yet, a loose global team, a ready prototype roadmap, and a supportive investor fan signal survival against the odds.
Episode 10: Cockroaches-by-the-Sea (Season Finale)
A reflective finale balances wins and brutal truths: a story that inspires but is “too early” for most, a market that barely exists, and a vision that might be ahead of its time. Still, SHRMP.bio and SHRMPy are not done yet.
Season Two?
Coming…
if the future of seafood can wait.
*This Episode Guide has been made with the help of ChatGPT; the actual full plot on the following page(s) has been carefully handcrafted by SHRMPy himself.
