honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 3:14 p.m., Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Kona Blue Water moving headquarters to San Francisco

Advertiser Staff

Kona Blue Water Farms LLC said it will move its headquarters from Honolulu to San Francisco within the next month. The open-ocean fish farm, which operates off the Kona coast, is the latest company to move its headquarters outside of Hawai'i, despite benefiting from state technology tax credits.

Kona Blue said the move is meant to put executives closer to major customers and potential investors.

About seven of Kona Blue's 45 employees will work out of the San Francisco office, according to the company. Despite the move Kona Blue plans to expand Hawai'i operations by doubling the size of eight cages located in waters adjacent to the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority.

Other local companies that have benefited from state technology tax credits include:

  • EzRez Software Inc., which announced plans earlier this year to move its headquarters to San Francisco. EZRez was founded here in 2003.

  • Firetide Inc., a wireless computer networking company, in 2004 moved its headquarters to Los Gatos, Calif.

  • AssistGuide, which was founded in Hawai'i, last year changed its name to AGIS and moved its headquarters to San Ramon, Calif.

    Hoku Scientific, which also has benefitted from technology tax credits, also recently announced plans to sell its Kapolei headquarters and build a $260 million factory in Idaho. However, Hoku has not announced plans to move its headquarters outside of Hawai'i.