The prize package: reusable pallet and box maker wins innovation award
The circular solution for the seafood industry was the winner when the Seafood Innovation Award was presented at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Bergen
Published
Eight startups pitched solutions within fish health, resource utilisation and circular economy on the first day of the NASF conference in Bergen. The winner was officially presented on Wednesday, after the solution was also pitched again on the second day of the conference.
The Seafood Innovation Award is part of the North Atlantic Seafood Forum, and shines a spotlight on new technologies and business models in the seafood industry.
Went to the top
Circmar, which is developing circular packaging solutions for the seafood industry, has won this year's award, with the goal of replacing the current widespread use of single-use packaging.
Chief executive Espen Ramsbacher believes the award provides important recognition.
"That a competent jury chooses us as the winner among many strong candidates gives us both recognition and increased visibility in the market," Ramsbacher tells Fish Farming Expert's Norwegian sister site, Kyst.no.
The winner receives both a cash prize and tailored entrepreneurial assistance in strategy, marketing, and business development.
The jury's reasoning emphasised that Circmar represents a shift that the seafood industry needs now. The jury highlighted that the company combines technology, sustainability, and business understanding in a way that actually changes the system, and not just improves existing solutions.
Will replace disposable packaging
Circmar was established in 2020 with the goal of challenging current packaging solutions in the seafood industry.
"Today, the Norwegian aquaculture industry uses close to 100 million disposable boxes and five to six million disposable pallets each year. With new technology and new materials, it is possible to switch to reusable packaging that is both hygienic, economical, and better for the climate and environment," says Ramsbacher.
Over the past five years, the company has worked closely with the industry through research and development to develop solutions that meet the demands of the industry.
"We have now reached the point where we are rolling out the solutions in the market, and the demand is great," he says.
Sensors in the packaging
The company's crates and pallets are equipped with sensor technology that can provide information about, among other things, temperature, traceability and incidents during transport.
"This provides better control over what actually happens to the goods during transport, and can contribute to better quality, more efficient logistics and reduced costs in the value chain," says Ramsbacher.
He also points out that the solution can help meet new regulatory requirements.
"By January 1, 2030, at least 40% of transport packaging must be reusable in line with the EU Packaging Regulation. Such a transition requires planning and investment."
According to Ramsbacher, life cycle analyses show that emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases can be reduced by more than 70% compared to disposable packaging.
Ready for scale-up
The founder says that the response after the presentation at NASF has been clear.
"The 'speed dating' and the meetings afterwards showed that there is great interest in the solution," he says.
The next step for the company will be to scale up the business.
“Demand is high, and more customers are now starting to use our reuse solutions. We are facing exciting times,” says Ramsbacher.
Speed dating and meetings
Kyst.no was on hand when the pitching and speed dating related to the Seafood Innovation Award was carried out at the Madam Felle premises at Bryggen on the first day of the conference.
The goal was to facilitate quick, targeted meetings where startups could present their solutions directly to potential partners and customers.
According to the organiser, this part of the programme has become an increasingly important arena for connecting innovation and capital, and for providing companies with concrete inputs for further development and commercialisation.
The pace was fast and the conversations were intense between entrepreneurs, investors, and representatives from established companies around the small tables in the room.
The finalists represented a broad spectrum of solutions aimed at some of the aquaculture industry's most pressing challenges, including fish health, biological control, efficient resource utilisation, and circular solutions.
'Forward-looking solutions'
Project manager Cathrine Ulvatne at NCE Seafood Innovation says that the level among the finalists was high.
“The finalists represented some of the most forward-thinking things we see in the aquaculture industry right now. They showed a good understanding of the industry's biggest challenges, whether it was about environmental impact, resource utilisation, fish health or circularity,” says Ulvatne.
She points out that the companies not only presented ideas, but also solutions that are ready for further development.
"What they had in common was that they not only had a good idea, but also a competent team and solutions with real growth potential," she says.
Thorough selection
Project manager Cathrine Ulvatne at NCE Seafood Innovation emphasizes that the finalists were selected after a thorough assessment.
– We have looked at environmental impact, business idea, the team's expertise and the company's growth potential, among other things. The ambition is to highlight companies that can both strengthen the competitiveness of the industry and help solve some of the most pressing challenges facing aquaculture, she says.
These were the eight finalists:
- Quantidoc has developed a standardised method for measuring immune defense and robustness in fish, facilitating more precise and data-driven health management.
- Capipro is working to convert sludge from salmon farms into new marine protein sources and increased resource utilisation.
- Circmar offers circular packaging solutions to the seafood industry, with a focus on reuse, hygiene, and sustainability.
- GreenFox Marine has developed a fully automated system for sex sorting and health examinations of salmon smolt.
- Moleaer is developing nanobubble technology that will contribute to better water quality and operations in fish farming facilities.
- Harbor is behind the solution Harbor Fence, which is intended to protect farmed fish against sea lice, parasites, jellyfish and other harmful organisms.
- Ration offers an optical solution that separates feed pellets from fish waste and makes it possible to count pellets in wastewater without submerging the camera underwater.
- Seaqure Labs produces mushroom-based ingredients using proprietary fermentation technology and develops new sustainable raw materials for food and feed.
