Finalists chosen for seafood innovation competition

In the search for the best and most promising start-up companies in the aquaculture industry, the Seafood Innovation Award jury has come up with eight candidates. 

What they have in common is that they address some of the industry's most pressing challenges, from environmental impact and resource utilisation to fish health and circular solutions.

The finalists will have the opportunity to present their business ideas in front of the jury, investors, and key players in the industry on March 3 during the conference in Bergen. 

The winner not only walks away with a cash prize, but also tailored entrepreneurial assistance in strategy, marketing and business development.

'Forward-looking solutions'

Project manager Cathrine Ulvatne at NCE Seafood Innovation says the level this year is high.

"The finalists represent some of the most forward-thinking we see in the aquaculture industry right now. They have a clear understanding of the industry's biggest challenges – whether it concerns environmental impact, resource utilisation, fish health or circularity. What they have in common is that they not only have a good idea, but a competent team and a solution with real growth potential," she says.

Ulvatne emphasises that the selection has been made through a thorough assessment of several criteria.

"We have looked at environmental impact, business idea, team expertise and company growth potential, among other things. We have been keen to find companies that can both strengthen the competitiveness of the industry and help solve some of the most pressing challenges facing aquaculture.

These are the finalists

Quantidoc – Biotechnology company that has developed a standardised method for measuring immune defence and robustness in fish. The solution facilitates more precise and data-driven health management in aquaculture.

Capipro – Converts sludge from salmon farms into marine protein sources of the future, contributing to increased resource utilisation.

Circmar – Offers circular packaging solutions to the seafood industry, with particular emphasis on reuse, hygiene and sustainability.

GreenFox Marine – Has developed a fully automated system for sex sorting and health screening of salmon smolt. The goal is to streamline production while strengthening fish welfare.

Moleaer – The US-headquartered company develops nanobubble technology to improve water quality and operations in fish farms, through a combination of advanced solutions and solid application expertise.

Harbor – The Harbor Fence solution uses a low voltage electric fence to protect farmed fish from sea lice, parasites, jellyfish and other harmful organisms. It won the Innovation category at the Aquaculture Awards in Inverness, Scotland, last June.

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 under water.

Seaqure Labs – Produces innovative mushroom-based ingredients using proprietary fermentation technology, and develops new sustainable raw materials for food and feed production.

The winner will be chosen during the event in Bergen, where one of the finalists can take an important step forward from startup to growth.

Previous winner

Last year's winner of the award was the Icelandic company GreenFish, which combines satellite data and historical fishing data in AI models to predict fish locations, quantity and quality up to ten days in advance.

"In a short time, we have launched GreenFish on all continents, with a wide range of users worldwide. If you want to accelerate your innovation, we highly recommend applying for the Seafood Innovation Award. The support you receive can help you move in the right direction much faster than you thought possible," says GreenFish chief executive Sveinn Sigurdur Johannesson.