MassChallenge

Sedna Technologies specializes in enhancing the seafood supply chain through its innovative traceability platform. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including real-time condition monitoring, inventory management, and automated traceability. By focusing on water quality monitoring and cold chain logistics, Sedna Technologies aims to improve efficiency, transparency, and sustainability within the industry. Their platform also facilitates the management of purchases and accounts for essential supplies, helping suppliers and distributors streamline operations while promoting compliance with industry regulations. Overall, Sedna Technologies provides tools that support sustainable practices and optimize the seafood supply chain for all stakeholders involved.

Algdeha is a biotechnology company focused on providing sustainable solutions for industries reliant on fish-based products. The company specializes in developing innovative production methods for algae, enabling its cultivation on an industrial scale at reduced costs. By harnessing renewable resources such as wave energy, sunlight, and ambient heat, Algdeha aims to create an efficient alternative to animal-based feeds. This approach not only addresses the growing demand for sustainable animal feed but also seeks to alleviate the pressure on fish populations, promoting ecological balance within the industry.

Profish is a provider of a digital fish market. They sell and deliver fish. They are driven by a desire to make the fisheries sector a thriving, contemporary, and technologically enabled sector that offers IT solutions to the sector's problems.

NjordFrey provides aquaponic starter kits, seasonal input product lines (seeds and fingerlings), and operational training to developing farmers, allowing them to become independent. It also provides stakeholder mapping and tailored routes to market for farmers we work with. Therefore, both the technology and commercial model is innovative and new to farmers.

SeaWise Israel is the smart way to count your fish. AI-based fish biomass estimation for the aquaculture industry. SeaWise offers a cheap, easy-to-use, accurate, and continuous real-time biomass estimation system that will report and alert in real-time.

ReelData AI specializes in developing artificial intelligence software tailored for the aquaculture industry. Based in Halifax, Canada, the company offers advanced monitoring solutions for fish farms, utilizing feed cameras to measure key metrics such as biomass, sea lice presence, and overall fish health in real-time. This technology enables fish farms to optimize their operations by providing crucial insights into weight distributions, feeding patterns, and growth analysis. By improving the efficiency of feed usage and enhancing fish health, ReelData AI aims to support aquaculture businesses in maximizing their productivity and sustainability. The company was established in 2019.

Ashored Innovations specializes in developing sustainability-enabling technologies for the ocean harvest industries. The company is focused on bringing to market innovative solutions, such as an underwater buoy release system designed for trap fishing. This ropeless fishing system allows fishers to deploy ropes and buoys on the ocean floor, which can be recalled when needed, thereby minimizing interactions with marine life and surface vessels. By reducing gear conflict, preventing gear loss and damage, and decreasing ocean waste, Ashored's technology promotes sustainable fishing practices. Additionally, the system incorporates machine learning, sonar, and geo-tracking to collect data on lost traps, allowing for their retrieval and enabling fishing in areas that are typically restricted while safeguarding sensitive marine habitats.

BlueTrace specializes in providing advanced traceability solutions tailored for the seafood industry, particularly focusing on shellfish growers, wholesalers, distributors, and dealers. The company's technology facilitates tagging and compliance, enabling organizations of all sizes to streamline their operations, adhere to regulatory requirements, and manage inventory effectively. By addressing the increasing demands from consumers and aiding in the reduction of animal mortality rates, BlueTrace's solutions not only enhance productivity but also help lower labor costs for shellfish producers and suppliers.

LEAF Shellfish utilizes advanced high pressure processing (HPP) technology to produce sustainable shellfish products in Southern New England. This innovative approach enhances the quality, yield, and flavor of shellfish compared to traditional high-heat processing methods. By focusing on both undervalued and resurgent local fisheries, LEAF Shellfish aims to expand the culinary uses of sustainably caught and processed shellfish. The company emphasizes retaining the natural flavor of seafood while also extending its shelf life, thereby adding value to existing fisheries in the region. Through its commitment to sustainability and quality, LEAF Shellfish contributes to the local seafood industry and promotes environmentally responsible practices.

Selina Wamucii operates a mobile platform that facilitates the buying and importing of food and agricultural products from African countries, focusing on the needs of smallholder farmers. By collaborating with cooperatives, farmers' groups, and agro-processors, the company aims to streamline agricultural value chains, thus reducing food wastage and enhancing the incomes of farmers. The platform offers a wide variety of products, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, grains, and spices, enabling global buyers to source fresh, family-grown produce directly from producers. Notably, Selina Wamucii empowers farmers to access markets even in the absence of internet connectivity, ensuring that more fresh produce reaches consumers while building trust between buyers and producers.

BackTracker is a company focused on enhancing the traceability and integrity of seafood products by addressing the issues of mislabeled and substituted seafood. It offers a third-party application that connects government fishery landing records with seafood products, providing buyers with reliable assurance regarding the source of their seafood. The company has developed a comprehensive database that validates traceability data against official government harvest records. This technology enables seafood dealers, processors, retailers, and their customers to authenticate labeling claims, thereby improving supply chain transparency. BackTracker is currently implementing its solution on a large scale in collaboration with various stakeholders, including the State of Massachusetts, a major groundfish dealer in New England, a prominent seafood processor and distributor, and a well-known supermarket chain.

Zombait is an innovative manufacturer specializing in robotic fishing lures designed to enhance the fishing experience by revitalizing dead bait. The company's unique product transforms lifeless fish into realistic, injured swimmers, effectively attracting more prey. Zombait's lures are both retrievable and reusable, featuring a long battery life and a corrosion-resistant outer casing, making them suitable for use at depths of up to two hundred feet. By integrating this technology, Zombait allows fishermen to save time and money while improving their chances of a successful catch, thereby revolutionizing traditional fishing practices.

KnipBio Inc., established in 2013 and headquartered in Lowell, Massachusetts, specializes in developing sustainable biotechnology solutions for animal nutrition, particularly within the aquaculture industry. The company's flagship product is KnipBio Meal (KBM), a single-cell protein derived from microbe strains that convert abundant, low-cost feedstocks into nutritious alternatives to traditional fishmeal. This innovative approach aims to address real-world challenges in aquaculture feed while promoting responsible and sustainable practices.