With over 3 billion people worldwide relying on seafood for their protein intake, the importance of efficient and sustainable aquaculture has never been more significant. Wittaya Aqua, a Canada-based startup, is stepping up to the challenge by leveraging AI to enhance aquaculture production and sustainability. The company’s innovative data-driven platform is designed to help seafood farmers consolidate data across the supply chain, thereby increasing profitability and efficiency.
As global consumption of aquatic foods continues to rise, the demand for innovative solutions in aquaculture becomes imperative. Wittaya Aqua aims to meet this demand by utilizing AI and machine learning to provide actionable insights to seafood farmers. The startup recently raised $2.8 million in a seed round to further develop its platform and expand into Asia, the leading region in aquaculture production.
Wittaya Aqua’s platform uses advanced AI and machine learning algorithms to analyze data and provide predictive analytics. These tools help forecast animal growth and recommend optimal feed types and quantities based on real-time data and growth projections. The platform’s machine-learning algorithms analyze historical data and environmental factors to suggest strategies for maximizing crop yields.
Founding Vision
The inefficiencies and challenges of siloed data in the aquaculture industry inspired Wittaya Aqua’s founders, Evan Hall and Dominique Bureau, to create a unified solution. Hall, a wildlife conservation photographer, and Bureau, a professor of animal nutrition and aquaculture at the University of Guelph, saw firsthand the limitations of traditional data management in the industry. Their goal was to create a centralized platform that consolidates data from various points in the supply chain, offering a comprehensive view and actionable insights.
By consolidating data from farmers, feed mills, and ingredient suppliers, Wittaya Aqua provides a transparent view of the entire supply chain. This transparency allows stakeholders to make better-informed decisions. For example, farmers can see how their feed choices impact growth rates and compare their performance against industry benchmarks. Feed mills can analyze feed performance across different farms, refining their feeding strategies to meet specific customer needs.
Wittaya Aqua is already in the revenue-generation stage, with a growing customer base that includes BioMar, De Heus, Uni-President, the US Soybean Export Council, and AquaChile, among others. The global aquaculture market is projected to reach $355.6 billion by 2033, highlighting the significant growth potential for innovative solutions like Wittaya Aqua’s.
Competitive Edge
Wittaya Aqua differentiates itself from competitors by combining nutritional information with field performance data. This unique approach allows the company to model the impacts of different feed ingredients on animal performance across multiple species and geographies. While many companies focus on a single species or geography, Wittaya Aqua supports a diverse range of species, including salmon, shrimp, tilapia, pangasius, grouper, and snapper.
Looking ahead, Wittaya Aqua aims to enhance financial stability for farmers by reducing perceived credit or insurance risks related to production mortality. The company plans to offer robust data and insights to match users with lenders and insurers who can provide customized financial products. A team of 16 staff members across Canada and Singapore positions Wittaya Aqua to continue driving innovation in the aquaculture industry.
Wittaya Aqua’s data-driven AI platform is revolutionizing the aquaculture industry by providing seafood farmers with the tools they need to enhance production, sustainability, and profitability. As global demand for seafood continues to rise, the company’s innovative approach and commitment to transparency and efficiency position it to significantly impact the future of aquaculture.
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