© Hatch Blue
The participants are a mixture of startup, scale-up and mature businesses seeking both to explore new markets and grow their companies even further. Each team will take part in the two-week workshop being held at the River Lee Hotel from 30 September to 11 October.
The free, intensive programme for aquatech innovators is delivered in partnership with Hatch Blue and supported by the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).
Damien Toner, BIM aquatech business manager, said the innovation studio programme sets aquatech projects up to achieve commercial success.
As he explained: “We’re looking forward to supporting a new cohort of young aquatech companies at the BIM Innovation Studio, helping them turn their cutting-edge concepts and ideas into start-ups.
“Aquatech companies play an invaluable role in developing technologies that drive sustainable seafood farming and can be applied to the breeding, raising and harvesting of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants.
“The BIM Innovation Studio is now in its seventh year, with some 50 projects attracting a total investment of around €15 million, creating more than 200 hi-tech jobs.”
Wayne Murphy, co-founder and partner at Hatch Blue, added: “Through this groundbreaking Innovation Studio, Hatch Blue and BIM have helped both early and later-stage aquatech companies gain significant insight into the global market opportunity and drive further the growth and development of their concepts, technologies and businesses.
“Participants will have the opportunity to engage with some of the world’s leading aquaculture experts throughout the programme who truly understand the challenges of scaling a technology business in the blue economy. Each company will require different types of inputs depending on their stage but getting investor and market ready are certainly key targeted outputs to help support and drive their sustainable and hopefully profitable futures.
“This year, we’re looking forward to working with these ambitious aquatech innovators and entrepreneurs from Ireland and Europe.”
The BIM Innovation Studio supports the goals set out in the Food Vision 2030 Strategy of Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, including the promotion of Ireland as a knowledge base for aquaculture technology and research and attracting external investment into the sector.
Among the projects participating in the 2024 BIM Innovation Studio are:
CyberColloids - Cork
Is an independent research and product development group specialising in hydrocolloids, fibres and texture ingredients from seaweed, with a focus on food, nutrition and industrial applications. It is engaged in research across the seaweed supply/value chain, developing novel processing methodologies, new ingredients and innovative applications.
Simply Blue - Cork
Since 2024 Óir Na Farraige, a Simply Blue Group venture, has pioneered the deployment of seaweed within operational offshore wind farm at North Sea Farm 1 in the Netherlands and is now seeking to develop a nearshore seaweed farm in Galway Bay.
Restore Innovation - Sligo
The company has developed a pioneering system to help the offshore renewable energy sector integrate nature-inclusive designs in their planning processes, helping them deliver on commitments to environmental protection and restoration.
Calling all aquaculture innovators
To mark the end of the two-week programme key stakeholders and industry leaders in Ireland's aquaculture innovation community are invited to join BlueAmbition24, in Dublin on 11 October. Keynote speakers include Jan Yoshioka, vice-president of Conservation International; Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster; and Brian Quinn, CEO of WellFish Tech, all of whom will be discussing Ireland’s opportunities in the blue bioeconomy.
The event will also celebrate the selection of the winner of Ireland’s Aquatech Award, acknowledges a standout business with the potential to be disruptive in the blue bioeconomy.
Register here: BlueAmbition24
