Stories from the Green Garage: Artificial Intelligence & Fish?!

There is one thing for certain: the population in the future will grow immensely and it will be a problem to feed all these people. Our oceans won’t cover the demand of fish and many fish sites are simply exhausted. Monitorfish, one start-up of the current Climate-KIC accelerator batch, tackles problems for fish farms and aims for more sustainable fish agriculture.

Introducing: Monitorfish

Since 2016, Monitorfish is providing AI-solutions for fish farmers to control the health of fishes and helps with a more efficient usage of chemicals and ultimately achieving a more sustainable aquaculture. The start-up has developed a software programme that diagnoses diseases in breeding systems and automatically generates recommendations on an expert level. Maintaining the water quality, reducing mortality and making organic fish farming more appealing to fish farmers is one goal of Monitorfish.

Start-Up “History”

When Chaitanya Dhumasker (CEO & Co-Founder), Dominik Ewald (CTO & Co-Founder), Jan Apel (CDO) and Ralf Fisch (Senior fish health expert) came together in 2015 they knew about this challenge and used their constellation of expertise to found Monitorfish. Supported amongst others by Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin, Frauenhofer Institute and Climate-KIC, Monitorfish is on a successful way to tackle the market.

Chaitanya Dhumasker (CEO and Co-Founder)

In the interview with the start-up, Chaintanya Dhumasker has explained that Germany is the perfect market to test their business model because there is only a limited number of aquaculture (e.g. for zander, carp or trout). However, in the long term, the company positions itself in southern Europe and Norway. Finally, Dhumasker can see himself back in India in the far future where the breeding of shrimps is common. After studying in Germany for his masters in mechanical engineering he is now operating Monitorfish full-time.

How Climate-KIC incorporates

Being already in the second batch of the Climate-KIC DACH Accelerator Programme in Berlin, Monitorfish has received 45,000 € to help develop their business. There is a possibility for Monitorfish to advanceto the 3rd stage of the Accelerator and receive 40,000 € additionally. Chaintanya Dhumasker not only sees the rent-free physical location in Berlin (office in the Green Garage) as a big benefit but also the fact that Climate-KIC does not take equity. The expertise, mentorship and network provided by the accelerator has helped the young businessman and the rest of the team in growing their start-up. With the vision to be the leading company in marine animal welfare and substantiality, Monitorfish and its team are revolutionizing the aquaculture market and also contributing to Climate KIC’s vision.

How you and your start-up can become part of the Accelerator!

The Call for applications opens 17th June 2019 and runs until 22nd July 2019. If you are an innovative and change driven start-up, use the opportunity to apply and maybe you will get the chance to pitch your solution and join the programme. Check out our website for more information. Locations in DACH are Berlin, Munich, Zürich and Vienna.

Author: Anje Kluth, EIT Climate-KIC