Dublin Biotech Company Wins BIM Aquatech Business of Year Award

13th October 2024

John Cullen, managing director, Auranta receives the Aquatech Business of the Year award from Caroline Bocquel, BIM chief executive officer, at the Blue Ambition 24 conference

An Irish biotech company which produces technology relating to the gut health of fish worldwide has won the BIM Aquatech Business of the Year award.

Auranta, which is based in Cherrywood, Co Dublin, produces fish feed products that boost the immunity and gut health of shrimp, salmon and other fish species.

The company was announced as the BIM Aquatech Business of the Year at a conference in Dublin entitled “Blue Ambition – Exploring investment and growth opportunities in the blue bioeconomy”.

The conference followed the BIM Innovation Studio, an intensive two-week programme that develops the technological readiness and commercial scalability of emerging aquatech startups. It is funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).

Auranta’s new fish product, AuraAqua, is now distributed in several countries around the world as import registrations are approved, BIM says.

AuraAqua and all Auranta products are different to other products on the market as they are backed up with a strong data set, having been fully researched and tested.

The company has published 18 peer reviewed papers since it was established in 2013 by John Cullen, managing director, and Dr Patrick Ward, technical director.

The other two Aquatech Business of the Year finalists were Celtic Sea Minerals, an animal nutrition company leading in the field of marine minerals derived from red seaweed algae, and Impact-9, which develops flexible marine structural technology for offshore food and biomass production.

Aquatech is any technology or innovation driving sustainable seafood farming, and it can be applied progressively to the breeding, raising, and harvesting of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. The BIM Innovation Studio offers opportunities for companies in areas such as pharmaceuticals, marine engineering, genetics, feed additives and artificial intelligence.

World aquaculture production in 2022 achieved a record of 130.9 million tonnes with an estimated farm-gate value of €300 billion in 2022, according to The State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 report (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations).

Published in Marine Tech, BIM

Published in Marine Tech

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About Marine Technology

Marine technology, as defined by the European association WEGEMT, refers to the use of technology for ensuring the safe use, exploitation, protection of, and intervention in, the marine environment. This includes a wide range of technologies that support naval architecture, marine engineering, ship design, ship building, and ship operations.

In addition to these foundational technologies, marine technology also encompasses oil and gas exploration, exploitation, and production, hydrodynamics, navigation, sea surface and sub-surface support, underwater technology and engineering, marine resources (including both renewable and non-renewable marine resources), transport logistics and economics, inland, coastal, short sea and deep sea shipping, protection of the marine environment, and leisure and safety.

The importance of marine technology cannot be overstated. With over 70% of the earth's surface covered by water, the marine environment plays a critical role in our lives. From transportation to energy production, marine technology enables us to harness the immense potential of the oceans while minimizing the impact on the environment.

Moreover, the development of marine technology is crucial for the sustainable use of marine resources. As the demand for seafood and other marine products continues to grow, the sustainable management of these resources becomes increasingly important. Marine technology can help us to achieve this by providing innovative solutions for sustainable fishing, aquaculture, and other forms of marine resource management.

In Ireland, claims are made that the island country "has the potential to be the “Silicon Valley” of the aquatech world". Ireland is at a very exciting stage when it comes to aquatech. There are currently 62 aquatech companies operating here, all using technology to enable sustainable seafood farming at a time when the sector is facing many challenges.”

Ireland’s growing expertise in the developing aquatech sector means it has the potential to become a global leader in the field, with Irish aquatech companies turning over €200m last year.

Over €15m has been invested in aquatic businesses, and over 200 high-tech jobs have been created in the sector over the last six years.

In conclusion, marine technology is a vast and rapidly evolving field encompassing a broad range of technologies and applications. As we continue to explore and exploit the potential of the oceans, marine technology will play an increasingly important role in ensuring the safe and sustainable use of these resources.