Aquamonitrix named BIM Aquatech Business of the Year Award winner

Aquamonitrix Emerges as BIM Aquatech Business of the Year

Carlow-based Aquamonitrix, the recipient of the prestigious BIM Aquatech Business of the Year award, has established itself as a global leader in the fishing industry. With a workforce of over 50 employees, Aquamonitrix serves customers worldwide, including countries like Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada.

Aquamonitrix, an innovative Irish company, has revolutionized the measurement of nitrate content in water for the fishing industry. This accomplishment has earned them the coveted title of BIM Aquatech Business of the Year. Competing against two other aquatech companies, Aqualicence and Konree Innovation, Aquamonitrix, headquartered in Co Carlow, emerged victorious in the inaugural Business of the Year awards hosted by BIM, Ireland's seafood development agency.

By providing real-time data on toxic nitrates and nitrites, previously impossible to measure, Aquamonitrix is transforming the water industry. The company, which originated as a spin-off from TE Laboratories, an oil and environmental analysis company established in 1991, successfully developed a solution for monitoring water quality two years ago. Consequently, its state-of-the-art analyzers have been embraced by fish farms worldwide. Currently, Aquamonitrix employs more than 50 professionals and caters to customers globally, spanning from Norway and the Netherlands to Canada.

Upon receiving the award at a conference on 19 October, Aquamonitrix director Mark Bowkett expressed his delight, stating, "This award is a significant achievement, especially considering our recent foray into the aquaculture sector. The BIM Innovation Studio Programme played a crucial role in our success, allowing us to unlock this incredible opportunity. It has been a steep learning curve, but the Innovation Studio helped us realize our value proposition for the aquaculture industry."

According to BIM, Irish aquatech companies generated a remarkable turnover of £191 million last year, leading experts to hail Ireland's potential in becoming the future Silicon Valley of aquatech.

To further promote this flourishing industry to entrepreneurs and investors, BIM organized a two-week Innovation Studio program in Killorglin, Co Kerry. This initiative aimed to identify emerging talents and innovative ideas within the sector. Eight companies participated in the program, culminating in three finalists and ultimately, Aquamonitrix earning the esteemed title.

Emphasizing Ireland's strengths in industries such as pharma, genetics, financial services, and IT, BIM believes the synergy and knowledge transfer among these sectors can accelerate growth in the aquaculture industry. Encouraging startups from these disciplines to venture into the aquaculture sector holds great promise for the future.