A startup company that was co-founded by a Waterloo Engineering alumnus is partnering with a leading marine technology firm based in the United Kingdom.
Blue Lion Labs was launched in 2018 by Jason Deglint (MASc ’16, systems design engineering, PhD ’19, systems design engineering) and Katie Thomas, who has a doctorate in biology from the University of Waterloo.
Waterloo Engineering alumnus Jason Deglint co-founded Blue Lion Labs.
Under the terms of the partnership, OTAQ is investing $300,000 for an approximate 10-per-cent stake in Waterloo-based Blue Lion as they work together to develop an imaging system to identify and warn of harmful plankton and algae blooms in fish farming operations.
OTAQ, which provides marine technology for the aquaculture and offshore oil and gas industries, has the hardware expertise, while Blue Lion brings its artificial intelligence (AI) software to the collaboration.
The two companies are aiming to commercialize the technology within the next 18 months.
“This investment and collaboration helps us in executing on our mission to develop innovative solutions to global water-quality issues,” Deglint said in a media release. “Combining our AI technology with OTAQ’s hardware platform and distribution infrastructure will provide both companies with an accelerated path to market.”
The global aquaculture industry suffers an estimated $3.4 billion in damage and losses a year due to harmful organisms.