Aquafind co-founder and CEO Mario Nordly, pictured visiting an Aquafind client's fish farm in Chile.
Photo: Aquafind.
The circular economy not only makes excellent environmental sense, but increasingly it makes good business sense – and that’s as true for aquaculture as it is for any other sector.
However, when it comes to second-hand aquaculture equipment, the industry is still playing catch-up on its circular opportunities, the founders of Trondheim-based startup Aquafind told WeAreAquaculture recently.
Founded in 2023 by CEO Mario Nordly, together with Sales Manager Bastian Overå, Aquafind hopes to unlock the value of disused aquaculture technology in Norway and worldwide, by providing a digital marketplace where companies can buy, sell and lease used equipment.
“Our mission is to optimize resource utilization within the aquaculture sector, for a more sustainable future,” Nordly explains.
Given the fast-paced nature of Norwegian aquaculture, large companies regularly renew the technology and equipment used on their farms and other facilities – everything from aerators to wellboats, from monitoring equipment to feeding gear.
However, Nordly notes, when a new piece of equipment is installed, the old one often gets mothballed, put into storage or ultimately sent to the scrap yard – a missed opportunity, says Nordly, since a lot of this equipment is still in good condition.
And, with the aquaculture industry growing worldwide, there’s both a need and a market opportunity for second-hand tech, for companies who may lack the resources to invest in brand-new gear.
Aquafind’s digital marketplace has already attracted good interest from local aquaculture companies in Norway, Nordly says. Partly funded by Innovation Norway, the startup hopes to expand its service with additional offerings in future.
Currently, the company is working on the implementation of a “climate calculator” which will be able to show users their reduced carbon footprint by choosing to buy second-hand.
