The Aquaculture Industry can be very largely divided into two categories, land-based farming, and mariculture. Then each of those will at the same time has its own division and necessities. But something we can be sure of is Technologic advancements are coming to every type of aquaculture all around the world. And this is being achieved by the hand of specialists in the industry and others with the right qualifications in other sectors. Today I have another great story to share with you, the one of Mathew Zimola. He is a 34-year-old, from Canada and Dalhousie University Alumni. Mathew holds two master's degrees in Computer Science and that was the beginning of ReelData, where he is the co-founder and CEO. So, let's dive into Mathew Zimola and ReelData's story!
Mathew's first college degree was a Bachelor's in Chemical engineering. This led him to work in the Oil and Gas industry, which led him to work for one of the largest technology providers in the industry. However, the Oil Market crashed, and with it a lot of its employment capabilities. Mathew saw this as an opportunity to find his true passion. Yes, helping drill wells in Canada and the United States was good for a while. But he was looking to get engaged with something that aligned more with him. For years, working there he still took the time to teach himself to code, with the help of YouTube and other self-learning platforms. He always had this passion for Computer Science and decided to go in it all the way.
"I took it as an opportunity to shift career path. I didn't know at the time where I was going to end up. But I did know if I pursued Computer Science I would have more fields and markets to explore. As I was finishing up my degree, my co-founder and I knew we wanted to make a change and have a positive impact. We took to different industries to see which one aligned more with our ideals and living in Halifax, the answer was in front of us all this time, our oceans. We talked to people in the Aquaculture industry about their problems, but also saw the benefits, like reduced carbon footprint. And the biggest need was always in adapting new technologies".
People in the Aquaculture industry want to understand and control as much as possible. Technology has played a huge and essential part in this understanding and control. And this is especially true for Land-based facilities. "We realized there was a need for the adaption of new technologies to understand how much their fish weight, how much should they feed their fish, their health and wellbeing. Computer Vision, underwater cameras, and sensors can solve all that. That's where we started".
With the use of Artificial Intelligence software for Aquaculture Feed Cameras, ReelData exclusively provides a solution for Land-Based Fish Farms to measure, understand, and control their biomass. These services optimize feeding practices, reducing the quantity of feed needed, leading to less food waste in the systems.
And the company has grown. To this day they have been able to provide job opportunities for more than 20 people, and are expecting a growth of over 100% this 2022. ReelData chose Land-Based Fish Farms, as they define it as the practice that aligns the most to their sustainable ideals. Sustainability is one of ReelData's Core Values. "We strongly believe Land-based fish farming is the future of food production, so we are really focused on it. Our services are offered to those farms that want to improve efficiency and reduce feed costs".
There are many services companies in the Aquaculture industry. The main focus for most organizations in this industry is sustainability and innovation. What makes ReelData unique? What makes them stand out? Why is Talent choosing them? At the moment the company is the only one offering AI services in the Land-Based Aquaculture sector. Scaling with some of the largest facilities in the world. And this is done thanks to a team that is always looking to develop better solutions.
"We are obsessive. Obsessive with developing solutions that work and with sustainability, with our ideals, and listening to our clients. For example, Will, our Head of AI, is always focused on making the algorithms perfect. He wants to get products to the market faster, which will lead to saving the industry from wasted feed faster. Once the industry matures and we along with it we will be able to save farms about the equivalent of what the people of Bergen eat every year. And this can only be achieved through extreme ownership. When people come work with us, they own their job and are responsible for what they do. They have the freedom to innovate and use their time to do so. We do not micromanage".
ReelData is offering people a place to help them grow and the ability to be responsible and owners of their work. For them, sustainability, growth, and ownerships are core values to their operations when it comes to hiring new talent. "And people will have the satisfaction that what we are doing is generating a direct impact into the food system. Helping people eat healthier, but also reducing the carbon footprint of what they put on their tables.
"There are ups and downs all the time. But even if I am going through a low I am certain that this is where I want to be. I want to be helping, improving, making things better, making an impact. This is a massively innovative industry with the potential to keep succeeding. It hits all the checkmarks for me, it aligns with all my ideals and what we had in mind when building a company. And when we hit the lows, we have amazing people by our side to bring us back up and keep working on what matters".
