Solution Seeker joins SEADEEP to bring AI-driven production optimization to European aquaculture

The 36-month project officially launches on 1 June 2026 and aims to accelerate the transition toward sustainable, low-carbon aquatic food production.

Aquaculture and fisheries are essential to global food security, yet they face increasing pressure to reduce environmental impact, improve energy efficiency, and remain economically viable. High energy consumption, operational inefficiencies and limited uptake of digital technologies continue to slow the sector's transition to more sustainable practices. SEADEEP (Sustainable Energy Advancement through Digitalisation for Energy Efficient Production in Aquaculture and Fisheries) addresses these challenges by supporting the sector's shift toward integrated digitalisation and energy optimisation, enabling producers to cut emissions while maintaining productivity and competitiveness.

The project will test and deliver 16 innovative solutions at near-market readiness across nine demonstration sites, ensuring the innovations are scalable, adaptable and directly relevant to current industry needs:

• Macroalgae farming: one large-scale energy-efficient solution and two advanced digital solutions to optimise production and resource use.
• Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS): one large-scale energy-efficient installation alongside eight digital solutions to enhance monitoring, control and efficiency.
• Small-scale fishing fleets: four digital solutions to improve operational efficiency, energy use and decision-making at sea.

Solution Seeker's role

As part of the SEADEEP consortium, Solution Seeker will initially deploy its ProductionCompass AI platform including NeuralCompass biomass growth models at the Oceanloop warm-water grouper RAS facility in Kiel, Germany, leading the development of AI/ML batch-optimisation tools that turn real-time sensor data into actionable production decisions. Working closely with project partners across the demonstration sites, Solution Seeker will deliver:

• AI-driven feeding and stocking recommendations that adapt dynamically to fish performance and water quality;
• A biomass growth-prediction tool to support production planning under real operating conditions;
• Tariff-aware control logic that aligns energy-intensive operations with low-cost, low-emission electricity windows.

"SEADEEP is a unique opportunity to prove that the AI techniques we've matured in industrial process optimisation can deliver measurable energy, welfare and productivity gains in commercial aquaculture," said Vidar Gunnerud, CEO of Solution Seeker. "Working alongside leading research institutes, technology providers and aquaculture operators across Europe, we expect to leave the project with validated tools ready for wider commercial roll-out — and with the partnerships to scale them."

Through SEADEEP, Solution Seeker aims to broaden the application of its ProductionCompass platform from its traditional sectors into aquaculture, generating validated performance data from a live commercial RAS site, expanding its European partner network, and contributing to the EU's wider mission of climate-neutral and sustainable food production.

About SEADEEP

SEADEEP is funded by the European Union under the call "HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-03: Digital technologies and energy transition in fisheries and/or aquaculture" (Grant Agreement No 101296119). The 36-month project runs from June 2026 to May 2029 and brings together 30 partners from 11 countries.

Research and innovation partners drive scientific excellence, system design and validation across the project: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute (Coordinator), Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Fraunhofer, Uniwersytet Morski w Gdyni, AZTI, and Photonics Bretagne.

Networks and industry platforms support stakeholder engagement, policy alignment, and the dissemination and uptake of project results across Europe: Submariner Network for Blue Growth, Food & Bio Cluster Denmark, Eurofish International Organisation, and the European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATiP).

Industry, technology providers and demonstration sites develop, deploy and validate the solutions in real-world aquaculture and fisheries environments: Oceanloop, SmögenLax, Danish Salmon, Ocean Forest (Lerøy), Nordic SeaFarm, Norfolk Seaweed, Vetik, Szkuner Sp. z o.o. (Port of Władysławowo), FSK-PO, Aquaticode, OxyGuard International A/S, Kesacon AB, Infrasonik, VisionAir, YellowScan, Erwin Sander Elektroapparatebau, Kytos, Dynamita, Solution Seeker AS, and FloNergia.