BotaniQ

What BotaniQ does

BotaniQ AS is a Norwegian marine agriculture technology company developing autonomous robotics to automate seeding and harvesting of kelp. The company was founded in September 2023 by three Electro-automation and Robotics Engineers at the University of South-Eastern Norway and operated initially as a student company (SB) before transitioning to a registered Norwegian private limited company (Aksjeselskap) on January 28, 2025. BotaniQ is headquartered in Stadsbygd, Norway, and is led by Pawel Janiszewski (CEO), Eirik Skårerverket (COO), and Ine Merete Hansen (CTO).

The company's flagship product is M.A.T.S (Modulær Automatisk Tare System), an autonomous surface vessel that floats on water and traverses kelp ropes to perform automated seeding and harvesting operations. The platform integrates electric zero-emission propulsion, RTK GNSS precision navigation, on-board autonomy, and a modular plug-and-play payload architecture that allows customers to integrate and control multiple units simultaneously across multiple ropes. The system is positioned to reduce manual labor intensity, eliminate CO2 emissions relative to traditional crewed harvesting vessels, and enable scalability through modular customization and DIY serviceability aligned with a right-to-repair philosophy.

BotaniQ pursues a direct, contact-driven sales motion targeting kelp and aquaculture operators; products are currently in pre-launch status with pricing undisclosed. Distribution is supported by a basic website (botaniq.bio), LinkedIn and Facebook presences, and participation in entrepreneurship competitions that have yielded regional, national, and European awards, including the 2024 Norwegian National Championship for Student Companies and the Gen-E 2024 Alumni Leadership Award. The company holds an incubator partnership with Kobben and has no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, patents, or paying customers at the time of reporting.

Name

BotaniQ

Legal name

BotaniQ AS

Website

https://botaniq.bio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BotaniQ AS is a Norwegian marine agriculture technology company developing the M.A.T.S autonomous surface vessel for automated seeding and harvesting of kelp, serving aquaculture operators with modular, zero-emission robotics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Robotics

NAICS

Ship and Boat Building (33661), Aquaculture (1125)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559)

akta.pro primary industry

Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) & Autonomous Maritime Surface Platforms (IMABAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquaculture & Fish-Farm Service Vessels (Feed, Wellboats, Harvest Support) (IMAJADAF)

Keywords

• Kelp farming automation
• Aquaculture robotics
• Marine agriculture technology
• Autonomous harvesting systems
• Seaweed cultivation equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Trondheim

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. M.A.T.S Hardware Sales: Sale of autonomous kelp harvesting robots (M.A.T.S). Products offer modular design allowing customization to customer needs. Zero-emission electric propulsion system.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BotaniQ develops and sells autonomous marine surface vessels for the kelp farming industry. Its flagship product M.A.T.S (Modulær Automatisk Tare System) floats on the water surface and autonomously travels along kelp ropes to perform seeding and harvesting operations. The vessel uses zero-emission electric propulsion and features a modular plug-and-play design that allows customers to customize payload modules and connect multiple units to harvest several ropes simultaneously.

Product overview

BotaniQ offers a single flagship product — the M.A.T.S (Modulær Automatisk Tare System), an autonomous aquaculture vessel for kelp farming automation. The system is designed to float on the water surface and autonomously traverse kelp ropes to perform seeding and harvesting operations. Its modular architecture enables customers to tailor the system with various payload integrations, and multiple units can be coordinated simultaneously to scale operations across multiple ropes. The product emphasizes sustainability through electric propulsion, cost efficiency through automation, and flexibility through its plug-and-play module design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M.A.T.S (Modulær Automatisk Tare System) Autonomous surface vessel designed for automated kelp seeding and harvesting on rope-based marine farms. Floats on the water surface and moves along ropes to perform seeding and harvesting, with zero-emission electric propulsion, modular plug-and-play payload architecture, RTK GNSS navigation, and the ability to coordinate multiple units for simultaneous multi-rope operations. Targeted at kelp and seaweed aquaculture operators seeking to replace labor-intensive manual processes and crewed harvesting vessels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero CO2 emissions compared to traditional crewed harvesting vessels
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• KobbensupportingOthersSigned incubator agreement with Kobben, an innovation company for startups, scaleups and established businesses. The collaboration provides access to Kobbens network and resources enabling BotaniQ to grow as a company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Maritime Robotics: Trondheim-based Norwegian company developing autonomous surface vessels (USVs) for maritime survey, mapping, and inspection. Directly comparable to BotaniQ on autonomous surface vessel technology stack and Norwegian marine-tech positioning; differs in application focus (survey vs. aquaculture).
• Saildrone: US-based developer of wind- and solar-powered autonomous surface vehicles used for ocean data collection, monitoring, and defense. Directly comparable on USV platform architecture and multi-unit fleet operations; differs in end market (ocean data vs. aquaculture).
• Atlantic Sea Farms: Largest commercial kelp farming operation in North America, working directly with seaweed farmers on seeding, growing, and harvesting infrastructure. Directly comparable end market (kelp); differs in being a vertically integrated farm operator rather than a robotics OEM.
• Stingray Marine Solutions: Norwegian company providing computer-vision and laser-based autonomous systems for sea-lice removal in salmon aquaculture. Comparable on autonomous marine robotics serving aquaculture operators in Norway; differs in task (delousing) and salmon focus rather than kelp.
• Sealab Group: Norwegian underwater services and technology company supporting aquaculture operators with diving, net cleaning, and inspection. Comparable Norwegian aquaculture-services orientation; offers manual/ROV services today and represents a likely competitor or acquirer as aquaculture automation scales.

Broad incumbents

• Akva Group: Public Norwegian company and one of the largest global suppliers of aquaculture equipment and technology, primarily for salmon farming. Comparable as the incumbent infrastructure layer BotaniQ would need to integrate with; offers broader portfolio but does not specialize in autonomous kelp harvesting.
• Kongsberg Maritime: Major Norwegian marine technology conglomerate providing autonomous vessels, subsea robotics, sensors, and vessel control systems to global commercial and defense markets. Comparable as a large-scale Norwegian player in autonomous maritime systems; much broader portfolio than BotaniQ's aquaculture niche.

Regional players

• Blueye Robotics: Trondheim-based Norwegian company building compact underwater drones (ROVs) for inspection and observation. Comparable Norwegian marine-robotics origin and target verticals; differs in being underwater observation rather than autonomous surface aquaculture work.
• SeaForest: Australia/New Zealand-based company developing commercial seaweed cultivation and processing, including for carbon-credit and feed applications. Comparable kelp/seaweed end market focus; primarily operates in Australasia rather than Europe.

Emerging players

• Mara Seaweed: Scotland-based seaweed cultivation and processing company focused on commercial-scale seaweed farming. Comparable end market (kelp/seaweed) and emerging stage; Mara focuses on cultivation and consumer products rather than harvesting robotics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/botaniqsb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/botaniqas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BotaniQ