ReelData AI, an AI company providing customized data and automation to land-based aquaculture farmers, has named the founder and former CEO of the Kingfish Company, Ohad Maiman, to its board of directors. This news comes just over a month after the company shared the news of a Series A funding round where they closed USD 8 million deal led by Buoyant Ventures and S2G Ventures.
Maiman decided to step down as CEO of the Kingfish Company in November 2022. He intended to transition to supporting the industry through other avenues, with artificial intelligence being a high priority. His relationship with ReelData started in November 2021, when the Kingfish Company implemented their inaugural product, ReelAppetite.
“Ohad has been a friend and mentor to us at ReelData long before we made an official agreement,” said Mathew Zimola, CEO and co-founder of ReelData. “He has a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be immeasurable as we continue to expand our business to help the underserved land-based aquaculture industry. It was an easy decision to welcome him in an official capacity.”
“Having experienced firsthand the capabilities and challenges of building and operating a large-scale land-based operation, I am convinced that while the ability to grow fish to market size on land has been proven, significant room for improvements in operational excellence and efficiencies remains, and ReelData AI is at the forefront of developing these capabilities. By leveraging AI and significant technological capabilities Matt and his team have been able to identify and tackle the most critical needs of land-based farmers, and I am excited to support the company as it continues to develop groundbreaking products for the land-based sector,” said Maiman.
In 2015, Maiman founded the Kingfish Company alongside experienced RAS and aquaculture experts Kees Kloet and Hans den Bieman. Breaking away from the more commonly farmed salmon, they decided to focus the business on raising yellowtail kingfish. The company began trading on the Oslo stock exchange in 2020. They have also been successful in obtaining permits to expand their operations in Maine, USA. More recently, the company experienced a sales increase of 82% in 2022, with Q4 sales up by 34%.
ReelData’s first product to market is ReelAppetite, an AI-controlled automated feeding system that monitors the appetite of fish through the wasted feed released through the tank and adjusts feed in real-time to limit waste while maximizing growth. ReelBiomass is the most recent product. It is the only biomass estimation camera created specifically for RAS and flow-through systems, eliminating the need for costly and intrusive weigh-ins while improving accuracy.
