Catchwise

High-Level Overview

Catchwise is a Norwegian technology company founded in 2023 that builds an AI-powered SaaS platform for the wild commercial fishing industry.[1][2][3] It serves fishing vessel captains and operators by consolidating satellite tracking (SAT-AIS), 20 years of fishery records, and ocean metrics like temperature and salinity into real-time visualizations, predictive analytics, and operational automations.[1][2] The platform solves inefficiencies in quota fulfillment by optimizing routes and search times, reducing fuel use by up to 50%, cutting costs, minimizing carbon emissions, and supporting sustainable practices aligned with UN SDGs for life underwater and climate action—already supporting over 50 vessels daily across 20 paying customers.[1][2][3]

Fully operational since March 2024 and headquartered in Oslo with offices in Ålesund, Catchwise demonstrates strong early growth through recent funding: €1.25 million (about NOK 14.5 million) from investors like Dreamcraft Ventures, Sondo Capital, and The Ocean Impact Accelerator Program.[1][2][5] This capital fuels expansion in a sector where vessels burn thousands of liters of fuel daily on long sea voyages, making Catchwise a key enabler for greener protein production.[1]

Origin Story

Catchwise emerged from a team of AI experts and fishing industry veterans who won NORA's FishAI: Sustainable Commercial Fishing competition in summer 2022, sparking the company's formation in 2023.[1][2][3] Founders Ludvig A. Løddesøl (Founder, COO/CFO), Tomas Roaldsnes (Founder, CEO), Jonas Dammen (Founder, CTO), Kristian Andersen Hole (Founder, Chief Engineer), and Åsmund Brekke (Founder, Chief Engineer) combined their hacking, engineering, and commercial fishing backgrounds to address real-world pain points like fragmented data sources.[1][2][3]

The idea crystallized post-competition, leading to a bootstrapped MVP and full operations by March 2024.[3] Early traction came from close collaboration with paying customers, including testimonials like first mate Jón Poulsen of Ishavet (Bluewild), who noted consolidating data into one platform saved significant time.[1] This hacker-to-scale journey positioned Catchwise as a must-have tool, with 1-10 employees and ongoing hires for senior developers.[3]

Core Differentiators

• Integrated Data Fusion: Uniquely merges SAT-AIS tracking, historical fishery data, and real-time ocean metrics (e.g., salinity, temperature) into a single web-based dashboard, eliminating manual jumps between sources.[1][2]
• AI-Driven Insights: Delivers predictive analytics for optimal fishing spots and routes, plus automations that cut search times and fuel by up to 50%, boosting catch efficiency while reducing bycatch, poaching, diesel use, and seabed impact.[1][2][3]
• Industry-Tailored Expertise: Founders' blend of AI/ML proficiency and hands-on fishing experience ensures practical usability, earning praise for transforming operations sustainably.[1][2]
• Proven Traction and Backing: Serves 20 paying customers managing 50+ vessels; recent NOK 14.5M raise from impact-focused VCs like Dreamcraft and Sondo validates scalability in B2B maritime SaaS.[1][2][5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Catchwise rides the wave of AI democratization in traditional industries, specifically maritime and sustainability tech, where open data, satellite tech, and ML converge to decarbonize high-emission sectors like wild fisheries.[1][2][3] Timing is ideal amid global pressures for UN SDG compliance, rising fuel costs, and quotas protecting ocean resources—fisheries provide green protein but face dangers and inefficiencies at sea.[1]

Market forces favor it: abundant open datasets enable low-cost scaling, while investor interest in ocean impact (e.g., Sondo, Dreamcraft) accelerates adoption in Norway's coastal economy and beyond.[2][5] Catchwise influences the ecosystem by pioneering data-driven fishing, potentially inspiring similar tools in agriculture or shipping, fostering a shift to efficient, low-carbon operations across blue economies.[1][2]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Catchwise is poised for rapid scaling, leveraging fresh funding to expand vessel coverage, refine AI models with more data, and target international markets beyond Norway's coast.[1][2] Trends like advancing satellite tech, climate regulations, and AI commoditization will amplify its edge, potentially dominating sustainable fisheries SaaS.

Its influence may evolve from niche optimizer to industry standard, driving widespread fuel savings and emissions cuts—echoing its origins in a competition win, now reeling in a transformed, greener fishing future.[1][2]