Aquawise, a Bangkok-based technology startup, will showcase its groundbreaking AI-driven water quality monitoring platform at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 this October, offering aquaculture farmers in developing regions an affordable alternative to traditional monitoring methods. The company’s innovative approach uses satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to continuously track critical water parameters, addressing a $30 billion annual loss problem facing the global aquaculture industry according to recent analysis.
Revolutionizing Aquaculture Monitoring with AI Technology
Traditional water quality monitoring methods in aquaculture have relied on expensive sensors and manual testing kits that many farmers in regions like Southeast Asia cannot afford. Aquawise eliminates the need for hardware purchases by leveraging existing satellite infrastructure and advanced artificial intelligence algorithms. “Water quality is one of the most important things in aquaculture,” explains Patipond Tiyapunjanit, Aquawise’s 19-year-old CEO and co-founder. “The aquatic life is living in the water all the time – if quality doesn’t stay optimal, it causes stress, disease outbreaks, and significant losses.”
How Aquawise’s AI Water Quality Platform Works
The company’s physics-based AI model analyzes satellite images of fish and shrimp farms to monitor multiple water quality parameters simultaneously, including:
- Temperature monitoring in real-time
- Chlorophyll level tracking for algal bloom detection
- Oxygen level assessment critical for aquatic health
- Predictive analytics for potential issues
This continuous monitoring capability represents a significant advancement over traditional methods that typically provide only daily or weekly snapshots, similar to how European AI initiatives are transforming various industries through continuous data analysis.
Addressing Southeast Asia’s Aquaculture Challenges
While water quality issues affect aquaculture operations worldwide, the problem is particularly acute in developing regions where farmers lack access to affordable monitoring technology. Kobchai Duangrattanalert, Aquawise co-founder, notes that Southeast Asian farmers currently rely on weather reports and manual water checks despite the severe consequences of poor water conditions. The company’s satellite-based approach eliminates the financial barriers that have prevented widespread adoption of effective monitoring systems, offering a solution that aligns with regional needs and constraints much like how privacy-focused technologies address specific user requirements.
From Science Fair to Startup Battlefield
The Aquawise story began with Tiyapunjanit’s research project on shrimp larvae, which he presented at the 2023 Young Scientist Competition. There he met future co-founders Chanati Jantrachotechatchawan and Kobchai Duangrattanalert, who were advising a competing team. Impressed by Tiyapunjanit’s work, they began mentoring his project, which eventually won the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. The trio then pivoted to address the most pressing issue in aquaculture after identifying that 80% of farms face water quality problems costing the industry billions annually.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Showcase
Aquawise will present its technology as part of the Startup Battlefield competition at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, running October 27-29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. The event will mark the company’s international debut and provide a platform to demonstrate how their AI-driven approach can transform aquaculture monitoring. Industry experts note that such innovations represent the growing intersection of space technology and artificial intelligence in solving terrestrial challenges, with additional coverage expected as the event approaches.
The Future of AI in Aquaculture
Founded in 2024, Aquawise represents the next generation of agricultural technology startups leveraging artificial intelligence to address critical global challenges. The company’s journey from academic research to commercial application demonstrates how scientific innovation can directly impact real-world problems. As related analysis suggests, the successful implementation of AI in aquaculture could pave the way for similar applications in other agricultural sectors, potentially revolutionizing how we monitor and manage natural resources worldwide.
