Participated · Seed · Jan 2018

Aquabyte builds underwater camera systems and machine‑learning models that transform images and signals into real-time metrics such as lice counts, individual weights, growth, and other welfare indicators. Its product allows farms to monitor fish without handling them and take immediate actions to reduce treatments and waste. The company has deployed hundreds of systems monitoring salmon and trout and has processed over 300 million unique fish images. Aquabyte was first to receive approval by dispensation for automatic sea lice counting from the Norwegian Food Safety Authorities. The team draws on fish‑welfare biologists, computer vision/AI specialists, and engineers to deliver actionable insights to farms. With offices in San Francisco, New York, Chile, and Norway, Aquabyte plans to scale to more species and more countries. Aquabyte develops underwater stereoscopic camera systems and machine learning algorithms to measure fish health, size, and optimal feed quantities for aquaculture farms. Its products aim to reduce operational costs, decrease fish mortality, and minimize environmental impact. The company has launched general availability in Norway and is working with Norwegian salmon and trout farms. Aquabyte reports having processed more than a petabyte of fish images and scanned over 2.5 million fish; its algorithms estimate group fish weight within 0.8% of true weight 95% of the time. The company has also detected more than 100,000 sea lice and plans to expand its product line to estimate fish appetite and quality, predict sea lice outbreaks, and automate feeding. Leadership includes founder and CEO Bryton Shang and the recently added independent board member Chandran Sankaran. Aquabyte builds machine learning models and deploys underwater 3D cameras to augment the visual IQ of human-operated fish-farming systems. Installed in fish farm pens, the cameras allow the technology to measure fish size and biomass to determine optimal feed quantities. The company is developing additional applications such as automated sea-lice counting, a problem that accounts for about $1 billion in damages in Norway. Aquabyte has established pilots at local research institutions and farms around Norway through assistance from NCE Seafood Innovation. The team operates from San Francisco and Bergen, Norway, and is led by founder and CEO Bryton Shang. Aquabyte raised $3.5M in seed funding to advance its technology and pilots.

Participated · Seed · Jun 2016

Piper sells the Piper Computer Kit, a DIY computer kit that turns passive screen time into active, hands-on learning for children. The product is aimed primarily at kids roughly 8 to 12 years old and is designed to build computing and engineering skills through play. Piper markets through major retailers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Toys"R"Us) and direct sales, and the kit is used in over 750 schools worldwide. The company positions itself as an award-winning STEM education brand and the leading STEM educational toy on Amazon. Piper plans to use new funding to build an expanded ecosystem of products that allow children of all ages to continually expand their STEM skills. The team is led by co-founder and CEO Mark Pavlyukovskyy and co-founder Joel Sadler; the company launched in 2014 and is headquartered in San Francisco. Piper produces a computer kit centered on a Raspberry Pi 3 that teaches 7–12 year olds electronics, programming and engineering by having students assemble their own computers and build gadgets to solve Minecraft challenges. The kit ships with a Raspberry Pi 3, a display, a power supply and a wooden snap‑together case that doubles as a three‑dimensional puzzle. Piper emphasizes playful learning and says the product boosts creative confidence with technology; co‑founder Joel Sadler has described the kit as “a Trojan horse for learning.” The product is already in wide use and has attracted celebrity endorsement, including from Steve Wozniak, and the company says Elon Musk’s children use the products. The article does not disclose revenue or other operating metrics.