SUBflex - Open Ocean Netcage Systems by GiliOcean Technology

SUBflex - Farming Fish In Their Natural Habitat Using Sustainable Offshore Technology.

Our prime target and goal is to tackle a few of following problems:  the ever-growing need for fish protein, to improve the fish quality, to help farmers control their fish growth and sustainability and help the restoration of the environment. 

Wanting to make a change, GiliOcean's team has decided to embark on a journey to transform the face of the fish farming industry, delivering a solution to the challenges that traditional fish farms face today.

By incorporating advanced technologies into a traditional industry while simplifying operations, we manage to maximize efficiency and upscale the production of premium quality marine protein at open ocean sites.

SUBflex, is a system of cages attached to the seabed by a single anchor, which enables it to rotate around itself 360° degrees. This allows constant movement of the structure, dispersing the organic matter, unconsumed fish feed and fecal matter in a much larger radius, minimizing the impact of the seabed and natural marine habitat. The net cage system has the ability to submerge, as deep as necessary, in merely 9 minutes. This solves the biggest challenge of offshore fish farming; harsh weather conditions. Water-borne feeding techniques can be applied to secure continuous feeding and growth of the fish. 

The SUBflex system is made of non-dissolvable and metal-free materials, making it low maintenance and more durable. As a result, its lifespan is extended considerably, lasting for 20 years and making the system very cost effective. SUBflex netcage system is tailor-made to suit the customers' needs and preferences taking the sea conditions and market demand into account in order to reach optimal success. The system can be designed to cultivate almost any fish and location.

SUBflex creates a fishing-free zone; a natural reserve in the middle of the ocean. Moving the aquaculture systems further offshore, frees other nearshore and coastal areas for other uses, such as tourism and providing more space, where aquaculture production can expand in order to meet the increasing demand for fish.

Apart from the environmental and health advantages of offshore aquaculture, it is also more productive and economical than most other methods when reaching economies of scale, in terms of building and maintenance costs, fish production costs and fish growth rate.

Finally, offshore fish farms produce higher quality, nearly antibiotic-free, healthier fish, which are easier to market since they can be grown year-round in a predictable manner.

The SUBflex* system featuring the Hoverflex** and our Biomass camera are both registered patents. New innovative designs and products have been implemented creating a new fish farming platform. Improving, simplifying and solving some of offshore's biggest challenges such as harsh weather conditions, production volumes, maintenance and cost efficiency, all while addressing and overcoming environmental issues by moving fish farms from the coastal areas, offshore, utilizing unused territories. 

*SUBflex is a submersible, innovative, cost efficient netcage system for open ocean fish farming 

** One of its kind submersing mechanism holding systems structure stable and safe through harsh weather conditions.

The main technology is implemented in the platform itself. It is a single array, submersible, single point mooring system with complementary products, featuring special marine vessels, high weight sub-sea swivel, bio estimation, cameras, sensors, dead fish counter and software. The submerging mechanism, Hoverflex, overcomes one of the toughest problems of offshore farming: harsh weather conditions. The single point mooring allows a dispersion of organic matter over larger areas to improve both higher fish quality and environmental matters. The single array platform increases production capacity and our software "Go Smart", enables better management tools for the farmer. 

Over the next 12 months we are looking to establish more projects and implementing more farms around the world, suitable for different species and different environments.

We will be working on finalizing the development and bringing to market some of our products, keep optimizing and up scaling our existing technology, adding additional features to the system such as our smart farming product "GO SMART" which features a biomass camera and a dead fish counter. 

After implementing several projects in different environments, diversifying fish species and proving our concept, we intend to become a world leading farming solution for the big fish farming companies. 

We aim to upgrade the system, making it more efficient and user friendly, incorporating hi-tech technologies and components including automation, remote control and new submerging techniques to allow installations beyond 100 meters. Up-scaling will open new markets and enable large production volumes of marine protein. Up-scaling will also make it possible to grow large species such as tuna and other ocean giants. 

In every community/target market GiliOcean will work hand in hand with the local partner covering all project aspects and connecting all relevant local bodies (authorities, industry, decisions makers, media, environmental organizations etc.) GiliOcean will be in front with the clients as specific expertise is needed to make the sale. We may however be supported by agents, governmental agencies, distributors and other "middlemen". These organizations commonly provide and support the connection.

Together with a strategic partner, we will operate in a business model in which GiliOcean supplies the technologies and know-how and partner obtains sea area and handles bureaucratic aspects. 

Every project supplies employment and trade to many people. There are around 20 workers on the farm itself and another 150 people affected in the secondary and third cycles related to the farm (distribution, processing, land and infrastructure  service suppliers. 

Our project is currently up and running right outside the coast of Ashdod, Israel. Where our client "Open Sea Aquaculture ltd" have the benefits from the fish sales of up to 1600 tons of fish per year, providing a large scale of fish protein to the Israeli population.

Setting up more projects will lead to more job opportunities such as processing companies, feed factories, fingerling suppliers and of course the outcome of the farms will provide more fish for the population, meeting the need of the ever-growing protein demand.

In three years' time we hope to have around 3-4 more projects, providing even more possibilities, for a larger scale of people all over the world, who can benefit from job openings, high quality fish and a cleaner environment.

GiliOceans team exists of carefully chosen professionals such as Professors, Naval Architect Engineers, Marine Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Practical Engineers, Marine Biologists, Marketing & Sales Division as well as the Operational Crew of farm managers, project managers, divers, skippers. 

We have a vast experience and know-how of 15 years in the offshore field operating unique technology and put much effort into finding the needed resources with help from entrepreneurial campuses, seeding programs and other connections within the industry.

GiliOceans innovative project will drive the sector and contribute to job creation with all the related actors of the aquaculture chain and also help coastal communities alleviate fishing pressure and thus helping to rejuvenate fish stocks. 

GiliOceans Subflex system will be very attractive to potential buyers as it will provide a very cost-effective solution for open ocean farming, significantly reduce environmental impact and since it is made from materials with a long-life span, it has low maintenance requirements. The system allows for significantly larger fish farms than currently available.

SUBflex is submersible and can thus be fully protected from storms and other adverse conditions in the open sea. As the water quality in the open ocean is better, the quality of the fish will increase.

Business models:

Line 1

1. Obtain multiyear licenses to build and operate open-ocean fish farms in territorial waters.
2. Secure a local partner in each territory/ country.
3. Design, build and operate the farms using Subflex technology, adjusted to fit best types of fish for each particular production area and market.

Line 2

1. Sale of technology, equipment and complimentary products.
2. Support of services.

GiliOcean gained an extensive experience over the past 11 years, operating the company's own technology. EU financing through the SME instrument has enable GiliOcean to scale-up significantly by making the existing platform more cost-efficient, enabling real off-shore farming and growth of additional species beyond the pelagic fish currently supported by GiliOceans system. However, we look for a wider world recognition and additional funding to continue the developments, improvements of technology, support marketing and sales efforts. We believe that Solve's amazing network and platform can help us to better expose ourselves and reach potential funding opportunities and relevant decision makers. 

Competition in the global market and administrative constraints in particular concerning licensing procedures are among the challenges to growth. Regulation will probably be the hardest barrier for GiliOcean to overcome, due to shortage of open ocean projects and the lack of experience by the authorities. We believe that after one or two worldwide projects getting the relevant regulation approvals will be much easier. The 4-5 commercial projects currently in GiliOcans pipeline would be leading the way.

The execution and success of the first large scale projects are critical for future business developments in this sector.