Bjørøya takes environmental responsibility seriously

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Using Oceanbox to make better decisions

When the ocean is your workplace, understanding current conditions is essential for safe and efficient operations.

For Bjørøya, it is not just about production. It is about understanding the dynamic environment they operate in and actively using that knowledge to ensure good fish health, reduce risk, and protect the surrounding ecosystem.

Through a long-term partnership with Oceanbox, Bjørøya has taken a clear step toward more data-driven management of its sites. The collaboration provides immediate access to high-resolution models of ocean currents, temperature, and salinity, as well as the ability to simulate particle dispersion and biological impact over time.

From local experience to data-driven insight

Bjørøya has always had strong knowledge of the coastal areas where they operate. However, they lacked a tool that could provide a more comprehensive understanding of how ocean currents, particles, and interactions between sites actually move, and how conditions evolve over time.

We wanted better insight into the environmental conditions around our sites – not just point measurements, but a bigger picture that develops over time, says Espen Havstein Lindseth, Head of Environment and Facilities at Bjørøya.

With Oceanbox, the company can visualize how ocean currents move – and how particles, nutrients, or sea lice may spread between sites. What previously required extensive analysis and specialized expertise can now be explored internally, whenever needed.

The models give us a deeper understanding of how ocean currents affect both operations and the environment. This makes us better equipped to plan, optimize, and document our decisions.

An operational tool – not just analysis

For Bjørøya, Oceanbox has become an integrated part of daily operations.
The tools are used for:

  • Planning stocking and fallowing, based on seasonal changes in currents and water stratification
  • Assessing site structure, to understand interactions between locations and reduce infection risk
  • Documenting environmental conditions, in dialogue with authorities and partners
  • Analyzing and understanding specific events, as well as internal variation within sites

What used to be difficult to explain in words, we can now demonstrate through modeling and statistics. The visualizations make complex processes more intuitive. You don’t have to be an oceanographer to understand what‘s happening in the ocean, says Eskil Bendiksen, Head of R&D at Bjørøya.

A strategic choice for the future

The aquaculture industry is facing increasing expectations related to documentation, sustainability, and predictable operations. For Bjørøya, the partnership with Oceanbox is part of a long-term strategy: combining local experience with model-based insight to make better decisions.

Oceanbox is designed to make advanced ocean modeling accessible in day-to-day operations, quickly and easily, without the need for in-house modeling expertise or resources to set up complex simulations.

Eskil Bendiksen & Espen Havstein Lindseth from Bjørøya.

We aim to stay ahead, both in terms of production and our understanding of the environment we operate in. Oceanbox helps us connect expertise and data, allowing us to build on the knowledge we already have, says Eskil Bendiksen.

The road ahead

Bjørøya plans to use modeling actively going forward, both in internal planning and in projects related to environmental monitoring and sustainable site development. By integrating model results more closely with their own measurement data, they will further strengthen their decision-making foundation.

For Oceanbox, the collaboration confirms that high-resolution ocean modeling is not just for the largest players, but a practical management tool for all fish farmers seeking better oversight, reduced risk, and more well-documented decisions.

Bjørøya demonstrates how modeling can become a natural part of daily operations. When increased environmental understanding is applied in operational decision-making, it creates real value, says Svenn Hanssen, CEO of Oceanbox.

Curious how this applies to your locations?
Let’s walk through how Oceanbox can support your planning and operations.

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Strengthens the team with two oceanographers

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From 1 February, Eli Anne Ersdal and Hans Kristian Djuve will join Oceanbox as oceanographers. Both will be based at Oceanbox’s office in Tromsø and will be part of the company’s continued commitment to close customer support and high scientific quality.

Strengthening expertise in wave modelling

Eli Anne Ersdal holds a PhD in physical oceanography and joins Oceanbox from Aqua Kompetanse. At Oceanbox, she will be responsible for wave modelling – an important discipline in assessments of aquaculture sites, technology selection, exposure, and operational conditions.

I am particularly motivated to help users gain a better understanding of, and maximum value from, Oceanbox’s products. Being able to combine solid oceanographic expertise with practical application for customers is something I find both meaningful and exciting, says Ersdal

Experience in hydrodynamic and dispersion modelling

Hans Kristian Djuve holds a Master of Science degree in Energy, Climate and Environment. He joins Oceanbox from Multiconsult, where he worked with the setup, execution, and analysis of hydrodynamic and dispersion models. At Oceanbox, he will focus on, among other things, validation of particle dispersion models.

“During my time in the consultancy sector, I worked on several projects where I used the Oceanbox tool, which is well suited to the industry through fast simulations and clear visualisations. I look forward to contributing my modelling expertise in a strong and applied scientific environment,” says Djuve.

Strategic hires to meet growing customer demands

CEO of Oceanbox, Svenn Hanssen, says the new hires are strategically important as the company’s solutions see increased use across the industry.

“Our customers are using the models in an increasing number of applications, and expectations related to precision, documentation, and usability are growing. By strengthening our Customer Success team with this type of specialised expertise, we take an important step towards ensuring high quality in both deliveries and customer follow-up“, says Hanssen.

Eli Anne Ersdal and Hans Kristian Djuve

CSO of Oceanbox, Ole Anders Nøst, highlights the connection between scientific development and practical application in the aquaculture industry.

“Both wave modelling and particle dispersion are key topics for many fish farmers and consultancy companies. With Eli Anne and Hans Kristian on the team, we strengthen our ability to develop models that provide the aquaculture industry with better understanding and decision support through our tools – supported by a strong oceanographic research environment,” says Nøst.

Erlend Mundal joins Oceanbox

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From Aqua-Kompetanse to Oceanbox

Oceanbox is strengthening its investment in customer support and close customer follow-up by establishing a dedicated Customer Success team. As part of this initiative, the company has appointed Erlend Mundal, who will join Oceanbox on 1 January and be based at the company’s office in Bergen.

Mundal joins Oceanbox from Aqua Kompetanse AS, where he served as Head of the Hydrodynamic Modeling Group. In this role, he worked extensively with model-based solutions for the aquaculture industry and brings broad experience in the use of ocean models for licensing processes, site assessments, and technical decision support. His work has involved close collaboration with both fish farmers and regulatory authorities.

He holds a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics with a specialization in fjord oceanography and has extensive hands-on experience in the setup, execution, and analysis of oceanographic models for Norwegian coastal and fjord systems.

Strengthening customer value through applied modeling

At Oceanbox, Mundal will help ensure that customers gain greater practical value from model results in real-world applications. This includes use cases related to site understanding, particle dispersion, and the assessment of currents and water exchange around aquaculture facilities.

“Erlend has solid experience with how modeling is actually used in the industry, both from a technical and an operational perspective. An increasing number of stakeholders want to use modeling themselves—both to improve their understanding of local conditions and as decision support in dialogue with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and other regulators. The Customer Success team will help customers succeed in this, and Erlend’s role will be an important part of that effort,” says Svenn Hanssen, CEO of Oceanbox.

Mundal is looking forward to joining Oceanbox

“I see a growing need in the industry for a better understanding of local current dynamics and particle dispersion, both in day-to-day operations and in discussions with regulators. Oceanbox has developed a tool that makes advanced modeling more accessible, and I look forward to helping ensure that it is applied even more effectively in practice,” says Mundal.

Erlend Mundal, photo: Oceanbox

Åsmund Bakke strengthens the team as Key Account Manager

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Oceanbox is strengthening its organization with the appointment of Åsmund Bakke to a new and central customer-facing role as Key Account Manager, from December the 15th. With a solid background in delivering technology solutions to the aquaculture industry, Bakke will play a key role in enhancing the customer experience and further developing products tailored to industry needs.

Bakke joins Oceanbox from Innovasea, where he has served as Sales Manager since 2021. In this role, he worked closely with aquaculture companies on advanced solutions related to environmental monitoring, aeration, and oxygenation. His experience provides him with broad insight into how technology is applied in day-to-day operations, as well as the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of data, modeling, and production.

Strengthening customer success and value creation

At Oceanbox, Bakke will also coordinate the company’s Customer Success initiative, ensuring that customers fully realize the value of Oceanbox’s models, simulations, and platform functionality. The goal is to translate advanced modeling into practical insight and tangible value for users.

The role combines close customer follow-up, insight-driven work, and continuous dialogue with users. The ambition is to strengthen collaboration with aquaculture companies, consultancies, and research institutions, while making insights from Oceanbox’s models more accessible and operational in everyday decision-making.

“Åsmund brings a strong combination of technical understanding and commercial experience from the aquaculture industry. He knows the challenges the industry faces and has the dedication needed to help our customers succeed,” says Svenn Hanssen, CEO of Oceanbox.

Based in Bergen – Serving the entire coastline

Bakke will be based at Oceanbox’s office in Bergen, while working closely with customers along the entire Norwegian coastline. The role also includes contributing to Oceanbox’s marketing efforts and strategic initiatives, both nationally and internationally, as the company continues to expand its engagement beyond Norway.

“I am very much looking forward to becoming part of a highly competent and forward-looking team at Oceanbox. The company has an exciting product with significant potential, and I look forward to helping more customers unlock the value of high-quality ocean modeling,” says Bakke.

Åsmund Bakke, photo: Oceanbox

The board 2025

Atle Eide appointed Chair of the Board

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One of the most experienced leaders in the global aquaculture industry

Oceanbox AS has appointed Atle Eide, one of the most experienced leaders in the global aquaculture industry, as Chair of the Board. The appointment marks an important milestone in Oceanbox’s continued growth and scaling phase.

Eide brings decades of executive and board-level experience from both listed and private companies, and is widely recognized for his role in building MOWI into the world’s leading salmon farming company.

Extensive leadership experience from global aquaculture and industry

Atle Eide has previously served as CEO of MOWI, Hydro Seafood, Skretting Nordic, and Kverneland Group, and as Senior Partner at HitecVision, Norway’s largest private equity firm.

He has also held chairman roles in several leading aquaculture and seafood companies, including:

  • Scale Aquaculture
  • SalMar
  • Norway Royal Salmon
  • SalMar Aker Ocean
  • Insula
  • Nordic Aquapartner
  • Lake Harvest (tilapia)

Following his retirement from HitecVision, Eide has focused on venture investments, with a particular interest in technology-driven companies within the ocean and food sectors.

Strengthening governance in a growth phase

Svenn Hanssen, CEO and co-founder of Oceanbox, describes the appointment as a strategic step for the company:

“From the outset, our ambition has been to appoint an independent Chairman of the Board. Atle Eide brings exceptional competence, broad industry experience, and a high level of professionalism to Oceanbox at a time when the company is firmly in a growth phase. Just as importantly, he brings energy and enthusiasm that align well with our culture. We are also pleased to maintain board continuity with Lars Lydersen continuing as a board member“, says Hanssen.

Seeing strong potential in ocean modeling for aquaculture

Atle Eide looks forward to contributing to the further development and governance of Oceanbox:

Every aquaculture company I speak with highlights Oceanbox and the value that high-resolution ocean current modeling provides in terms of insight and decision support for operationally critical choices. With increased focus on submerged farming solutions and a strong need to prevent the spread of lice and disease, site quality and interactions with neighboring locations are becoming decisive factors for profitability.

For an industry that has its core values in the ocean, Oceanbox offers tools with significant potential. Being part of developing this further is highly motivating, says Eide.

Atle Eide. Photo: Oceanbox

Formal appointment and first board meeting

Atle Eide was formally elected Chairman of the Board at Oceanbox’s General Assembly on 28 November, and participated in his first board meeting on 3 December 2025 in Tromsø.

The board Oceanbox 2025
The board from left: Ole Anders Nøst (Co-founder and boardmember), Lars Lydersen (boardmember), Atle Eide (Chair of the Board), Karstein Jenssen (boardmember) and Mads Malvig (boardmember). Photo: Oceanbox

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Martin Davidsen joins Oceanbox as Chief Commercial Officer

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Oceanbox strengthens commercial leadership

Martin Davidsen will assume the role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Oceanbox. He joins the company from Skretting, where he has spent the past twelve years in various senior roles within sales and product development, most recently serving three years as Global Commercial Manager.

I am very much looking forward to becoming part of the Oceanbox team and contributing to the further development of the company’s commercial activities. Oceanbox stands out through its strong customer focus and its ability to create real value for fish farmers. For me, this represents a unique opportunity to apply my experience – particularly within feed and production, to further develop relationships and combine industry knowledge with forward-looking technology and modeling, all in support of more sustainable aquaculture, says Davidsen.

Industry relevance and growth–focused

During his time at Skretting, Davidsen worked closely with fish farmers, research institutions, and equipment suppliers across the Nordic region and Europe. Through this collaboration, he has built deep insight into the needs of the industry and developed a strong commitment to innovation, fish welfare, and sustainability.

Martin brings a solid background from delivering solutions to the aquaculture industry, along with a commercial mindset that is an excellent match for the growth phase Oceanbox is currently in. We are very pleased to welcome him to the team, says Svenn Hanssen, CEO of Oceanbox.

Oceanbox creates insight into what happens beneath the surface, enabling fish farmers to understand the ocean around them and their sites in an entirely new way. Becoming part of this journey is incredibly exciting, Davidsen concludes.

Martin Davidsen will be based at Oceanbox’s office in Tromsø.

Martin Davidsen, photo: Oceanbox

oceanbox.io

Oceanbox recognized as an Ocean Titan

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Oceanbox has been recognized as one of this year’s Ocean Titans in an international documentary series produced by the World Ocean Council (WOC). The series highlights leading companies developing technology for sustainable ocean use, with a strong focus on innovation, collaboration, and real-world impact.

The documentary was launched during the UN Ocean Conference 2025 in Nice, France, and has already surpassed 12 million views on X (formerly Twitter) -bringing global attention to data-driven solutions for ocean sustainability. 

Digital ocean modeling for sustainable aquaculture

The film focuses on the collaboration between Oceanbox and Lerøy Seafood Group, demonstrating how digital ocean modeling can provide practical decision support for efficient and sustainable management of aquaculture sites. 

By combining high-resolution ocean simulations with operational knowledge, the collaboration shows how complex ocean dynamics can be translated into actionable insights for:

  • Site planning and development
  • Environmental risk assessment
  • Daily aquaculture operations
  • Long-term sustainability strategies

Oceanography made accessible through technology

Oceanbox has developed a digital platform that enables users to simulate ocean currents, temperature, salinity, and particle dispersion. The platform enables fast, intuitive simulations without custom model setups or advanced technical expertise, lowering the barrier for companies and institutions to apply ocean science in practice.

Our goal is to make oceanography accessible to everyone. Whether you work in aquaculture, environmental management, spatial planning, or research, you should be able to understand what happens beneath the surface and make better decisions, says Svenn Hanssen, CEO of Oceanbox.

Oceanbox provides insights ranging from individual site scale to nationwide coverage. The platform is actively used by aquaculture companies, researchers, and consulting firms across Norway.

Lerøy Seafood Group: Using the technology in practice

The documentary also features Lerøy Seafood Group, one of the world’s leading seafood companies. Lerøy uses Oceanbox to analyze current conditions, as well as to model the spread of salmon lice and viruses. For Lerøy, ocean modeling is an integrated part of both operational decision-making and long-term site development.

Digital ocean modeling used by Lerøy Seafood Group

For us at Lerøy, the development of new technology, methods, and knowledge is central to our entire business. In collaboration with suppliers, we develop tools and technology to build an even stronger and more sustainable aquaculture operation.

Jenny-Lisa Reed, Lead Area and Site Development at Lerøy.

“It adds significant value to show how our customers actually use the technology in practice. We appreciate that Lerøy chose to share their experience – it clearly illustrates the power of combining data-driven tools with operational expertise,” says Hanssen.

The collaboration has also enabled Oceanbox to develop new platform features. The film highlights how close user involvement directly contributes to practical innovation and measurable value.

Ocean Titans – A global showcase

The World Ocean Council (WOC) is a global business organization dedicated to sustainable ocean development and Corporate Ocean Responsibility. The Ocean Titans documentary series highlights companies and leaders setting new standards for ocean use through:

  • Advanced technology
  • Industry collaboration
  • Sustainability-driven innovation

“Being recognized as an Ocean Titan is a major acknowledgment of what we are building. It confirms that our work has international relevance and gives us a platform to show how ocean technology can help address some of today’s most pressing challenges,” says Hanssen.

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IVC and Futurum Ventures join Oceanbox as new owners

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Investing in technology that delivers new insights and better decision support for aquaculture

Oceanbox, a leading provider of oceanographic modeling and simulation, has secured a significant investment from IVC and Futurum Ventures. The investment will support further development of the company’s technology, strengthen its position in the Norwegian market, enable international expansion, and accelerate the development of innovative and sustainable solutions for the aquaculture industry and other coastal industries.

“This investment marks an important milestone for Oceanbox. It allows us to further advance our modeling technology, enhance our services for customers, and strengthen our position as a critical decision-support tool for the aquaculture industry. The long-term commitment from IVC and Futurum Ventures validates our value proposition and our contribution to more sustainable use of the ocean. At the same time, our new owners bring valuable expertise that will be essential in the next phase of the company’s development,” says Svenn Hanssen, CEO of Oceanbox.

Innovative ocean modeling for a sustainable future

Oceanbox has developed advanced simulation technology for ocean currents that enables coastal industries to quickly understand and predict environmental conditions such as currents, temperature, and the dispersion of particles in the ocean. The technology empowers aquaculture companies to make better, data-driven decisions – both strategically and operationally – related to site planning, zone optimization, selection of production technologies, disease tracing, and more efficient operational management.

“Demand for Oceanbox’s services from the aquaculture industry has been strong for some time, and the feedback we have received from customers is compelling. Solutions that enable new sites, efficient and sustainable use of existing locations, and the adoption of new production technologies will become even more important going forward. The tool developed by the Oceanbox team addresses these needs in a unique, innovative, and future-oriented way. We are now looking forward to supporting the Oceanbox team as active owners in the next phase,” says Mats Malvig, Managing Director of IVC.

Team Oceanbox – 2025 w/Mads Malvig from IVC, and Lars Lydersen from Futurum Ventures

Positioned for continued growth

Looking ahead, Oceanbox will focus on further developing its modeling technology, increasing capacity, and strengthening its commercial focus and market position in Norway. This will lay the foundation for international expansion and continued growth across new regions and verticals.

The Oceanbox team has done an impressive job combining deep expertise in high-performance computing and oceanography to identify the optimal balance between model resolution, computational requirements, and customer value. We are investing in the team and the company to contribute to more sustainable use of coastal and marine areas, and we look forward to the journey ahead, says Lars Lydersen, Partner at Futurum Ventures.

With fresh capital and strategic support from its new investors, Oceanbox is well positioned to scale more rapidly and deliver even stronger solutions to both existing and future customers.

“We look forward to working closely with IVC and Futurum Ventures to realize our vision of making advanced ocean modeling easily accessible to everyone,” Hanssen concludes.