A: Hey there! Have you heard the news?
B: Not yet, what's up?

A: So, there's this cool startup called Aquawise based in Bangkok. They're working on a solution for aquaculture farmers in Southeast Asia who struggle with monitoring water quality due to expensive methods.

B: Really? That sounds important! How do they plan to help?

A: Well, instead of hardware purchases like sensors or water testing kits, Aquawise uses AI and existing satellites. They take satellite images of fish and shrimp farms and analyze the water quality continuously. Things like temperature, chlorophyll levels, and oxygen levels are all monitored.

B: That sounds amazing! And it's better than traditional methods because they only monitor daily or weekly, right?

A: Exactly! Plus, Aquawise offers tracking and predictions too. Did you know that water quality is crucial for aquatic life just like how we humans need clean air to breathe?

B: I didn't know that! So, what happens if the water quality isn't optimal?

A: It can cause stress and diseases in the livestock. Patipond Tiyapunjanit, the CEO of Aquawise, explained it like this: "It's like being a human: You have to breathe. The aquatic life, they are living in the water all the time. If the water quality does not stay at the optimal level, it could cause the stress, it could cause disease outbreak, and a lot of things."

B: Wow, that's serious! And this tech will be showcased soon?

A: Yeah, they'll be showcasing it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. It looks like Aquawise has been doing well so far and they even won a competition in 2024. The idea for the company started from a love of shrimp! Isn't that cool?

B: That's really fascinating! I hope this tech helps those farmers out!

A: Me too, it has the potential to improve livelihoods and food production in Southeast Asia. Aquaculture is projected as one of the best ways to help feed 10 billion people in coming years due to its low emissions and high nutrition.

B: Wow, I had no idea. Keep me updated on this!

A: Will do! It's exciting to see innovative solutions like Aquawise making a difference in the world.