BlueiQ, a US-based company founded in 2023 by Kim Gavin and Rob McGurrin, is developing OpenEar™, a low-SWaP-C, AI-enabled acoustic sensing platform designed to enable large-scale distributed networks that listen to the ocean continuously—transforming ocean sound into real-time situational awareness at the edge. They were Finalists at Ocean Exchange in 2024.

Traditional ocean monitoring systems are often expensive and sparsely deployed. BLUEiQ takes a different approach, combining software-defined acoustics, edge AI, and ultra-low-power computing in order to enable scalable, persistent acoustic sensing.  Through this approach, BLUEiQ is building a distributed sensing layer for the ocean–enabling persistent maritime awareness for security and ocean stewardship.

Since attending Ocean Exchange, BlueiQ has continued advancing its OpenEar sensing networks, enabling:

• Detection of vessels and underwater vehicles
• Maritime domain awareness and port security
• Monitoring of marine ecosystems and biodiversity
• Persistent sensing across buoys, autonomous systems, and ocean infrastructure

Winning Formula: “Satellite constellations revolutionized how we see and map the Earth. Distributed acoustic sensing will change how we listen to and understand the ocean. At BLUEiQ, we transform ocean sound into intelligence—unlocking persistent awareness for security, safety, and stewardship,” said Kim Gavin, CEO, BLUEiQ.

Discover more about their mission and technology: https://www.blueiq.us/