Ecodetect, a marine monitoring technology startup, has secured £490,000 in equity investment from a six-strong angel syndicate led by Bobby Williams, a member of the M-Sparc Angel Network, OnePlanet Capital, and the Wales Angel Co-Investment Fund. The funding will support scaling its technology, creating new jobs, and expanding alongside the United Kingdom’s renewable energy sector.
Developed at M-SParc, the eco-detection toolkit combines artificial intelligence and machine learning with specialist programming to automatically identify and record wildlife interactions with marine infrastructure using data from underwater imaging sensors. Renewable energy developers use the system to monitor and report environmental impacts as part of licensing and compliance requirements. Growth in offshore and floating renewable projects is increasing the volume of environmental monitoring data, creating demand for scalable solutions. Further development will include marine communication systems to improve how data is transmitted, processed and analysed.
Over the next six months, plans include strengthening the team and creating four new roles, alongside increasing capacity to deliver the technology at scale. Expansion is expected to align with the wider renewable energy market, including offshore wind, floating wind and tidal energy, with additional applications across aquaculture, fishing and other marine infrastructure.
Founded and led by managing director Dr David Gold, Ecodetect brings together expertise in offshore energy, marine wildlife and advanced technology. Experience from the energy sector has shaped the business around helping developers meet environmental obligations more efficiently while supporting marine conservation. The wider team combines technical, scientific and commercial capabilities, with recognition for eco-tech innovation in the United Kingdom and Europe.
This investment gives us the platform to grow the team, strengthen our technology and make sure we are ready to support the rapid expansion of offshore and floating renewables. There is huge momentum building in the sector and a clear need for robust, scalable monitoring solutions that can keep pace with that growth. We are proud to be building this business in North Wales. We want to create high-quality local jobs, contribute to the green economy and develop technology here in Wales that can be deployed internationally.
Ecodetect is working at the intersection of AI, marine science and renewable energy at exactly the right time. The business has developed a compelling solution to a real and growing challenge for offshore developers, and David has built a company with strong technical foundations and clear market relevance. I’m pleased to be joining the board and supporting the next stage of the company’s growth as it scales its capability and builds its presence in a sector with significant long-term potential.
Ecodetect’s success reflects the strength of the innovation ecosystem we are continuing to build at M-SParc. From early support through to investment, scale-up and global opportunity, this is a great example of how ambitious businesses can grow here on Anglesey. It’s particularly encouraging to see connections through our wider network, including angel investors, playing a role in this journey. Supporting companies like Ecodetect to scale from North Wales while creating high-value local jobs is exactly what we are here to do.
Ecodetect is a strong example of the kind of innovative Welsh business attracting investment from angel investors that the Wales Angel Co-Investment Fund is designed to support. The company is developing specialist technology in a sector with clear global demand, while also creating skilled jobs and contributing to the growth of Wales’ green economy. This investment also shows the value of bringing together experienced angel investors and public capital to help ambitious businesses build the capacity they need to scale.
