Canadian snow crab under glass at Giant grocery store in Silver Spring, Maryland, on March 27, 2025. Photograph by Jason Huffman….
California, US-based venture capital NEC X has announced its investment in SeafoodAI, a startup using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve seafood traceability, it said in a press release.
The announcement coincides with SeafoodAI’s graduation from NEC X’s Elev X! Ignite accelerator program.
SeafoodAI’s flagship product, CrabScan360, uses AI-driven biometric scanning to automate crab measurement and sorting, replacing manual methods prone to error. According to the firm, this innovation improves traceability, streamlines compliance, and provides insights to operators in real-time, addressing inefficiencies that it claims cost the seafood industry an estimated $50 billion annually.
CrabScan360 said it aims to help producers meet the rising demand for sustainable sourcing. Major retailers, including Walmart and Whole Foods, plan to stock certified sustainable seafood exclusively by 2027.
The startup is also developing a scalable digital logbook and exploring expansion into tuna, salmon, and shrimp.
“With CrabScan360, we’re digitizing what was once a manual, labor-intensive process—bringing accuracy, transparency and trust directly to the seafood industry. The strategic investment and technical expertise from NEC X significantly accelerate our ability to drive meaningful change across seafood supply chains,” said Rob Terry, CEO and founder of SeafoodAI.