Technology concept and benefits
Gintautas Narvilas, Director and co-founder of AquaQLT, emphasises that the idea emerged from practical experience, as a KU research team has been cultivating Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) since 2018.
“Through hands-on work, we realised that Europe lacks efficient technologies for this type of aquaculture. The biggest challenge is the enormous space requirement and the associated infrastructure and energy costs. A vertical, multi-layer closed tower significantly reduces land use and heat losses, making locally grown, fresh shrimp a realistic solution,” says Narvilas.
The core concept of the Shrimp Tower is a multi-layer ‘floor’ system within a single cylindrical tank. Each layer functions as a separate ‘tank within a tank’, allowing several times more effective production area within the same footprint and, consequently, a higher shrimp yield. The closed structure isolates the farming environment from external conditions, reducing water evaporation and heat loss. The cylindrical shape improves water circulation and even flow distribution, while also enabling automated water drainage during harvesting. Calculations show that this design can reduce space requirements several-fold and significantly lower energy consumption for water heating, thereby reducing overall investment costs for a farming system capable of producing approximately 25 tonnes of white shrimp per year.
“Klaipeda University strategically invests in the entire research, experimental development and innovation chain – from idea to market-ready product. The European patent granted for the Shrimp Tower is a mature outcome of this process. A new technological solution means greater security of local food production and reduced dependence on imports,” says KU Rector Prof. Dr Artūras Razbadauskas.
The technology incorporates a smart monitoring system and a unique injection-based feeding technology supported by proprietary software. Feed is portioned and delivered together with water, preventing air bubbles, safeguarding the welfare of sensitive animals, and improving uniformity of growth performance. The Shrimp Tower is fully compatible with recirculating filtration systems and can also be operated outdoors, eliminating the need for costly building infrastructure. AquaQLT plans a product line of three tower sizes – small, medium and large – enabling adaptation to farms of different capacities and investment strategies.
KU Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Assoc. Prof. Dr Laura Šaltytė-Vaisiauskė highlights the broader mission of university spin-offs:
“Spin-off companies allow scientific ideas to become real products. AquaQLT is an example of how biological and engineering expertise is transformed into a market-relevant technology. The University systematically supports teams from prototype to competitive product by providing access to infrastructure, experts and a network of partners.”
“The European patent fundamentally changes the conversation with investors and industry partners – it builds confidence that we are developing a solution with clearly defined intellectual property value. This opens the door to further licensing, pilot implementations and faster market expansion in regions where local origin and premium quality matter to consumers,” Narvilas adds.
Team and expansion in Europe
The AquaQLT team consists of three co-founders with clearly defined responsibilities. Gintautas Narvilas serves as CEO and coordinates technology development strategy and commercialisation. Chief Technology Officer Martynas Sprogys is responsible for engineering solutions, automation, and integration of the tower with recirculating systems. Business Development Manager Jonas Žolobaila focuses on partnerships, licensing models and geographic expansion. The company sees the greatest potential in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Nordic countries, where demand for locally produced, fresh and quality-controlled seafood is growing.
“Our goal is to provide farms with a technology that enables higher production in a smaller space, at lower cost and with greater predictability. That is why we continuously strengthen automation, remote control and advanced monitoring – from smart sensors to video analytics,” Narvilas concludes.
About AquaQLT
AquaQLT is a Klaipeda University spin-off developing vertical, closed-type shrimp farming solutions and smart aquaculture automation fully compatible with recirculating systems. The company focuses on increasing productivity, reducing energy and water consumption, and improving operational efficiency in commercial aquaculture farms.
