Nominated for the Prize: Norway’s Most Innovative Company

Aqua Gen AS is one of six companies which have been nominated for the Research Council of Norway's Innovation Prize: Norway's Most Innovative Company for 2010. This is the first time a company from the aquaculture sector has been nominated, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Aqua Gen.

Over many years Aqua Gen has had high R and D activity. Several times the company has shown the ability to acquire new knowledge which has been used to develop new and innovative products with a large marketing potential.

Aqua Gen has, among other things, developed a genetic test which quickly shows if a salmon has good resistance to the IPN virus. IPN in salmon is a serious global problem in the aquaculture industry. In Norway alone over 250 outbreaks of disease are registered each year, often with high mortality and a great economic loss. Aqua Gen has, based on their findings, launched "QTL Eggs". These are eggs from salmon which have been tested for the relevant disease resistance gene and which thereby give offspring which are nearly immune to the virus.

The market potential for the eggs is quite high, both nationally and internationally. The first QTL eggs were delivered to the aquaculture industry in the fall of 2009. Results so far are very promising for aquaculture companies, which have had large economic losses for years as a result of IPN.

The Prize, will be awarded for the fourth time to companies which develop new products and services through research, create wealth, jobs, and welfare. The Prize is intended to motivate toward increased research in industry through drawing attention to good examples of innovative companies which contribute to making Norway attractive in an international perspective. This is the first time a company from the aquaculture sector has been nominated.

The six companies which have been nominated as "Norway's Most Innovative Company" are:

Abilia AS

Aqua Gen AS

Energy Micro AS

Seabed Rig AS

SquareHead Technology AS

TiTech AS

The companies operate in the following areas: aids for the handicapped, salmon genetics, microelectronics, environmentally friendly drilling technology and waste sorting.

The winner will be elected based on a voting from more than 1,000 business executives and announced at Oslo Consert Hall on September 28th 2010.