EQO utilizes environmental genomics and transcriptomics through eDNA and eRNA technologies to monitor and assess biodiversity, invasive species, and ecosystem health in freshwater and marine environments. The company provides precise insights into species composition and functional activity, enabling effective management of ecological challenges such as invasive species and habitat degradation.
Funding
$480K raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
MVFounders
Product
Problem
Monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem health in aquatic environments traditionally requires extensive manual sampling and observation, which is time-consuming, costly, and provides limited insight into the full range of species present. Detecting invasive species and assessing the impact of environmental changes on aquatic life is challenging due to the limitations of conventional monitoring techniques.
Solution
EQO employs environmental DNA (eDNA) and environmental RNA (eRNA) technologies to provide comprehensive monitoring and assessment of aquatic ecosystems. By analyzing eDNA, the company identifies a wide range of aquatic species, including invasive and endangered ones. The analysis of eRNA provides insights into the functional activity of organisms, offering a complete ecological picture of life and species diversity. This approach enables near real-time insights into aquatic organism activity, helping clients assess the success of restoration, biodiversity, and conservation programs.
Target Audience
EQO serves public and private sector clients, including engineering consultants, conservation groups, and government agencies, who require insights into biodiversity, invasive species, and ecosystem health for lakes, rivers, wetlands, and marine environments.
Features
- Species identification using advanced techniques like metabarcoding, NGS, microarray, and qPCR
- Analysis of both eDNA and eRNA to identify a wide range of aquatic species, from invasive to endangered
- Bioinformatics tools to monitor species abundance and activity in aquatic ecosystems
- Microbial presence analysis through advanced methods to provide insights into bacterial and archaeal biodiversity
- Support for biodiversity management in mangroves, estuaries, and coastal habitats
- Assistance with the restoration and recovery of lakes, rivers, wetlands, reservoirs, and other freshwater bodies