Zunibal wins Euskalit’s prestigious Quality Innovation Award 2023 in the Basque stage and advances as a finalist in the International phase.

• Zunibal consolidates its global leadership in innovation by receiving the EUSKALIT Quality Innovation Award 2023 of the Basque stage, in recognition of its outstanding technological contributions to boost sustainable tuna fishing through integrated solutions.
• The Quality Innovation Award (QIA), awarded by Excellence Finland since 2007, recognizes organizations that contribute significantly to the competitiveness, innovation and sustainable development of the Basque Country.
• The QIA award recognizes Zunibal’s contribution to the digital transformation of the fishing sector through the development of advanced AI tools, specifically in its application for more efficient and sustainable tuna fishing.

Derio, Vizkaya, December 19, 2023. – In a significant milestone for the sustainable fishing industry and technological innovation, Zunibal, with more than 25 years of experience in the sector, has been awarded the Basque phase Quality Innovation Award 2023 by EUSKALIT, the Foundation sponsored by the Basque Government to promote Advanced Management. This recognition consolidates Zunibal’s positioning as a world reference in the development of advanced technological solutions for sustainable tuna fishing and its ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

The recognition awarded to Zunibal has focused on the integration of disruptive tools based on artificial intelligence. The specific solutions are three: A mapping and cartography system that through the analysis of oceanographic data and fishing records allows the identification of the best fishing areas. Target species discrimination technologies through the use of Machine Learning, which allow defining whether the biomass detected under the buoy is tuna or not, avoiding the fishing of unwanted species, and a buoy trajectory prediction system that optimizes fishing routes, reducing fuel consumption and carbon footprint.

In the words of Ibone Rodriguez de Pablo, CEO and shareholder of Zunibal: “From Zunibal we thank Euskalit for this award, Quality Innovation Award, which not only recognizes our work to date, but also helps us to reinforce our commitment to achieve a more sustainable and healthier planet“.

The Quality Innovation Award, created in 2007 by Excellence Finland, is awarded annually on an international level, with the aim of boosting innovation and increasing the competitiveness of companies in Euskadi, which has participated since 2014 with EUSKALIT, and is a member of the QIA Advisory Board since 2021.

This award consolidates Zunibal’s position as a world reference in technology applied to integral solutions for sustainable tuna fishing, and strengthens its mission: to contribute to a more sustainable and prosperous future for the global fishing industry.

About Zunibal:

Founded in 1995 in Derio (Biscay), Zunibal (www.zunibal.com) has established itself as a benchmark in the field of innovation and development of advanced technological solutions dedicated to sustainable fishing and marine monitoring, fields in which research and development (R&D) play a crucial role. Specializing in the manufacture of satellite buoys for fishing fleets, Zunibal is committed to a technical and precise approach, ensuring solutions of the highest quality and efficiency. Its product offering not only meets the highest performance standards, but also aligns with the principles of sustainability and environmental responsibility, actively contributing to the conservation of marine resources.

Zunibal is a company owned by Nazca Capital since 2021 with the objective of continuing Zunibal’s ambitious growth project, taking advantage of the development of new solutions with great reception in the market and an important project portfolio. Nazca is a private equity fund management company, specialized in the Spanish low-middle market. Nazca leads its market segment, both in terms of the volume of transactions carried out and the returns obtained on its investments.