Ozero, AquaHacking BC ’20, presents to OBWB Board of Directors

Ozero was named the #1 team in the BC AquaHacking Challenge after the Final event on June 25, 2020.

Ozero is a team of senior undergraduates in mechanical engineering from the university of Sherbrooke in Quebec. The 6 students are working to prevent the propagation of aquatic invasive species (AIS). They have developed an innovative technology system that decontaminates recreational boats before they enter a lake. Their washing station allows municipal employees to manually wash the hull and the trailer with a pressure washer. Their system also allows for the interior parts of the boats like ballasts and live wells to be washed.  

Following the Final BC AquaHacking event, Ozero was invited to present their solution to the Board of Directors of the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB), which includes mayors from the 6 cities within the regional district. The meeting was on July 7, 2020.

Ozero presented their solution to the OBWB Board of Directors through a 10-minute pitch. The members of the Board were impressed with the solution Ozero presented. They explained that their municipalities are more eager to work in preventing the invasion of AIS then controlling it. They Board wanted to know when the product would be ready and how much it will cost. Ozero is currently testing their product with Quebec municipalities for the rest of the 2020 summer. They plan on selling washing stations starting in 2021. The Board asked them to keep them updated and to present their product once it is completely finished. To see the meeting minutes from this OBWB Board of Directors meeting, please click here. 

Next steps for Ozero this in summer 2020 involve testing their solution in Quebec. This will help them refine their product. On top of that, these tests will help them connect with potential clients. Once they are well established in Quebec, they will be able to launch their product in western Canada.