Aberdeen tech company advances subsea field with launch of AI program

Subsea asset integrity management software company Elementz has announced a new digital initiative to fast track the development of AI in subsea operations. 

Unveiled Wednesday, Sept 3 at Offshore Europe, the new AI accelerator program, Tide Breaker, aims to turn subsea innovation into real-world impact by connecting startups directly with industry data, infrastructure and expertise.

The program is backed by Elementz’s strategic advisory board, Compass, which was formed in May 2025 and includes representatives from energy operators Aker BP and Shell.

Designed to transform how artificial intelligence is developed, validated, and adopted across the subsea energy sector, Tide Breaker will enable AI startups to align with real operational challenges and provide subsea operators access to proven, integrated solutions that meet their evolving needs.

This initiative is also supported by ONE Digital Tech and The Data Lab.  The Data Lab is Scotland’s Innovation Centre for Data and AI and they will leverage their experience in running collaborative innovation challenges to act as a mentor for this ground-breaking initiative.  With ONE Digital Tech also supporting, Tide Breaker will benefit from connections into the regions wider entrepreneurial ecosystem and help ensure the program drives impact at scale.

Tide Breaker is built on the Elementz platform, a cloud-based SaaS solution for subsea integrity management, which provides the digital infrastructure for participating startups to develop and test their technologies.  Startups will work within a controlled sandbox environment using validated datasets and APIs, with the aim of creating tools in areas such as anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, and autonomous inspection.

Jason Brown, Elementz CEO, said Tide Breaker sets a new standard for AI in the energy industry, “Tide Breaker is a practical step toward making AI in subsea operations a reality. Startups often struggle to access real operational data or integrate with legacy systems.”

“This program gives them the tools and environment to build solutions that are tested, trusted, and deployable.”

The program is also shaped by Compass, which was established to guide Elementz’s product development in close collaboration with operators. Through Tide Breaker, Compass members will define technical challenges, mentor participants, and evaluate outcomes for field deployment.

Camilla Leon, VP Subsea at Aker BP and Elementz board member, said, “Tide Breaker represents everything Compass was built for, allowing operators to actively co-develop solutions with startups in a structured environment. It’s the kind of practical innovation the sector needs.”

“This is a fantastic opportunity for SME’s to establish lasting and impactful ventures, form new business models, innovate and explore supply chain partnerships alongside large operators. It provides them access to novel data libraries and vital connections to industry players that would otherwise be hard to form”.  Adam Turner, Head of Innovation, The Data Lab.

A formal launch of the Tide Breaker program will take place in October 2025, with applications opening at that time. Selected startups will enter the program by the end of the year and work through development and testing phases until mid-2026, followed by evaluation and commercial integration.