🎙️ Upside Chat with Trond Are Gjone, CEO of Fishbuddy, a Leading Company Revolutionizing the Fishing Business.

Today we have the honor of interviewing Trond Are Gjone, CEO of Fishbuddy, a leading company revolutionizing the fishing business.

Fishbuddy gives fishermen a better shot at catching fish. They have 861,000 downloads. What they do is not crowd-sourcing information about where other people catch fish; instead, they tell fishermen where the best fishermen would like to go fishing. One of the key ideas came from Trond’s co-founder, Asgeir Alvestad, Scandinavia's best fisherman, who told him, 'Just give me an accurate map of the seabed, and I'll tell you what to catch wherever.' That inspired him to turn his knowledge into an app. It’s knowledge-based, and with that, they are able to apply machine learning and AI to improve the experience.

Click on the bottom below to check out Fishbuddy deck:

Picture: Fishbuddy mobile app using AR and AI.

Picture: Fishbuddy mobile app using AR and AI.

They also have a patented feature where fishermen can take a picture of a fish, and it will give them essential details like species, length, weight, and more. This technology is now being used by the Norwegian Coast Guard to measure and monitor catches during ship inspections.

Here is a video where Trond explains the Fishbuddy app, the value proposition and how it works:

Picture: Fishbuddy

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on his background, his company and product, the benefits for sports organizations and teams to use his product. We also talked about his competitive advantage, business model, and his plans for the next 12 months.

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Trond located at the top of this blog post.

Here are the quotes from the interview with Trond:

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Q1. Tell me about your background.

• "I've had about 20 years in international sports in sports such as soccer or football as we call it in Europe. I've spent 15 years working around the world in that space and about five to six years in rowing at an international level, including some work with the Olympics as a manager. On top of that, I’ve been involved with startups".

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Q2. Tell me about your company and product.

• "No one gives a better shot at catching fish than we do. We have 861,000 downloads right now, which is amazing. What we do is not crowd-sourcing information about where other people catch fish; instead, we tell you where the best fishermen would like to go fishing. One of the key ideas came from my co-founder, Asgeir Alvestad, Scandinavia's best fisherman, who told me, 'Just give me an accurate map of the seabed, and I'll tell you what to catch wherever.' That inspired us to turn his knowledge into an app. It’s knowledge-based, and with that, we’re able to apply machine learning and AI to improve the experience."

• "We even have a patented feature where you can take a picture of a fish, and it will give you essential details like species, length, weight, and more. This technology is now being used by the Norwegian Coast Guard to measure and monitor catches during ship inspections. It’s a huge step for recreational and professional fishing alike."

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Q3. What are the benefits for your customers to use your product?

• "We don’t crowdsource; instead, we tell you where to go fishing using the knowledge of the best fishermen. This allows us to guide you to the same places these professionals would fish. Our app works for everyone, whether you fish once a year or ten times a day. That’s the main benefit—making fishing accessible and successful for all skill levels."

• "Another benefit is that we’ve made it incredibly easy for users to report their catches. Ninety-three percent of our users said that as long as it’s easy—like just taking a picture—they’re willing to report their data. This helps us collect valuable insights wherever people use the app."

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Q4. What do your customers like the most about your product?

• "Our patented technology, which we released just a year ago, has been a big hit. For end-users, the number one thing they love is how the app tells them where to go fishing. That’s the feature that’s been most popular over the last four and a half years. It’s all about providing actionable knowledge that makes their fishing experience more successful and enjoyable."

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Q5. Tell me about competitive advantage and business model.

• "Our competitive advantage is absolutely rooted in innovation. There’s not enough innovation in recreational fishing, and we’re changing that. We use algorithms, excellent maps, and a patented system to give users the best chance to succeed. For example, when lobster season starts in Norway, we tweak our algorithms to show the best spots for catching lobsters—a closely guarded secret in Norway. This innovation made a huge impact, with record downloads after we announced it."

• "Our business model is freemium. About 6% to 8% of our users pay for the premium version, which costs $12 a month or $49 a year. The free version includes half the species identification and access to core features like AI and AR technology, which also gather data for governments. The premium subscription unlocks additional features like the best maps, shipwreck locations, and protection zone alerts."

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Q6. About their new feature which allows to see where the best spots where in Norway to catch lobsters:

• "First of October is the start of lobster season in Norway, and we decided to tweak our algorithms to tell people where they have the best chance to catch lobsters. Lobster fishing in Norway is very secretive—knowledge passed down from father to son—but we made it accessible through our app."

• "I was happy to sit on a plane to the United States two days after we released the feature, seeing record downloads. On the 1st of October, we went live on Norwegian television announcing 220 000 lobster fishing spots, and all of them were accurate because the feature is knowledge-based, using good maps and algorithms."

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Q7. What are your plans for the next 12 months?

• "When we started four and a half years ago, we were a B2C company, helping people know where to go fishing using our technology. Now, with the involvement of the Norwegian Coast Guard and other opportunities, we see a bigger picture. For example, we could digitalize fishing licenses so that when someone catches a fish, they take a picture, and the data is automatically uploaded to the government. That would streamline everything for both users and authorities."

• "In the next 12 months, we’re entering the Techstars sports program to gain additional support, and we’re planning to open an office in the United States in partnership with a VC company. By 2025, we’re aiming to expand our presence in the U.S. market."

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Q8. Where is your mobile app available today?

• “Our mobile app is already available for download worldwide, including in the United States. However, we are currently live in specific regions such as Norway, Scandinavia, Germany, Holland, and Florida in the U.S. Regarding future expansion, we plan to open an office in the United States in partnership with a VC company and expand their presence further in the U.S. market by 2025”.

• “So, while our app is technically available in the U.S. now (with some functionality in Florida), our broader U.S. launch and expansion plans are targeted for 2025”.

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Q9. What is the best way to reach out to you?

• "The easiest way to reach me is through our website, fishbuddy.app, or on LinkedIn. My full name is Norwegian—Trond Are Gjone—so that’s where you’ll find me on LinkedIn. Alternatively, you can reach me directly on my cell at 95079500 in Norway. We’re always happy to connect and talk more about how we can collaborate or expand."

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