Ike-jime meets AI: How Shinkei is reinventing humane seafood processing

Shinkei Systems is transforming seafood harvesting by combining robotics and computer vision with traditional fishing practices. The startup works directly with fishermen in Alaska’s Cook Inlet to automate the harvesting process immediately after each catch, helping preserve freshness, extend shelf life, and maintain quality.

“Scaling” through investment 

Founded by CEO Saif Khawaja and CTO Reed Ginsberg in 2021, Shinkei Systems raised a $1.3 million pre-seed round in 2022. In April 2024, the startup secured a $6 million seed round led by Cantos, with participation from 8VC, Carya Venture Partners, and Undeterred Capital. The company then secured its largest financing in June 2025, raising $22 million in a funding round co-led by Founders Fund and Interlagos. 

How Shinkei modernizes ike-jime

Shinkei Systems combines artificial intelligence, robotics, and computer vision to modernize the traditional Japanese ike-jime, a method that humanely dispatches fish. 

The technique works by quickly destroying the brain and spinal cord of the fish to minimize stress and reduce the buildup of lactic acid and other compounds that can degrade meat quality. When combined with thorough bleeding and rapid chilling, the technique preserves cellular energy, delays the onset of rigor mortis, and slows bacterial growth. 

After processing the fish, a refrigerator-sized robot, Poseidon, identifies each fish species, locates the brain and gills, and completes the harvesting process in about six seconds, helping preserve freshness from the moment of capture. The result is seafood with a longer shelf life, firmer texture, cleaner flavor, and richer umami compared with fish harvested using conventional methods.

From validation to commercial deployment

In collaboration with the University of New Hampshire, Shinkei validated the technology and demonstrated that its robotic harvesting process can reduce drip loss by up to 20% while doubling shelf life. The company has also developed NERA, an AI-powered quality control platform that analyzes biological markers in real time to predict fish quality and shelf life. Future prototypes are also expected to automate the shinkei-jime spinal cord treatment, further enhancing seafood quality and consistency. 

Instead of selling its technology, Shinkei deploys Poseidon robots on fishing vessels at no cost and purchases the harvested fish directly from fishermen at premium prices. Based on feedback from fishermen, Shinkei introduced the Block 2 robot, which cuts the machine’s footprint in half while doubling processing speed to better fit limited deck space. Each unit also features a SpaceX Starlink connection, enabling over-the-air software updates and onboard internet access.

Bringing robot-harvested seafood to market 

The company processes the harvested catch and markets it under its Seremoni brand. To support its growing operations, the company acquired a 16,000-square-foot processing facility in Tacoma, Washington, and expanded distribution through high-end retailers such as Erewhon and Happier Grocery, as well as Michelin-starred restaurants including Atomix, Sushi Zo, and Providence.

Shinkei currently operates four Poseidon robots on fishing vessels across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, processing thousands of pounds of seafood each week through its facilities in California, Washington, and Massachusetts. The company plans to deploy 10 additional robots over the next year while expanding into the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, where it has begun working with Cook Inlet fishermen to introduce robot-harvested sockeye salmon.

Shinkei Systems: Patenting Activity

Shinkei Systems holds three patent families focused on automated fish processing. Collectively, the patents cover complementary aspects of the technology, including robotic fish handling, process automation, and machine-guided harvesting, demonstrating an effort to build intellectual property protection across the platform’s core technologies.

Automating precise and humane fish harvesting 

Conventional fish harvesting presents challenges for both automation and seafood quality. Live fish move unpredictably, making precise processing difficult, while traditional harvesting methods often expose fish to prolonged stress that reduces meat quality, shelf life, and flavor. Humane harvesting also remains technically challenging because a fish’s small brain and slippery exterior make accurate targeting difficult. 

To overcome these challenges, U.S. Patent No. 12,193,447 introduces a robotic fish fixturing system that securely restrains live fish while enabling continuous real-time analysis. The system uses a clear, flexible restraining material that immobilizes the fish without obstructing cameras or other vision sensors.

Using these real-time measurements, the system guides a precision drill to deliver controlled brain strike while minimizing the risk of tool slippage on the fish’s slippery surface. By integrating transparent fixturing, AI-driven analysis, and precision robotics, the invention automates key steps of the ike-jime process with consistent positioning and precision.

The patent, titled “Systems for automated fish processing”, was filed on March 11, 2024, and was granted on January 14, 2025. The listed inventors include CEO Saif Khawaja; Joseph Stephens, and Zhifei Shen.

Adapting to variable sized seafood

Fish vary significantly in size, shape, and anatomy, not only across different species but also among individual fish of the same species, making consistent processing and automation difficult. Automated robotics processors must also be able to  accurately identify and sort fish by species and size to comply with fishing regulations, adding complexity to harvesting operations.

Building on its automated harvesting platform, U.S. Patent No. 12,550,904, focuses on automating the exsanguination, or bleeding, stage of fish processing. The system combines computer vision, AI, and precision robotics to analyze each restrained fish and calculate a customized cutting trajectory based on its size and anatomy. 

Rather than relying on fixed cutting paths, the system dynamically determines the optimal entry point and cutting angle to efficiently remove blood while preserving valuable fillets. By adapting to each individual fish, the technology improves bleeding consistency, maximizes harvestable meat, and further enhances the quality of the final seafood product.

The patent, titled “Systems and methods for automated fish processing” was filed on October 15, 2024, and was published on February 17, 2026. The listed inventors include CEO Saif Khawaja; and Zhifei Shen. 

Legal Representation for both patents was provided by Jeffrey Schox  and Diana Lin from Schox Patent Group.