Two Canadian tech firms, separated by thousands of kilometres, are weighing a partnership that could reshape how working harbours monitor their infrastructure—and potentially open doors across the Atlantic.
Maritime harbour intelligence company, Stellar Futures, explores collaboration with BC's EPIC Semiconductors
With advancing climate change, our aim is to help adapt and give the people responsible for working harbours better information about what needs attention today and what may become a problem tomorrow.”— Gary Stairs
BLUE ROCKS, NS, CANADA, October 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Stellar Futures is exploring coast-to-coast collaboration with European potential.
Maritime intelligence provider Stellar Futures Inc. is in early discussions with Vancouver-based EPIC Semiconductors to pair emerging sensing technology with practical harbour intelligence on both Canada’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts—while also eyeing joint research and demonstration opportunities in Europe.
“Harbours that use digital tools to reach their full potential can sustain livelihoods, support food production and anchor coastal communities,” said Gary Stairs, founder and CEO of Stellar Futures. “Our aim is to give the people responsible for them better information about what needs attention today and what may become a problem tomorrow. This potential collaboration could bring complementary Canadian capabilities together around that challenge.”
Stellar operates from Nova Scotia’s South Shore, a region dotted with 48 small craft harbours. That proximity gives the company direct access to working harbour environments and the people who manage their day-to-day realities. The proposed partnership would layer EPIC’s sensing technology—capable of measuring conditions on harbour equipment and infrastructure—onto Stellar’s maritime intelligence software, linking physical asset conditions to decisions about inspections, maintenance and operations.
“Stellar Futures is addressing an important mission: giving harbour operators earlier, better intelligence about the infrastructure they depend on,” said Wolf Richter, President of EPIC Semiconductors. “EPIC can extend that visibility directly into physical assets through always-on, real-time sensing, local processing at the sensing node and continuous communication – from harbours and coastal infrastructure to ocean and seabed assets, structures and construction environments. We are very pleased to support Stellar and see strong opportunities to build practical solutions, together in Canada and internationally.”
Stellar’s Harbour Atlas™ is built to organize asset records, condition information and maintenance priorities, while Harbour Sentinel™ focuses on operational awareness and earlier warning of emerging risks. EPIC’s sensing technology could feed real-time measurements from harbour equipment into those platforms, with processing at the sensing node to detect changes in asset condition and inform maintenance and operational decisions. An initial demonstration under consideration would zero in on a specific harbour asset and a clearly defined operational need. Results would guide decisions about broader deployment and potential applications within Stellar’s proposed Atlantic and Pacific Fisheries Harbour Intelligence Networks and Hubs.
The connection between the two firms emerged through the European Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership context, where EPIC identified Stellar and reached out. Discussions could lead to Canadian harbour applications and participation in a European consortium, with Germany and the United Kingdom among the locations under consideration. The European dimension offers a further opportunity to work with harbour operators, researchers and technology partners on shared challenges in coastal infrastructure and resilience.
“We are building Stellar from Nova Scotia with a national and international outlook,” Stairs added. “The needs of working harbours are deeply local, but many of the challenges are shared across coastlines.”
About Stellar Futures
Stellar Futures Inc. is a Nova Scotia maritime intelligence company developing Harbour Atlas and Harbour Sentinel to support safer operations, better asset planning and more resilient working harbours. Its mission is making harbours, boats and workers safer.
About EPIC Semiconductors
EPIC Semiconductors develops patented real-time sensing, edge-intelligence and digital-twin technologies for hard-to-access physical environments, with sensing, processing and communication extending directly to the sensing node. Applications include harbours, ocean and seabed assets, marine infrastructure, structures and construction.
Gary Stairs
Stellar Futures
+1 506-470-1000
Why it matters: This potential tie-up signals how Canadian maritime technology is evolving beyond standalone software into integrated, sensor-driven systems—and how Atlantic and Pacific firms may find common ground on shared infrastructure challenges. If the collaboration advances, it could establish a template for domestic partnerships that extend into international markets, particularly in Europe’s blue economy sector.
