About BLUEiQ

Transforming undersea sound into actionable intelligence

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The BLUEiQ Team standing on a dock.

What we do

At the heart of our team lies a dynamic blend of seasoned professionals and visionary innovators, committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and business development.

Our team is composed of veterans in business development and technical leadership, boasting extensive experience across relevant sectors. We bring unparalleled expertise and strategic insight, ensuring robust growth and sustained success.

We are driven by a proven track record of innovation and entrepreneurship within the technology domain.

Our passion for innovating new solutions and ventures fuels our commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

Our strength lies in our ability to cultivate and lead high-performing teams. We are dedicated mentors and adept team builders, fostering a culture of collaboration, growth, and achievement.

As wizards in technological innovation, we are at the forefront of driving advancements in the field of sensors and sensing. Our relentless pursuit of cutting-edge solutions propels us to set new standards and shape the future of technology.

BLUEiQ’s s based in Boston, Massachusetts, Newport, Rhode Island, and Gulfport, Mississippi

Our Values

Innovation

Leveraging advanced AI and edge computing to create cutting-edge solutions for underwater acoustic monitoring.

Experience

A wealth of knowledge and expertise in marine technology, defense, and environmental monitoring.

Commitment

Focused on protecting marine ecosystems, enhancing port security, and improving operational efficiency.

Collaboration

Working closely with customers to tailor solutions that meet their specific needs and challenges.

Meet the Founders

Sea-Level Experts

At BLUEiQ, we are charting new frontiers in acoustic AI sensing and edge intelligence, redefining how we understand and interact with the underwater sound world. Our team is a fusion of seasoned experts, visionary innovators, and relentless problem-solvers, united by a mission to push the boundaries of technology for defense, maritime security, and biodiversity intelligence.

Kim Gavin, CEO
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From space satellites to seafloor sensing, Kim has spent 20+ years pushing the boundaries of sensor innovation, tech transition, and strategic growth across government, industry, and think tanks. A leader in emergent technologies, she thrives on turning cutting-edge research into real-world impact. As a mentor ambassador for women in science and technology, she’s not just shaping the future—she’s driving BLUEiQ to redefine persistent sensing with innovative impact.

Rob McGurrin, CTO
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With 20+ years of expertise in underwater acoustics and signal processing, Rob leads the technical development of OpenEar technology, driving innovation from R&D to real-world deployment. A proven innovator with patented advancements, his work bridges cutting-edge AI sensing with practical solutions. Passionate about maritime domain awareness and noise pollution reduction, Rob ensures BLUEiQ’s technology is both impactful and mission-driven.

Awards

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August 1, 2024

2024-2025 Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) Incubator

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August 29, 2024

2024 Office of Naval Research (ONR) RISE-UP Technology Implementation Award - Winner

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October 7, 2024

2024 Ocean Exchange Award - Finalist

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January 15, 2025

BLUEiQ Awarded CRADA by NOAA in January 2025

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Testimonials

A Ripple Effect

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HSWRI is collaborating with BLUEiQ to track bottlenose dolphins living in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, now at risk due to human-generated pollutants. BLUEiQ’s cutting-edge OpenEar software-defined recording system is the best solution available to help us. BLUEiQ is pushing the boundaries of low power and AI technology within the field of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM). As a team, we are planning a PAM-based observatory to track dolphins using their vocalizations as they move up and down the IRL. We may be able to monitor behaviors and identify individuals, assisted by BLUEiQ’s AI. BLUEiQ’s go-the-extra-mile participation and innovation has led to significant advancements in multi-use applications of OpenEar. Not only is it ideal for PAM, its low-power real-time sensing capabilities, enhanced by AI, make it a valuable tool for environmental monitoring and port/harbor security.
Ann Bowles Chief Scientist
Hubbs Seaworld Research Institute (HWRWI)
I worked with Kim and Blue IQ as a mentor in the Blue Institute Excelerator in 2024. Kim is smart, thoughtful, diligent, driven and eager to exploring options to apply her technology. I plan to continue working with Kim to advance the company. This is a team that will succeed.
Kate Putnam Managing Director
Golden Seeds
Participation in the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport, RI demonstration highlighted BLUEiQ as a premier innovator in real-time actionable intelligence with OpenEar, our software-defined hydrophone solution for persistent, autonomous, ubiquitous marine sensing and monitoring.
Providence Business Journal
Kim and Rob are a great team. They know each other and know their space, as they have a long history of working together on innovative applications for passive listening technology. Super diligent and hard working, super collaborative and appreciative of mentor inputs, and their product has huge potential for environmental protection applications (which I care about a lot). I'm excited to see them succeed in building BLUEiQ!
Megan Pillsbury CEO
Dunya Analytics
I am the program manager for the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Blue Navigator Business Accelerator and the Unmanned Coast US Small Business Administration Regional Innovation Cluster. I was on the selection committee that chose BLUEiQ for one of 6 spots from a nationwide pool of over 200 blue economy startups for our intensive, results-focused accelerator. During the 4-month program, BLUEiQ developed local projects for port security, national defense, marine mammal protection, and aquaculture. Their unique acoustic technology has broad applications and they showed an amazing ability to pivot to different customer needs in a variety of domains avoiding the mentality of "when you have a hammer every problem is a nail" that so often is a challenge with startups. I can emphatically recommend BLUEiQ when you need results and the environment is challenging. Even though their OpenEar product is housed in a ruggedized case, their thinking and solutions are way outside of the box.
Joel Lawhead, PMP, GISP Director at NVision, Director
Gulf Blue
I am excited to be working with BlueiQ to see how their technology can benefit our animal care at Mississippi Aquarium. They are responsive, interested in helping, and eager to use their technology to benefit humans, animals, and the environment.
Alexa Delaune Chief Scientist and Veterinary Medicine
Mississippi Aquarium

Wave-Making Allies

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