What if all it took to prevent ecological harm to our waterways was to wash a boat?
Matys Tessier, Olivier Liberge, and Maxime Guay co-founded Ozero Solutions with that goal in mind. Their small but committed team works to prevent aquatic invasive species from destroying lakes and rivers by preventing damage before it occurs.
INS
In 2020, Ozero Solutions entered the AquaHacking Program as a bold idea fueled by passion and purpose. At the time, they were just getting started, armed with energy, creativity, and a deep concern for freshwater health, but lacking the strategy to bring their vision to life.
Through the AquaHacking experience, Ozero gained far more than exposure. The structured program and access to expert mentors provided a crash course in startup fundamentals: market validation, product design, business modeling, and deployment strategy. Coaches helped the team refine their concept into a viable solution, while workshops and feedback loops pushed them to think critically about impact and scalability.
Winning the challenge was a turning point. With funding, visibility, and validation from AquaAction, Ozero transformed from a promising idea into a real company. The support they received didn’t just accelerate their growth. It gave them the confidence and credibility to pursue their mission at scale.
Their journey is a testament to what happens when vision meets opportunity and how programs like AquaHacking can turn early-stage ideas into environmental game-changers.
They set out from Val-des-Sources (formerly the municipality of Asbestos), where local water ecosystems were heavily threatened by Eurasian Watermilfoil. When authorities asked for help controlling the infestation, co-founder Tessier and his team realized the real opportunity wasn’t in cleanup; it was in prevention.
Rather than fighting invasive species after they’ve taken hold, Ozero focused on stopping their spread at the source. That insight led to the creation of boat washing stations: purpose-built installations that remove invasive plants, mussels, and other aquatic hitchhikers before they contaminate new ecosystems.
What They're Battling
Boats are the main vehicles for transporting these species, with recreational vessels responsible for about 90% of the spread. As they move from one lake to another, they often carry hitchhiking plant fragments, mussels, or other debris clinging to their trailers, hulls, or internal systems.
Ozero’s boat washing stations act as biosecurity checkpoints: Clean before you enter. Clean before you leave.
By intercepting threats before they travel, Ozero is turning the tide on aquatic invasive species, one boat at a time.
By intercepting these threats before they travel, Ozero is turning the tide on AIS, one boat at a time. Once a boat has been decontaminated, the owner receives a certificate, providing a layer of assurance for both the boater and local water management authorities.
Although Ozero's headquarters are in Quebec, their vision is much broader. With the goal of growing their network of washing stations, they are now focusing on Ontario and the northern United States.
It's more than just expanding the business for Tessier, Liberge, and Guay. It's about providing communities with the means to ensure that ecosystems remain intact, lakes and rivers remain healthy, and people remain connected to the waters they love. Ozero Solutions demonstrates what can happen when young entrepreneurs transform their passion into protection by fusing science, infrastructure, and prevention.