• When bad connections won’t cut it, Nodestream is built to step up
  • Harvest Tech has a three-year plan to make Nodestream a global name
  • The tech is being used for oil rigs, and in telehealth, defence and maritime

 

In critical situations, real-time video can make all the difference.

Take the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, for example. After an explosion on an offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, experts needed live video feeds to assess the damage and guide the response efforts.

But the problem was the site was deep in the ocean, far from reliable communication infrastructure.

As a result, video from remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and underwater cameras, while crucial, often struggled with terrible connectivity – dragging out the response when every second counted.

Fast forward a few years to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Healthcare teams in remote, infrastructure-poor regions desperately needed clear, real-time video to assist in diagnosing patients and advising local teams.

Unfortunately, the patchy connectivity in those areas made video communication difficult, resulting in delayed decisions… and deaths.

Then, there was 2017’s Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

After the devastating storm, the island’s communication infrastructure was crippled. First responders and aid organisations relied heavily on live video to assess damage and locate survivors.

But the poor connectivity left many areas without reliable video feeds, making it much harder for experts to get the information they needed in real-time.

These incidents highlight the critical role real-time video plays in crisis management. And they show how unreliable connections can get in the way when it’s needed most.

And that’s exactly where ASX-listed Harvest Technology Group (ASX:HTG) believes its technology steps up to the plate.

 

Keeping connections alive and seamless

The team at Harvest has developed a communications technology it calls Nodestream, which is built to improve and change how industries can stay connected in the toughest of conditions.

Nodestream isn’t just for crises, though, says Harvest Tech – it’s being used in defence, vessels management, remote telehealth, and subsea missions, keeping the connection alive no matter how spotty the signal.

Nodestream can send video, audio, and data securely across networks that might seem impossible. It’s like a better, faster version of the internet’s standard protocol, TCP/IP, built right here in Australia.

But while Nodestream was already a hidden gem, it wasn’t reaching its full potential.

Which is why Ilario Faenza, a “turnaround specialist” stepped in as CEO. He was brought in to make sure this technology doesn’t stay in the shadows and reaches its “game-changing” potential.

 

‘Why isn’t it everywhere?’

Under Faenza’s leadership, the company is on a three-year mission to turn everything around, boost profits, and get Nodestream in the hands of more customers globally.

After joining the company in January 2024, his first big move was to roll out Nodestream Live – a SaaS version that lets clients hit the ground running and go live on their own hardware in hours, not weeks.

This, he told Stockhead, opens up a whole new world of opportunities, as clients can now get up with zero downtime and start using this technology wherever they need it.

I was sceptical at first,” said Faenza. “But I’ve got a network engineering background, and frankly, the tech amazed me.

“And I equally couldn’t believe it hasn’t been properly commercialised.

“Why isn’t it everywhere?”

 

Who uses this thing?

Nodestream Live is built to handle video surveillance in places with ‘spotty’ connections and low bandwidth.

This cloud-based platform pulls in video from multiple devices, letting you manage it all in one simple system.

It streams up to 16 channels, even at just 500kbps, so you get crystal-clear video no matter how bad the connection.

Source: Harvest Technology

 

Harvest says it’s a plug-and-play, no complicated setup. Just log in and go. Also, it works with most video formats, so you can skip the tech headaches.

Industries like defence, oil and gas and emergency services, where quick decisions matter, could really benefit from this tech, said Faenza.

He added that the launch of Nodestream Live is a significant milestone for the company, with many customers having participated in the beta trials.

“I see Nodestream Live as a key asset for securing enterprise and government clients worldwide.”

 

Case study for Nodesteam

Imagine you’re a vessel operator, and everything’s running smoothly, until you hit an unexpected issue or need to do a routine inspection.

Traditionally, you’d have to schedule port calls and bring in experts to physically check on the vessel. That’s time-consuming, costly, and sometimes just isn’t feasible when you’re out at sea.

But Nodestream allows you to stream high-definition video and audio in real-time using incredibly low bandwidth – ideal for exactly those poor-quality network connections out at sea.

With Nodestream, your team on land can inspect everything remotely, allowing you to collaborate live with engineers.

 

 

Three-year plan on track

The company has recently made its move into Europe with the incorporation of Harvest Technology Europe in Ireland.

“It was a natural evolution, and Ireland, being part of Europe, allows us to be compliant with European clients who prefer to contract with a European entity,” said Faenza.

Harvest has also teamed up with Pulsar International, sealing a reseller agreement to bring the cutting-edge tech to a global market.

“Pulsar has a strong presence in maritime and now, with Nodestream, they can integrate our solutions from the start of projects, as well as offer it to their existing maritime customers.”

In the meantime, the company is making good progress on its three-year plan to hit profitability by FY27.

Its latest Q2 FY25 results show cash receipts up 37% to $672k, and revenue up 32% to $689k – proving the plan is progressing as intended.

“While we are still in the early stages, the cost reduction, increase in recurring revenue percentage, and resulting margin increase are ahead of plan,” Faenza noted.

The company has raised $3.065 million through convertible notes, and secured an order from a ‘Five-Eyes’ defence partner for Nodestream Integrated devices.

“Focus is, of course, on revenue growth and supporting our reseller partners to secure new customers,” emphasised Faenza.

 

At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While Harvest Technology is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this article.

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