A small Perth company is gearing up to protect the world's beachgoers from shark attacks.
Shark Mitigation Systems will make its debut on the Australian Securities Exchange at the end of March.
The four-year-old company is seeking to secure $4 million through the sale of 20 million shares at 20 cents each.
Co-founder and executive director Craig Anderson says investor interest is strong.
There were 33 shark attacks on Australian beaches last year, two of which were fatal.
An estimated record 98 shark attacks occurred globally in 2015.
"It's not just an Australian issue, it's a global issue and we hope to see our product out there," Mr Anderson told AAP.
SMS has developed two products to ward off sharks.
The first is visual technology built into marine apparel such as wetsuits, surfboards and kayaks to hide the swimmer in the water or make the shark think the person is a seal or unpalatable or dangerous food.
The designs, featuring thick stripes in a variety of colours, are based on SMS' research into shark vision, neurology and behaviour, which it has done in partnership with the University of Western Australia.
Surfwear brands Arena and Radiator are among the companies that hold licences to use the technology. SMS also sees potential for broader use of the technology on items such as diving air tanks and undersea cabling.
The company's second product is the "clever buoy", which detects sharks and sends a signal via satellite to alert lifeguards on the beach.
It is being tested at Sydney's Bondi Beach and will enter the market later this year.
With only four staff, SMS is small.
But mounting international attention makes Mr Anderson confident growth will be swift once the listing takes place.
"We've obviously scratched an itch globally for this area," he said.
SMS will use the $4 million raised when it lists on the ASX to fund research and development of other shark mitigation technologies.
"What we're trying to achieve is to put modern day science and innovation into trying to save lives," Mr Anderson said.
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