Dr Debbie Saunders is the founder, CEO, chief remote pilot and resident conservation ecologist at Wildlife Drones. Photo: Wildlife Drones.
Canberra’s innovation ecosystem has long been a producer of clever, connected organisations, and standing at the head of creative ideas coming out of the nation’s capital is the Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN).
The network recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with its largest Innovation Showcase to date, and success stories like this one were front and centre.
Dr Debbie Saunders went from a budding conservation ecologist and postdoctoral researcher to the driving force behind the most advanced animal tracking system in the world, all in just a few years.
Debbie’s passion lies in monitoring and managing threatened species. While researching the movements of critically endangered Swift Parrots back in the mid-2010s, frustration with sub-par monitoring technology drove her to develop her own solution.
“Swift Parrots are so small and mobile they’re almost impossible to track on foot, but at the time, they could only be tracked with tiny, very high-frequency radio tags,” she says.
“It meant researchers would have to trek massive distances with handheld receivers to search for each tagged bird, one at a time. This was unsafe and potentially a waste of time, but we had no other option.
“I decided to try developing a prototype of my own that would solve the problem using radio-telemetry drone technology.”
It was a resounding success and Debbie suddenly found herself with a prototype everyone wanted. But she never set out to start a business, so she knew she needed help.
Enter CBRIN.
Debbie reached out to the organisation in hopes of translating her idea into a reality and prototype into a finished product. In 2016 she pitched for a $30,000 Innovation Connect grant and was successful, marking the birth of Wildlife Drones.
“I’ll be forever grateful to CBRIN for their support,” Debbie says.
“If they were never in the picture, I don’t know if Wildlife Drones would be where we are today or have had as much of an impact on conservation efforts across the world.”
Today, Wildlife Drones empowers scientists and land managers to collect conservation data using radio-telemetry drone technology.
“Our technology is built in Canberra and used in eight countries across almost any biome you could think of, including desert, savannah, rainforests, wetlands, mountains and coastal plains.
“It tracks everything from invasive hornets to endangered birds, koalas and highly venomous snakes.
“Ours was the first technology of its kind in the world, and to this day, nobody else can do what we do, which makes me really proud.”
CBRIN recently celebrated their 10th annual Innovation Showcase at EPIC’s Fitzroy Pavilion, themed ‘Celebrating 10 Years of Impact’. Photo: CBRIN.
CBRIN puts on an Innovation Showcase each year to highlight the successes of program participants like Debbie.
It’s the network’s biggest event – an opportunity to network, pitch, explore and celebrate innovation as a driving force for local, national and international growth.
2024 marked CBRIN’s biggest Innovation Showcase yet, in honour of a decade spent supporting entrepreneurs, innovative businesses and researchers across the capital.
MC for the event, Colin Anstie, has a rich history with CBRIN. He’s been through a number of their programs himself and says the team is its own best success story.
“I first came across CBRIN when I was completing my masters,” he says.
“I was actually about to throw the towel in, but this incredibly passionate and knowledgeable group of innovators kept me going. I knew immediately that this organisation was something special.”
These days, Colin heads up RD Consulting, a local creative communications agency that services everything from government and universities to household-name brands and not-for-profits.
Colin says this year’s event at EPIC was defined by a buzzing atmosphere, electric talent and excitement for the year to come.
“It was sensational to see so many opportunities flowing for investment, partnerships and solid business growth,” he says.
“I’ve seen such success come out of what began as a small yet incredibly clever enterprise. In the few years I was there, I saw 120 companies go through CBRIN’s program and loads of positive change made in the community.
“I’m so proud to see this network standing as an integral part of the Canberra tapestry a decade after it first formed.”
Keen to start your own innovation venture? Get in touch with the Canberra Innovation Network.
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