Ornella Hernandez hosts a compelling discussion at Hub71’s Impact Event 2025 in Abu Dhabi, an event dedicated to fostering innovation, sustainability, and growth. The focus is on showcasing breakthrough ideas that can significantly influence the future of business and society.
Ornella interviews Timothy Ng, Founder & CEO of SNAPP Ocean Data Solutions, and Marco Vinaccia, a Climate & Marine Protected Areas Expert. The conversation centers around their mission to preserve the world’s oceans through innovative technology. Timothy and Marco introduce their groundbreaking creation: a robotic fish designed to collect data from coastal ecosystems, particularly in regions that are difficult to access. This data is crucial for protecting nature from pollution and ensuring the health of marine environments.
As the discussion unfolds, Timothy and Marco express their excitement about the event, highlighting their goals of networking with other founders and potential partners to expand their impact globally. They emphasize their commitment to helping coastal communities and enhancing biodiversity around the world.
Ornella probes deeper into the workings of their technology, learning that their robotic fish has set Guinness World Records for being the fastest of its kind. Timothy explains how they leverage high-tech solutions to monitor vital ecosystems, including seagrass beds, mangroves, and oyster beds, ultimately aiming to improve the livelihoods of local communities.
The conversation shifts to the importance of data in understanding the current state of the oceans. Timothy stresses that many ecosystems can reach a critical threshold beyond which recovery is impossible. By gathering and analyzing data, SNAPP aims to create models that inform conservation efforts and engage with governments and conservationists to drive actionable change.
On a personal level, both Timothy and Marco share their perspectives on what impact means to them. Timothy reflects on his journey in engineering, driven by a desire to solve environmental challenges for future generations. Marco echoes this sentiment, viewing the climate crisis as the defining challenge of their time and aspiring to make a meaningful contribution to global change.