DigitalReefs founder Anne Cohen discusses entrepreneurship and digital twin application in coral reef management.

Last month, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) scientist and emerging entrepreneur Anne Cohen kicked off the Office for Technology Transfer’s (OTT) new series Pioneering Minds: Unleashing the Potential of Women Innovators and Entrepreneurs. Cohen discussed her project, DigitalReefs, and entrepreneurship at WHOI and shared how science drives impact in commercial applications.

DigitalReefs, a groundbreaking online public platform, harnesses the power of high-powered computing, cloud technology, and virtual reality. This unique combination creates a tool for coral reef management, conservation, and restoration. The project is funded through NSF’s Convergence Accelerator program, which supports teams in tackling societal challenges through research and innovation. Cohen’s team and partners from The Nature Conservancy, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Siemens, and Stanford strive to establish DigitalReefs as the premier tool for coral reef management in the 21st Century. 

Cohen provided a firsthand look at the DigitalReefs platform, showcasing how her team has successfully transformed extensive, complex data into a user-friendly solution. Using a common visual language, this innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize coral reef management. Cohen also shared her experiences with the NSF Convergence Accelerator, venture capitalists, and intellectual property protection at WHOI, highlighting the transformative power of science in driving innovation and impact.

For more information about DigitalReefs, please visit the DigitalReefs webpage here.