Satellites and IoT monitor biodiversity

Hula Earth

How could this scalable platform revolutionise conservation efforts?

Spotted: Biodiversity is a key measure of our planet’s health, but it’s under serious threat, with tens of thousands of species significantly declining in the last few decades alone. This threatens more than the environment – it undermines economic stability, with over half of the global GDP being dependent on nature’s services.

Traditional conservation methods – which use infrequent, manual field assessments – can’t keep up and fall short in capturing the dynamic and complex changes within ecosystems. A novel solution delivered by startup Hula Earth integrates real-time data from IoT sensors with satellite imagery, offering a scalable and continuous approach to monitoring biodiversity.

At the heart of this innovation is the Hula BioT, a lightweight, solar-powered IoT device purpose-built for biodiversity monitoring. Designed for ease of deployment and extended field use, these devices collect environmental data 24/7, and are currently able to identify over 6,000 species along with critical ecosystem changes. This on-the-ground data is then combined with satellite imagery to create digital twins of natural habitats. By merging local precision with large-scale observation, the platform enables organisations to monitor ecosystems, identify risks, and adapt conservation strategies proactively.

Hula Earth’s approach stands out due to its scalability and integration. Traditional monitoring methods, whether satellite-only or field-based, are often cost-prohibitive and lack the granularity needed for actionable insights. The BioT’s low-cost and long-range design, coupled with a web-based platform, bridges this gap, making biodiversity monitoring accessible to agricultural businesses, renewable energy projects, and conservation efforts alike. As Co-founder Florian Geiser, explains, “biodiversity loss is one of the defining challenges of our generation. We are convinced that technology can help organisations measure and manage their impact.”

Currently, the technology is pioneering biodiversity credits in Germany and supporting the creation of transparent markets for nature-positive investments. With over one terabyte of data collected across 400 hectares, the platform is proving its ability to scale. Geiser emphasises the larger vision: “The world needs to invest $967 billion annually to achieve nature-positive goals by 2030. Our technology provides the transparency and verification needed to channel this investment effectively.”

Written By: Oscar Williams