SBIR Phase I: Key 360 Species Survival Database (K3SS)

The broader impact of this SBIR Phase 1 project is to create a more collaborative and efficient way for scientists to combat species loss. The project proposes to create the a centralized database for a complete view of all of the issues affecting species survival which can be tracked in real-time. This project will allow scientists to expedite their research while offering the public more transparency about environmental data. The company aims to provide a high level of transparency about what factors are directly and indirectly affecting species survival and provide actionable steps that businesses, organizations, governments, and individuals can take to make a difference that they can see in real-time, and model well into the future. They seek to democratize conservation and bring new skills, people, and funding streams to the science and practice of conservation. This SBIR Phase 1 project consists of the development of a comprehensive database, which exists in the cloud, that encapsulates all of the factors that affect biodiversity. The project will result in a robust data system that can host and pull environmental data from all over the world, track the populations of the world’s species, and measure conservation support and influence from the general public. The project will also allow users to query data in the cloud and use artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to further their research. The project will track both scientific data and data about support efforts from conservation organizations and the general public. The tracking of these factors will inform decision-making bodies on what methods are most effective in preserving biodiversity. The core technical risk to be addressed through Phase I research and development is standardizing diverse qualitative and quantitative data so that they can be used together. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.