The Wildlife Conservation Society has been selected as a winner of the 2024 Amazon Web Services (AWS) IMAGINE Grant.
The grant will enhance WCS’s MERMAID platform, accelerating use of cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools to quickly analyze coral reef underwater images, which supports governments in identifying and protecting the most climate-resilient reefs worldwide.
The platform was named a winner in the Go Further, Faster category which recognizes highly innovative projects using advanced cloud services. WCS will receive up to US$150,000/~€142,665 in unrestricted funding, up to $100,000/~€95,110 in AWS Promotional Credits as well as engagement with AWS technical specialists.
Proposals were judged on several factors, including the innovative and unique nature of the project, impact on mission-critical goals and clearly defined outcomes and milestones.
Dr. Emily Darling, director of coral reef conservation at WCS and co-founder of MERMAID, said:
“As climate change and biodiversity loss intensify, coral reefs and the one billion people who depend on them are on the frontlines of global crises. Through our collaboration with AWS, MERMAID will harness cutting-edge machine learning and cloud infrastructure to empower coral reef scientists worldwide, enabling faster analysis and automation of critical underwater monitoring workflows.”
While Allyson Fryhoff, managing director of nonprofit and nonprofit health at AWS, added:
“At AWS, we’re inspired by the nonprofit sector’s unwavering commitment to preserving the dignity and health of people and our planet. Our Imagine Grant winners are pioneering groundbreaking, technology-driven approaches that will amplify their mission impact and build a more equitable and compassionate world. We are thrilled to work alongside these organizations, helping them leverage the transformative capabilities of the AWS Cloud to bring these projects to life.”
