AquaTerra’s team possesses a diverse array of expertise in electronics, civil and geotechnical engineering, IT and software development, mechatronics, and business development, all fueled by the determination to turn their vision of smart farming into a reality.
The founders are the innovative minds behind the Australian Patent that serves as the foundation for the company.
Founder & CEO
Founder & CTO
Sensor Dev. / Hardware Lead
Infrastrucuture / IT Lead
Infrastructure / IT
Marketing & Bus. Strategist
CEO & Fieldwork Lead (co-founder)
Co-inventor of our soil moisture sensor patent, has extensive experience in civil engineering and project management. He completed a Certificate of Entrepreneurship at UoM in 2019 and participated in the TRaM and Farmers to Founders accelerator programs in 2022 and Beanstalk Studio in 2025.
Dr. Orangi manages field trials, coordinates with growers and agronomists, and oversees commercialisation strategy. His experience managing large engineering teams and multimillion-dollar projects, including the North-East Link, ensures operational precision and efficiency.
CTO (co-founder)
Prof. Narsilio is a renowned soil sciences academic and entrepreneur, recognised for leading multimillion-dollar projects. As Deputy Head at The University of Melbourne, he manages 40 staff and 250 PhD students, promoting a culture of excellence.
He also leads a team of 10 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in innovative research and development in his field and has been the project lead in the Australian Economic Accelerator grants facilitating AquaTerra's developments.
Sensor Dev | Hardware Lead
Passionate about the Heart of Robotics, specialising in Arduino and Raspberry Pi development.
Experienced engineer with a proven track record in the oil and energy industry. Strong engineering professional skilled in MATLAB, data structures, PSpice, C, and ETAP. Currently serving as Product Development Manager at Aerobotics Global and at AquaTerra. He helds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Melbourne.
Infrastructure | IT Lead
An emerging leader in distributed computing and cloud-based systems, closely aligned with our IT infrastructure needs. Collaborations with AquaTerra began in September 2022 to optimise computing and the sensor webapp's back-end.
She has a proven track record in enhancing back-end systems for large-scale scientific applications, securing over $750,000 in funding from partners like Samsung and Meta. Her expertise in cloud computing and data management is crucial for the IoT soil moisture sensors, ensuring a scalable and cost-efficient platform. With 5 years of industry experience and peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Read is an invaluable asset to the company's technical success. (not employed by AquaTerra)
Infrastructure / IT
With over 4 years of experience in full-stack development, Sean specialises in building scalable web applications and delivering robust backend solutions.
Passionate about clean code and continuous learning, Sean brings a collaborative spirit and problem-solving mindset to every project. At AquaTerra, he contributes to core product development, system architecture, and cross-functional initiatives that drive innovation and performance.
Marketing & Business Strategist
Sebastian Bourges is a Melbourne-based UX designer and strategist with over 20 years of experience delivering digital solutions that align user needs with business goals. He has worked across sectors like utilities, telecom, finance, logistics, and government, with clients including Qantas, ACCC, Telstra, Australia Post, and BHP.
Sebastian applies scientific methods, hypothesis and testing, to validate services before launch, focusing on simplifying complex systems for better user engagement. His projects include simplifying Energy Australia’s bills to reduce complaints and developing the MyToyota app for easier vehicle management.
