The Pacific Innovation Forum for Climate and Environment (PIFCE) 1st - 3rd July, 2026

DI Lab Inc.

Brief overview

DI Lab is a climate technology company specializing in AI-driven weather intelligence and climate risk analytics. The company develops advanced solutions that integrate satellite data, ground observations, and machine learning to deliver high-resolution, actionable climate insights.

DI Lab’s core platform, DICAST includes the AI Radar Map, which is designed to address critical data gaps and support decision-making in climate-vulnerable regions, especially when it come to precipitation information. The company works with governments, international organizations, and industry partners to strengthen climate resilience, improve disaster preparedness, and enable data-driven adaptation strategies across sectors, including agriculture and disaster risk management.

Your organisations goals

DI Lab provides AI-based climate intelligence solutions that transform fragmented weather and environmental data into actionable insights for decision-making. Its core services focus on integrating satellite observations, ground-based measurements, and advanced machine learning models to generate high-resolution, real-time climate information.

A key offering is the AI Radar Map, which produces radar-like precipitation data using satellite inputs, enabling real-time rainfall monitoring even in areas with limited radar coverage. This is particularly valuable for regions with sparse observation infrastructure, such as Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).

Complementing this is ClimaMRI, a diagnostic solution that analyzes climate risks by combining multi-source datasets to identify vulnerabilities, anomalies, and potential impacts across sectors. The platform aims to support governments and institutions in making informed decisions related to disaster preparedness, and climate adaptation.

DI Lab also provides system integration, data quality control, and capacity-building services to ensure that solutions are operationally sustainable and locally adaptable. By bridging the gap between data availability and usability, DI Lab enables stakeholders to move from reactive responses to proactive, climate-informed decision-making.

Describe your innovation

One of DI Lab’s key innovations is the integration of its AI Radar Map and ClimaMRI platforms to deliver both real-time monitoring and precision climate intelligence. The AI Radar Map uses satellite data and machine learning to generate high-resolution precipitation information in near real-time, effectively replicating radar capabilities in regions where physical radar infrastructure is limited or unavailable. This addresses a critical challenge in many Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), where geographic dispersion and high infrastructure costs make traditional radar deployment difficult.

ClimaMRI complements this by serving as a precision diagnostic tool, enabling users to assess exactly where, how, and to what extent climate risks will impact their operations. By analyzing both historical and real-time datasets, it identifies localized vulnerabilities, anomalies, and risk patterns. Rather than providing generalized climate information, ClimaMRI delivers tailored, context-specific insights, allowing governments, industries, and communities to make targeted and informed decisions.

A key feature of the solution is its emphasis on customization and localization. The platform is designed to be adapted to each country’s specific climate conditions, data availability, and operational needs, ensuring that outputs are directly relevant and actionable for end users. This is particularly important in PICTs, where climate risks and data environments vary significantly across islands.

Together, these systems support a wide range of climate-related challenges, including flood risk, water resource management, and climate impacts on agriculture and infrastructure. For PICTs, where communities are highly exposed to extreme weather and sea-level-related risks, access to localized, timely, and interpretable climate intelligence is essential.

This innovation is particularly relevant to PICTs because it reduces reliance on expensive physical infrastructure while leveraging existing global satellite systems. It enables rapid deployment, scalability across dispersed islands, and seamless integration into national systems. By combining real-time monitoring with precision diagnostics and tailored solutions, the platform supports both immediate response and long-term planning, helping governments and communities strengthen resilience and make more informed, climate-smart decisions.

How is this solution is innovative?

The solution is innovative in its ability to combine AI-based precipitation monitoring with diagnostic climate analytics into a unified, operational system. Unlike conventional approaches that rely on either satellite data or physical radar infrastructure, the AI Radar Map generates radar-equivalent outputs using satellite observations, overcoming infrastructure limitations in remote and island regions. ClimaMRI complements this by acting as a precision diagnostic tool, similar to medical imaging, identifying hidden risks, anomalies, and localized vulnerabilities. It moves beyond traditional data provision toward actionable intelligence, enabling users to understand not only what is happening, but why and what actions are required.

A key strength of the solution is its cost-effectiveness. In areas where traditional sensors are unavailable or difficult to maintain, the system can be supported by lightweight, low-cost IoT sensors. These require minimal maintenance while improving model accuracy, providing a practical alternative to expensive radar infrastructure. The integration of these systems enables both real-time monitoring and deeper analytical insights. Combined with its flexibility and strong focus on localization, the solution is highly adaptable across diverse environments, making it particularly suited for Pacific Island Countries and Territories.

How can the innovation be replicated and scaled up in other PICTs?

The solution is highly replicable and scalable across PICTs due to its reliance on satellite data and modular system architecture. Since it does not depend on extensive physical infrastructure, it can be deployed rapidly across multiple islands with minimal upfront investment.

Scaling can be achieved through institutional partnerships with national meteorological agencies, disaster management offices, and regional organizations. Collaboration with regional bodies and development partners can support integration into existing climate information frameworks and ensure alignment with national priorities. Subsequently, by linking with a data-driven revenue generation business model (BM),the service will secure stable revenue through subscription-based and contract-based models, ensuring sustainable funding for long-term service operation.

In addition, the service will be expanded across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and insurance through public-private partnerships (PPP), driving further business growth.

Capacity-building is a critical component of scaling. Training programs for local agencies and stakeholders ensure that the system can be operated, maintained, and further developed locally. By combining technical deployment with institutional strengthening, the solution can be effectively replicated across diverse island contexts while maintaining long-term sustainability.

How is the solution cost‑effective and affordable in the context of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs)?

The solution is designed to be cost-effective and affordable, particularly in the context of PICTs where financial and infrastructure constraints are significant. By leveraging satellite data and AI models, it eliminates the need for for extensive nationwide radar installation, reducing operational expenses, while still enabling full territorial coverage.

For end users such as local governments, communities, and MSMEs, the system provides high-value climate information without requiring significant upfront investment. During initial deployment phases, access can be supported through public funding or development programs, ensuring that critical information is available as a public good.

Over time, cost-sharing and subscription-based models can be introduced for institutional users, while maintaining affordability through tiered pricing structures. The system’s ability to improve decision-making—such as reducing crop losses, optimizing resource use, and enhancing disaster preparedness which translates into economic savings that outweigh the cost of the service.

This makes the solution not only affordable but also economically beneficial for end users, particularly in vulnerable and resource-constrained island settings.

Locations (country, island, or community) where this solution has been piloted and/or implemented

The solution is currently being piloted in Tonga, where a Proof of Concept (PoC) is underway in collaboration with the Tonga Meteorological Services (MEIDECC). This pilot focuses on localizing the AI Radar Map for the Tongan context by integrating data from the country’s newly installed weather radar system.

The objective is to enhance precipitation monitoring accuracy and develop a system that reflects local climatic conditions and operational needs. This effort is particularly significant given Tonga’s geographic characteristics as a small island nation with high exposure to extreme weather events. By combining radar data with satellite-based AI analysis, the project aims to improve real-time rainfall monitoring and strengthen early warning capabilities.

In addition, the solution is being piloted in the agriculture sector in Indonesia, where its applications are being tested for optimizing irrigation and managing climate risks such as floods and landslides. This includes collaboration with a private-sector partner operating palm oil farms, where localized precipitation intelligence is being used to support more efficient and climate-resilient operations.

In addition to Tonga, the solution is also being currently piloted in the Philippines in collaboration with PAGASA, where it is being adapted for national-scale precipitation monitoring and climate information services. These pilot implementations demonstrate the solution’s adaptability to both island and archipelagic environments, supporting its scalability across Pacific Island Countries and Territories.

Learn more:

https://kr.aving.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=1807269

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute

About

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute (AVOI) is a science-led, community-driven initiative advancing marine restoration, climate resilience and sustainable blue economy development in Vanuatu. Through its Havannah Harbour pilot, AVOI integrates Reef Ball deployment, artificial reef design, drone-enabled monitoring and workforce training via the Vanuatu Ocean Rangers. The model combines innovation and local stewardship to restore ecosystems, strengthen biodiversity and support climate adaptation. By linking technology, community engagement and practical delivery, AVOI is developing a scalable national framework that helps translate ocean policy into measurable outcomes, creating jobs, building local capability and supporting long-term environmental resilience across island communities.

Abyss Vanuatu Ocean Institute (AVOI) delivers integrated, science-led services focused on marine restoration, climate resilience and sustainable environmental management. Its core services include the design and deployment of Reef Ball artificial reef systems and managed vessel reefs to restore degraded marine habitats, enhance biodiversity and support fisheries recovery. AVOI also provides drone-enabled monitoring and survey services, using autonomous and manned systems to track climate impacts, support conservation planning and improve data-driven decision-making across marine and coastal environments.

A central component is the development of the Vanuatu Ocean Rangers program, which builds local workforce capability in restoration, monitoring, conservation and environmental stewardship. AVOI also supports Marine Protected Area (MPA) design, ecological baseline assessments and long-term monitoring frameworks aligned with national ocean policy objectives.

Through community engagement, eco-tourism integration and applied innovation, AVOI connects environmental protection with economic opportunity. Its Havannah Harbour pilot serves as a scalable model to deliver practical climate adaptation, strengthen ecosystem resilience and enable coordinated, whole-of-government environmental outcomes across Vanuatu.

The Innovation

One of AVOI’s key innovations is the integration of the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program with locally delivered marine restoration systems, including Reef Ball fabrication and deployment. This model combines workforce development, community engagement and practical restoration into a single, scalable framework designed for island environments.

Through structured Vanuatu Ocean Ranger Camps, over a 3 day period AVOI identifies and trains local Ni-Vanuatu participants in marine conservation, Scientific diving, restoration techniques, monitoring and stewardship. One aspect of the Rangers responsibilities is to support the fabrication and deployment of Reef Ball artificial reef systems using locally sourced materials and regional supply chains, significantly reducing costs and increasing local ownership. The approach enables degraded reef systems to be restored while simultaneously building in-country capability and employment pathways, guided by our National AVOI Play Book at its core.

This innovation directly addresses climate change by strengthening reef resilience, supporting fisheries recovery and enhancing coastal protection against storm surge and extreme weather events. It also improves ecosystem health, which is critical for food security and long-term adaptation in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).

What makes this model particularly relevant for PICTs is its practicality and scalability. It does not rely on high-cost external inputs but instead builds local capacity, integrates customary stewardship and aligns with government policy frameworks. The system can be replicated across islands using a consistent training, deployment and governance approach.

Supported by drone-enabled monitoring and AI self learning data collection, AVOI’s model provides a cost-effective, community-led solution that connects restoration, climate resilience and sustainable economic opportunity in a way that is both locally grounded and nationally scalable.

How is this solution innovative?

AVOI’s solution is innovative because it integrates community workforce development, marine restoration and applied technology into a single, scalable delivery model tailored for island environments. Rather than treating conservation, employment and climate adaptation as separate challenges, AVOI combines them through the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program and locally delivered Reef Ball restoration systems. This creates a practical pathway where communities are directly trained and employed to restore and monitor their own marine ecosystems. The model also incorporates drone-enabled monitoring and emerging AI-supported survey systems to improve data collection, ecological tracking and rapid response capability, including in remote and disaster-affected areas. This blend of low-cost, locally sourced restoration methods with advanced monitoring technology allows for both accessibility and scientific rigour. What makes the approach particularly innovative is its focus on scalability and replication. By developing a standardised training, deployment and governance framework, AVOI provides a repeatable model based on a National AVOI Play book that can be adapted across Pacific Island Countries, helping translate policy into measurable, community-led climate and environmental outcomes.

How can the innovation be replicated and scaled up in other PICTs

AVOI’s model is designed for replication across Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) through a structured, partnership-driven and capacity-focused approach. Following an initial two-year proof-of-concept in Vanuatu, AVOI will develop a refined National PICT Playbook outlining standard operating procedures (SOPs) and safe work method statements (SWMS), delivered in both English and Bislama, with visual and pictorial elements to ensure accessibility across diverse communities.

Scaling will be enabled through institutional partnerships with government agencies, regional bodies, scientific partners such as UTS, and local stakeholders, supported by blended financing models including public-private partnerships, eco-tourism revenue streams and conservation funding.

A key component is the development of a simplified, citizen science-based survey framework focused on key indicator species. This approach lowers technical barriers, enabling participation from communities with varying levels of formal education while strengthening data collection and stewardship.

By combining local workforce training, accessible science, and standardised systems, AVOI creates a practical, low-cost model that can be adapted regionally, empowering communities while supporting climate resilience, biodiversity restoration and sustainable economic development across PICTs.

Is your solution cost‑effective and affordable in the context of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs)?

AVOI’s solution is designed to be highly cost-effective and affordable for communities, local governments and small operators across PICTs. A core principle of the model is the use of locally available materials, including aggregates from regional quarries and, where appropriate, surplus or repurposed government materials. This significantly reduces construction and deployment costs for Reef Ball systems and associated infrastructure.

From an end-user perspective, the model lowers financial barriers by building local capability through the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger Camp Initiative and subsequent program, reducing reliance on external expertise and enabling communities to deliver and maintain restoration activities themselves. The integration of eco-tourism also creates revenue-generating opportunities that can help offset ongoing costs.

Affordability is further strengthened through the development of a streamlined cross-departmental approval pathway within the AVOI Playbook. By providing clear guidance on site selection, environmental considerations and standardised processes, local governments can reduce delays, duplication and administrative costs, enabling more efficient project delivery at scale.

Together, these elements create a low-cost, accessible and sustainable model that is practical for widespread adoption across PICTs.

Where is this being piloted?

AVOI’s solution is being piloted in Vanuatu, with Havannah Harbour (North-West Efate) identified as the primary proof-of-concept site, supported by a permanent operational and training hub at Lot 149, Lapita Estate. While over 1,000,000 Reef Balls have been deployed globally across more than 80 countries, this will be the first integrated deployment of this system in Vanuatu. The pilot combines initial baseline surveys across 12 regions using Reef Life Survey (RLS Methodology) prior to any deployments. Once 6 of the sites are selected for deployment we will deploy 50m x 10m of Reef Ball habitat restoration—designed as a 500+ year solution—, allowing us to. Continue to conduct 6 monthly replicated surveys in exactly the same 50m transects to demonstrate recruitment changes providing proof of concept. Together with the Vanuatu Ocean Ranger program, which trains and employs local Ni-Vanuatu to deliver restoration, monitoring and stewardship, supported by drone-enabled surveying, community engagement and eco-tourism integration. The approach is intentionally holistic, linking marine restoration, climate resilience, workforce development, local supply chains and government coordination into a single, place-based model. The Havannah Harbour pilot will be used to refine systems, demonstrate measurable outcomes and establish a scalable framework for national and regional replication across PICTs, through the development of our AVOI National Playbook, helping guide replication across all our satellite sites. Initial training will be conducted through AVOI Headquarters in Havannah Harbour, with Ranger selection conducted through a multi-day conservation camp where participant will all leave with new knowledge and appreciation for the terrestrial and marine environment, and Ocean Rangers selected for employment within the AVOI team at the conclusion of the camps.