We are thrilled to share that Roxane Bandini-Maeder, Co-Founder and CEO of Geoneon, has been named the 2025 Tasmania Pearcey Entrepreneur of the Year by the Pearcey Foundation.
The award was presented at the Enterprize Tasmania Demo Day in Hobart by the Hon. Jane Howlett, Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events, Minister for Racing, and Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family Violence.
The Pearcey Entrepreneur of the Year Award celebrates Tasmanians who take risks, make a difference, and inspire others. Roxane’s recognition highlights her leadership in developing geospatial and AI technologies that help governments and organisations around the world prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
“Roxy, Alex, and the rest of the Geoneon team have a reputation as a very ‘Tasmanian’ startup,” said James Riggall, Chair of Pearcey Tasmania and 2015 Pearcey Award recipient. “They’re creating positive international impact from our island state, bringing Tasmanian expertise to governments and regions across the planet. That Roxy and Alex have developed this reputation as relative newcomers from the Swiss Alps is testament to their dedication to making the world a better place through science and technology.”
Roxane grew up in Switzerland’s alpine regions — landscapes deeply shaped by climate and natural hazards. With a background in geography, and alongside her husband and co-founder Alex Bandini-Maeder, a geologist, she began exploring how science could go beyond measuring climate risk to actively reducing it.
Their shared vision led to the creation of Geoneon, a Tasmanian climate tech company using Earth observation, AI, and data fusion to help governments, utilities, and international organisations build resilience to climate and disaster risks.
Geoneon’s models bring together vegetation, topography, weather, and climate data to map wildfire severity, flood exposure, and heat vulnerability — enabling faster, more informed decisions for preparedness and adaptation.
“Our focus has always been on preparedness,” said Roxane. “We want to help our partners take meaningful steps to reduce risk before disasters strike — using science and data to guide smarter, safer planning.”
Under Roxane’s leadership, Geoneon has grown from a small Tasmanian startup into an internationally recognised company working with partners such as the World Bank, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Geoscience Australia, and the Pacific Community.
From Bhutan to Laos, from Hobart to Switzerland, Geoneon’s technology is helping communities and decision-makers understand, plan for, and reduce climate risk.
This year alone, Geoneon has been named:
The Pearcey Award is another meaningful recognition of the impact that Tasmania’s growing tech ecosystem can have on global challenges.
Roxane also joined Ryk Goddard on ABC Radio Hobart to talk about Geoneon’s work in climate resilience and satellite-driven risk mapping.
Listen here (at 2:04:30):
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/hobart-breakfast/breakfast/105958566
The Pearcey Foundation was established in 1998 to honour Dr Trevor Pearcey, one of Australia’s early computing pioneers. The Foundation celebrates individuals who are shaping the future of Australia’s information and communications technology sector — and inspiring the next generation of innovators.
For more information, visit pearcey.org.au or follow @Pearcey_org on X.