Helping communities take brave steps

from landmines to land security

CANNY is a modular pod of sensors made of a metal detector, a ground penetrating radar (GPR) and a sensor for vapors from explosives.

This unique combination will ensure detection of metal, plastic and even wooden landmines.

It also contains:
- a cartridge to mark the location of detected landmines;
- a first aid kit;
- water to fight a top challenge of deminers – dehydration.

CANNY is designed to be attached on to a variety of different mediums depending on the context, like a stick, a shovel, or even a tractor.

What’s unique about us?

The demining process is in the hands of the community – unlike solutions generally delivered by NGOs or commercial deminers, Bibak trains communities to assemble and deploy the sensors themselves, teaching technical skills, first aid and leadership in the process;

 

The technology introduced is repurposed for economic development – once demining is done, communities learn to recycle CANNY to improve agriculture and, supported by a microcredit scheme, they get to drive development locally.

CANNY is a modular pod of sensors made of a metal detector, a ground penetrating radar (GPR) and a sensor for vapors from explosives.

This unique combination will ensure detection of metal, plastic and even wooden landmines.

It also contains:
- a cartridge to mark the location of detected landmines;
- a first aid kit;
- water to fight a top challenge of deminers – dehydration.

CANNY is designed to be attached on to a variety of different mediums depending on the context, like a stick, a shovel, or even a tractor.

What’s unique about us?

The demining process is in the hands of the community – unlike solutions generally delivered by NGOs or commercial deminers, Bibak trains communities to assemble and deploy the sensors themselves, teaching technical skills, first aid and leadership in the process;

 

The technology introduced is repurposed for economic development – once demining is done, communities learn to recycle CANNY to improve agriculture and, supported by a microcredit scheme, they get to drive development locally.

Selene Biffi,
Co-Founder and CEO

Humanitarian and social entrepreneur with experience in technologies for education, development and justice.

Prior to launching Bibak, Selene spent eight years with the UN and launched ventures such as Plain Ink (www.plainink.org) and Spillover (www.spillover.org). She also opened a school to revive traditional storytelling in Kabul, Afghanistan, and served on the Task Force on Innovative Startups of the Minister of Economic Development in Italy.

Selene is a Rolex Award for Enterprise Young Laureate and Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum.

Francesco Perratone,
CTO

Maker, programmer and visual artist with background in electronics, physical computing, hardware and software programming. A tech entrepreneur in his own right, Francesco also has strong skills in 2D and 3D modelling and computer graphics, and has a strong passion for art and photography.

Lorenn Ruster,
Co-founder and COO

A strategy consultant turned intrapreneur, Lorenn has experience in running startup programs within large corporations such as PricewaterhouseCoopers. Her experience and skills in operations cover several areas such as indigenous affairs, microfinance, telecommunications and public health. Lorenn holds a Master of International Management (CEMS MIM) with a focus on Social Business.

Andrea Pavan,
Lead programmer

A software architect and analyst, Andrea has been programming since his childhood days. An avid learner with an eye for new tech development, he has experience in and can code in 20+ different programming languages.

Massimiliano Monti,
Communications

Technical writer, scientific storyteller and teacher of themes related to technology and science. Massimiliano has a strong passion for explaining technology to lay people and has written for magazines and online media channels for over 15 years.

Andy Smith

Andy Smith has a background in philosophy, teaching and development work. In 1995, he started in Humanitarian Mine Action as a technician designing low-cost protective equipment for deminers. Today, after extensive field experience in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Libya, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Cambodia and Sri Lanka, Andy has been a deminer, surveyor, trainer, manager and country manager for the UN, international INGOs and national Mine Action Centres. He has been active in setting international standards and has become a specialist in accident avoidance. Some of the protective equipment that he designed is now the industry standard. A frequent advisor to government, EU and university R&D projects, Andy sees his advisory role in Canny as being one of grounding the idealism of others, ensuring that they always remember the needs and limitations prevailing in the field.

MILESTONES