About us
Ocean stewards building practical technology.
Reef Support is based in the Netherlands and works with engineers, scientists, and conservation partners focused on coral reefs, seagrass, and mangroves. We pair field data with digital tools and community programs to support monitoring and restoration work.
Our mission
Take practical action for marine conservation by combining field data, modern tooling, and community-led monitoring.
What we stand for
Healthy coral reefs, seagrass, and mangroves protect coastal economies and biodiversity. We design monitoring systems that help partners move from field data to shared evidence and reporting workflows.
Open collaboration
We build with NGOs, universities, and local field teams.
Field-ready tools
Work offline and in remote environments when needed.
Shared stewardship
Participatory science with clear QA notes and provenance.
Our team
Meet the people behind Reef Support.
Marcel Kempers
Co-Founder & Director
Marcel is a serial social entrepreneur with the personal mission of bringing nature-based solutions and an international outlook to local communities. After spending a period of his life in the Caribbean, he saw how threatened our marine ecosystems are, he has found that sustainable travel and the technology to connect people can really make an impact on reef conservation in this decade.
Nikole Gualdron Chaparro
Project Manager & Travel Coordinator
Nikole is a diver and marine conservationist at heart, from Bogota, Colombia, and has an education in biology. Nikole is also passionate about educating others and has experience in conservation of bottlenose dolphins in the Mediterranean in Sardegna, Italy. We are proud to have such a kind and dedicated to develop the Reef Ranger program for travel and training for Open Coral AI.
Sofía Pareja Galindo
Community Manager
Sofía is in charge of our Reef Ranger community. She is a passionate diver and graphic designer, graduated from Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is convinced that graphic design is one of the most powerful tools to make visible everything that contributes to the construction of a better, more sensitive, more empathic and a more sustainable world.
Yohan Runhaar
Co-Founder & CTO
Yohan is a computer scientist with an affinity for artificial intelligence and big data, and is the CTO and lead developer for Reef Support's AI and software tools. Having grown up around the globe, and having been exposed to various ecosystems, he is passionated about applying technology to help nature. At Reef Support he is in charge of developing novel solutions for marine research.