#StartupsEverywhere profile: Yotam Ariel, Founder and CEO, Bluefield Technologies
This profile is part of #StartupsEverywhere, an ongoing series highlighting startup leaders in ecosystems across the country. This interview has been edited for length, content, and clarity.
Using Satellites and Technology to Detect Methane Leaks from Space
As scientists and other researchers continue to raise concerns about the role of methane in global warming, startups like New York-based Bluefield Technologies are using satellites, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to better pinpoint methane emissions from space. We spoke with the Founder and CEO of Bluefield Technologies, Yotam Ariel, to learn more about his startup’s work, his experience as an immigrant entrepreneur, and how policymakers can support the growth of other innovative immigrant-founded startups across the country.
Can you tell us your journey from where you started to the United States, and what made you become an entrepreneur in America?
I grew up in Israel and spent a lot of time traveling across the world. I eventually found my way to Asia and set up my first business there, which was an energy company. When I had the idea of using satellites to tackle climate change, however, I decided to establish the company in the United States. Doing satellite-related business in other countries is challenging due to strong government ownership and lack of clear guidelines for commercial enterprises. In the U.S., however, the regulations are very clear, and there’s a rich ecosystem of service providers so you can focus on your core innovation. Everything is very straightforward, so that’s why I decided to start my second company, Bluefield, here in America.
Tell us a little more about Bluefield Technologies and the work that you’re doing. How do you use satellites and artificial intelligence to detect methane leaks?
Our company processes and gathers satellite-based emissions data from outer space and then provides that visibility for users who are keen on controlling emissions. For a long time we have been fighting climate change blindly. So we are helping people better “see” climate change. We use AI and machine learning to process the data gathered by the satellites, and we are also developing our own hardware that we will be launching into our own satellites in two years to boost the resolution sensitivity of our detecting software.
Recently, we were the first to detect a huge methane emission in Florida with our satellites. Before we detected it, only a handful of people knew about it. After we gathered the data, the evidence of this methane emission led to a federal investigation into possible legal violations coming from the emission source. It was such low hanging fruit, and all we needed to do was to detect the data and expose it. We have also made countless observations of such leaks across the globe.
How has your work been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and are there any steps that you believe policymakers should take at this time to further support startups?
Startups face challenges and opportunities everyday. We are making revenue, even during these challenging times, so I am happy about that. And we were also able to donate masks to people who needed them, so I am pretty proud of that as well.
The government has programs that we can apply to in order to get money or support, which is great. However, they often forget that startups have very few resources or limited administrative capacity. In order to get the government funding, startup founders have to allocate hours and hours to get through the application process to secure any funding. When startups go through these lengthy and expensive processes, by the time they end up qualifying for funding, they could have gone out of business. If the government could establish some kind of entrepreneur-residency program to help startups with this process, then I think that would really help.
What are some other immigration or startup-related policy issues and concerns that you believe should receive more attention from local, state, and federal policymakers?
When I first got my work visa, I worked through hundreds of pages of applications. Finally, I had to convert that into a green card. A typical day for an entrepreneur could entail devoting 17 hours to work on a startup, and worrying about your immigration status can add a lot of stress to your life.
By starting a company, an immigrant entrepreneur is already contributing to the U.S. economy. At the same time, it takes years for the government to approve your immigration status and give you a green card. It’s kind of like building a home and putting all of your time and money into it, but you have no idea if you will ever get to live in it. If there were a little more certainty for entrepreneurs, then I’m sure that immigrant founders would greatly appreciate it. In terms of more certainty, I think increasing the allowed duration of stay under work visas would be great. It takes the government years to process an immigration application, but imagine how long it takes for a startup to fully mature. It probably takes at least five years for a startup to fully develop. If the government can reassure us with a longer duration period, then we can then take our time, build our businesses, and finish our plans.
Even if we get just a handful of successful businesses out of this process, this would more than compensate for any potential abuse in the system. After all, this country is so diverse and accepting, and everybody can come and try out all of their crazy ideas. In terms of a robust ecosystem for entrepreneurship, there is really no match for America.
What is your goal for Bluefield moving forward?
We are currently building a ‘breathing-monitor” that can track all the emissions coming from our planet from outer space. Our hope is that this technology will allow us to more effectively combat climate change by having more precise data.
All of the information in this profile was accurate at the date and time of publication.
Engine works to ensure that policymakers look for insight from the startup ecosystem when they are considering programs and legislation that affect entrepreneurs. Together, our voice is louder and more effective. Many of our lawmakers do not have first-hand experience with the country's thriving startup ecosystem, so it’s our job to amplify that perspective. To nominate a person, company, or organization to be featured in our #StartupsEverywhere series, email edward@engine.is.
