About us

Critterpedia’s journey began with a visit from our English mum/mother-in-law, Barbara, who was afraid of the local wildlife during her 2015 visit. Not having all the answers to the relentless questions,  Murray blurted out to me one day, “Wouldn’t a Shazam for Animals be amazing!

As the years went by, we noticed that our kids were glued to their devices, and their desire to go outside was diminishing. We knew this was a growing problem on a global scale, as our disconnection from nature was affecting the health of the planet. 

In 2021, we collaborated with the CSIRO and Data61 to develop Critterpedia’s proprietary animal identification technology, owning the full IP. This powerful tech enabled users to reconnect with nature by making wildlife identification simple and intuitive.

However, as we listened to our users, it became clear they wanted more than just animal identification. People craved an enhanced outdoor experience—one that combined all their favourite adventure tools in one place, helping them reconnect with both nature and each other.

Now, in 2024, Critterpedia has evolved into WandrLust, a comprehensive Adventure Toolkit designed to enrich the full outdoor experience. We’ve teamed up with Web3 innovator Ian Anderson to bring real-world adventures into the digital age, allowing you to identify wildlife, explore the world with friends, and preserve your adventures forever using cutting-edge blockchain technology. Through our Memory Drops, you can create digital landmarks of your most treasured moments, layered over time, forming a timeless legacy for future generations.

WandrLust is not just about identifying animals—it’s about rediscovering the great outdoors, building connections, and preserving those memories through technology.

Read more at wandrlust.bio.link.

Murray and Nic Scarce

Co-founders | WandrLust (formerly Critterpedia)

Nic has more than 20 years’ experience in international product development and office-based environments, working for global organisations such as Twentieth Century Fox, Watermelon Creative and Haven Licensing. Managing the merchandise development of mutli-million-dollar programs such as The Simpsons and Family Guy.

Nic’s role within Critterpedia is driving day-to-day operations. Cultivating a high-performing team culture, managing all marketing activities, nurturing relationships with users, and ensuring the [users’] product vision stays on track.

“When I became a mum and the world didn’t revolve around just me anymore, I realised that I needed to contribute to saving the health of our planet so our children have a world left to enjoy as we do.”

First and foremost, Lisa is a legend! 

Lisa is an exceptional person who stands out for her kindness, compassion, and dedication to creating positive change for both humanity and the planet. In addition to her admirable personal qualities, she is also a highly skilled and accomplished businessperson who has earned widespread respect and recognition in her field. We are truly fortunate to know and work with Lisa, and feel confident in saying that she is among the very best in her profession.

Lisa has a financial, data and engineering background and is working on the question ‘how to give everyone a fair start in life and maximise human potential at each stage throughout life’.

Lisa is currently working on projects with organisations such as Singularity University, the United Nations, ACTAI, the Extreme Tech Challenge, EO and many others. All with a focus on solving the worlds greatest challenges with exponential technologies. As a future maker and planner – she sees the first step being achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the second creating a vision for the world in the next 100 years, the third, how we can all have a 10,000 year legacy.

A serial entrepreneur, in 2018 she won the Hunter Outstanding Young Entrepreneur of the Year, is a founder / part owner / investor in several companies that all focus on profit with purpose.

Ian is a visionary leader and a recognised figure in the world of tech and blockchain innovation. As a 10x Founder and someone who holds a position on the ’40-under-40′ list, Ian brings a wealth of experience and creativity to the Web3 space. His expertise in Bitcoin mining and his strategic advisory roles have cemented his status as an influential voice in digital currency and decentralized technology. His approach combines a deep understanding of market dynamics with a creative edge, driving forward-thinking projects towards new heights.

We are super excited to have Ian as our advisor, watch this space for amazing things!

Critterpedia has been successful in securing CSIRO Kick-Start funding for this project. CSIRO’s Data61 are excited to be collaborating with Critterpedia on a machine learning engine that underpins the automated species identification embedded within the Critterpedia app. 

This application of artificial intelligence enables Critterpedia’s identification feature to rapidly and seamlessly classify, sort, and certify large volumes of complex information.

 The team who developed this critical piece of artificial intelligence are experts in their field, and we will continue to collaborate with them to develop more exciting features for the Critterpedia platform. Together, we are forging ahead to unleash a new era of cutting-edge technology. The future has never looked brighter!

Empowering communities for global impact

The WAVIA Fund is a Venture Capital Fund investing in global impact and sustainable startups with compelling financial returns. The WAVIA platform removes the friction of financial, human and community capital, focusing on the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) identified by the United Nations.

The fund invests directly in start-ups at early stage of development (Seed to Series A) in Australia, Asia, the USA and globally, sourcing deals from various sources but also uniquely from the WAVIA global platform of syndicates and angel investors (which are supporting 500+ impact startups per year).

Ignite brings to Critterpedia a pre-formed management team, aiding in high level consulting with strategy and implementation plans, finance services (management accounting, and tax compliance) and innovation services (R&D).