Bermuda-managed service provider Ingine Limited, is sponsoring BioQuest, a pioneering non-governmental agency focused on local biodiversity conservation through genomics.

The partnership will provide BioQuest with the advanced tools and necessary support to enhance and expand its initiatives, in a secure way. The sponsorship is a first for Ingine.

Ingine chief executive officer Fernando De Deus said: “We are excited to sponsor BioQuest in their mission to conserve biodiversity. At Ingine, we believe in leveraging technology to create a positive impact on Bermuda and the environment.”

He said the sponsorship underscored his company’s commitment to supporting innovative initiatives that drive sustainable development to Bermuda.

“We are proud of the recent grooved brain-coral reef draft reference genome produced by BioQuest and we are looking forward to enabling them to accomplish more milestones in conversation genomics,” Mr De Deus said.

BioQuest executive director Jean-Pierre Rouja, said the sponsorship aligned perfectly with his organisation’s mission to build local capacity and leverage local resources while maintaining sample and data autonomy in the region.

“As a start-up, we are effectively disrupting the way that biodiversity sequencing is normally conducted,” he said. “With samples traditionally being exported for overseas processing and with data being hosted in foreign clouds, having a capable, responsive local provider such as Ingine is indispensable and key to our mission.”

Mr De Deus said that with their technical support, BioQuest will significantly enhance and increase its technological capacity to conduct local genomic studies, crucial for understanding and preserving Caribbean biodiversity.

Ingine will also ensure data residency by storing data within Bermuda, allowing BioQuest to retain complete ownership and control over their data as well as implementing cybersecurity controls including encryption, regular security audits, and continuous monitoring to safeguard against unauthorised access and data breaches.

By sponsoring the IT management, Ingine allows BioQuest to allocate more resources towards its primary mission of biodiversity conservation.