AI-Powered Birder, Visionary & Wildlife Advocate
THEIR STORY
Brandon is the founder of Wingmate, a next-generation birding app that’s turning birdwatching into an adventure for everyone. With AI-powered identification, interactive field guides, and real-world spotting challenges, Wingmate brings the thrill of discovery to life, a modern take on birding that feels a bit like Pokémon Go for nature lovers.
Brandon’s story with birds started long before Wingmate. His grandfather’s passion for birding began in South Africa and was passed down through his mother, who became his first birding partner. Together they explored Australia and Southern Africa, chasing new species and building a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.
Armed with a degree in Software Engineering and Finance, Brandon’s now using his skills to bridge technology and wildlife, making birding more accessible, engaging, and exciting for the next generation.
Check out Wingmate: wingmate.com.au
What is one bird encounter you will never forget?
During the school holidays on my first solo birding trip with my mum, we heard a Boobook calling in the remote outback bush. We grabbed spotlights and headed in to find it. Guided by our excitement to see the bird, we followed the call deeper and deeper into the bush until we finally had amazing views and spent time photographing it.
But when we were ready to return to our campsite, we realized we had no clue where we were. That's when the terror set in, we were genuinely lost in the middle of nowhere. We could practically see the headlines: "Idiot birders lost in outback still not found." Swallowing our pride and knowing there were other people at the campsite, we just started yelling for help.
Luckily, they came to our rescue, though we definitely weren't popular neighbours that night! That mix of birding excitement and sheer panic taught me early on that the best birding moments often come with adventure and occasional embarrassment.
You’ve got a golden ticket to go anywhere in the world to see a bird? Where would you go and why?
Antarctica for Emperor Penguins. Antarctica is one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, with extremely freezing temperatures and constant night or day depending on the season. Yet these massive penguins overcome the odds to incubate eggs, feed themselves, and raise their young in a place that seems not of this planet.
It's that resilience and adaptation that fascinates me, the way nature finds a way even in the harshest conditions. That same sense of wonder about how birds thrive in their environments is what drives Wingmate's mission: helping people discover and connect with birds in their own backyards or across the globe.
How is birding part of your life today?
They're a huge part of my daily life. Before starting Wingmate, they were a hobby and passion that allowed me to connect with the natural world and my family. But since creating Wingmate, birds have become part of what I hope will be my legacy, building awareness of birds and the natural world by transforming birdwatching into an interactive, engaging experience.
Through gamified species collecting, AI-powered identification, and community building, every feature we develop aims to make birds more accessible and exciting for everyone. Whether it's helping seasoned birders track their life lists or introducing complete beginners to their first species, Wingmate is about helping others discover the same connection I've felt since those early outback adventures.
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