The Team
About Us
Founded in 2021 by James Doherty and Donal Hill, Planetixx emerged from the winning idea at the Hack the Planet competition (with the company originally called Plastic-i). Our team combines world-class expertise in remote sensing, deep learning, marine observation and product development, united by a shared mission.
At Planetixx, we believe that safeguarding our planet starts with protecting the ocean. Our innovative technology is designed to provide robust, actionable intelligence that unlocks the full potential of the blue economy and supports a healthy, well-managed, thriving ocean.
Our Values
Impact
Humility
Rigour
Excellence
Objectivity
Collaboration
Dr. James Doherty
Founder & CEO
Dr. James Doherty is an entrepreneur with a background in law, data science, and AI-driven analytics, and a PhD in Astronomy (OU). With degrees from Cambridge and Oxford, James has successfully transitioned from commercial law into satellite analytics and environmental technology, securing funding from ESA BIC UK, Innovate UK, STFC, and private investors.
More about James:
- 10+ years tech entrepreneur
- 4 years of legal practice at Eversheds & John Lewis
- Science to Data Science Fellow
Co-Founding Team
Dr. Donal Hill
Founder & CTO
Dr. Donal Hill, a former CERN physicist (10+ years) , has a PhD in Particle Physics from Oxford and over a decade of experience in big data analysis and AI modelling at CERN’s LHCb experiment. His expertise in high-performance computing, AI, and statistical modelling has been pivotal in developing Plastic-i’s satellite-driven environmental intelligence platform.
More about Donal:
- Senior Data Scientist at the Swiss Data Science Centre & UEFA
- Marie Curie Fellow at EPFL
Jack Lidgley
Co-Founder & Developer
Jack Lidgley has over seven years of experience developing commercial Earth Observation platforms. Specialising in satellite-derived environmental intelligence, he has played a key role in integrating multi-sensor remote sensing techniques, optical and SAR data fusion, and large-scale ocean monitoring applications.
More about Jack:
- Software Engineer at eOsphere
- MPhys in Physics & Astronomy from the University of Southampton