In development — recruiting pilot testers

Field ecology is precise.
Your data tools should be too.

We're building the only offline-first app designed for field ecologists. Capture species observations once — export to Darwin Core, GBIF, your local records centre, or whatever your workflow needs. No reformatting.

We're recruiting field ecologists to shape what we build. Your feedback drives the roadmap.

No spam. Field notes and launch updates only. Unsubscribe anytime.

Taxon dashboard showing field survey stats

Design preview — in development

The Problem

Field data collection is still broken.

You're collecting data in rain, mud, and darkness with gloves on — then spending evenings manually re-entering it into spreadsheets, arguing with Excel, and losing confidence in your own records. When you finally need to publish, your data doesn't meet Darwin Core standards. You start over.

Connectivity

No signal. No data.

Standard survey apps require a connection to save. Lose signal in the field — lose your records. Taxon works completely offline, syncing when you're ready.

Data standards

Data that doesn't fit anywhere.

Hours reformatting for GBIF, your local records centre, or a client deliverable. Every destination wants different columns, coordinates, and metadata. Taxon captures data once and exports to all of them.

Equipment tracking

Traps deployed. Traps forgotten.

Camera traps, pitfall traps, acoustic recorders — no dedicated tool tracks their deployment, check intervals, and recovery. Until now.

What We're Building

Every feature is for the field, not the office.

Observation entry screen

Core Feature

Works in the field. With or without signal.

Taxon stores all observations locally on your device using a reliable SQLite database. GPS coordinates, photos, audio recordings, species identifications, and equipment logs — all captured offline and synced when you next reach connectivity.

In development

Unique to Taxon

Track every trap from deploy to recovery.

Log deployment date, GPS location, equipment settings, and expected check intervals. Get flagged when checks are overdue. Record recovery condition, catch data, and effort metrics.

In development
Equipment tracking screen
Taxonomy search screen

Scientific Precision

Species names that are always correct.

Search the GBIF taxonomy backbone as you type — accepted names, offline. Taxon auto-completes accepted names, flags synonyms, and links every observation to a stable taxonKey.

In development

Publication Ready

Capture once, export everywhere.

Taxon structures your data from the first keystroke. Export a Darwin Core Archive for GBIF, a Shapefile for planning authorities, CSV for R or Python, GeoPackage for QGIS, or custom templates for your local records centre. One capture, every destination.

In development — Q2 2026
Export screen

See It In Action

Built for phones, tablets, and the web.

From GPS-tracked field transects on your phone to team dashboards on your laptop — Taxon adapts to how you work.

Field map with GPS track and equipment markers

Field Map — Live GPS tracks with equipment markers

GPS track heatmap across multiple field sessions

Field Sessions — Multi-session GPS tracks with species hotspots

End-of-day field session summary with stats and species

Session Summary — End-of-day stats, species, and transect map

All data synced successfully

Sync Complete — 247 records synced with zero conflicts

Field photo gallery with species tags and GPS data

Field Photos — Species-tagged photo gallery with GPS metadata and quality indicators

Admin console dashboard

Project Dashboard — Team activity, sync status, and equipment metrics at a glance

Data review and quality scoring

Data Review — Quality scoring, Darwin Core mapping, and approve-to-publish workflow

The Workflow

Capture. Sync. Publish.

Three steps. No manual formatting. No data loss.

1

Record in the field

Log species observations, equipment deployments, GPS tracks, photos, and audio. Works on any iOS or Android device, completely offline.

Works without internet
2

Sync when you're back

Return to signal and Taxon pushes your records to the cloud with conflict-aware merging. Multiple team members can sync from separate devices.

Conflict-free team sync
3

Export and publish

Darwin Core Archive for GBIF. Shapefiles for planning authorities. CSV for R and Python. GeoPackage for QGIS. Custom templates for your local records centre. One capture, every format.

Flexible multi-format export

Pilot Program — Recruiting

We're looking for field ecologists to build this with us.

We want to get Taxon into real field conditions as early as possible. We're recruiting three pilot groups to co-design the app and test it where it matters — in the mud, rain, and darkness.

Slot 01 — Open

Vegetation plot surveys

Temperate woodland, Europe

Offline species capture, NVC plot recording, and data quality validation against existing paper-based workflows.

Apply for this slot
Slot 02 — Open

Aquatic invertebrate sampling

Upland streams, remote sites

Offline-first capture at sites with no mobile connectivity. Focus: whether the app survives real field conditions and syncs reliably.

Apply for this slot
Slot 03 — Open

Environmental consultancy

Phase 1 habitat surveys

Phase 1 habitat survey workflows, regulatory-ready exports, and Shapefile delivery for planning authority submissions.

Apply for this slot

All pilot slots include free access, direct roadmap input, and dedicated support.

Built For

Whether you're in the field or running the lab.

PhD Students & Postdocs

Free access for early testers. Standardized data from day one means no data cleaning hell before your methods paper.

  • • Offline capture
  • • GBIF species names
  • • CSV, Darwin Core, GeoPackage export
  • • Free for early testers

Principal Investigators & Lab Leads

Run multiple concurrent projects with field teams. Team sync, conflict resolution, and role-based access ensure data integrity across sites.

  • • Multi-project management
  • • Team sync
  • • Multi-format export
  • • Direct input on roadmap

Environmental Consultants

Run Phase 1 habitat surveys and protected species surveys with protocols that meet statutory requirements. Export in formats your clients expect.

  • • Survey protocol templates
  • • Equipment tracking
  • • Regulatory-ready exports
  • • Per-project licensing

Lab Managers & Data Managers

Govern your lab's field data pipeline. Manage team access, review sync logs, and maintain the audit trail funders require.

  • • Admin console
  • • Audit logs
  • • Data quality review
  • • GDPR-compliant storage

Building on Open Standards

Data your institution, your LERC, your funder, and GBIF will accept.

Darwin Core GBIF NBN Atlas TDWG Shapefile GeoPackage CSV

Taxon implements Darwin Core Term definitions as specified by TDWG, with export to Darwin Core Archive, Shapefile, GeoPackage, CSV, and custom templates. Whether your data goes to GBIF, the NBN Atlas, a local records centre, or a planning authority — we're building the export to match.

Development Roadmap

Built transparently. Shaped by your feedback.

Priorities informed by what field ecologists actually need.

In progress March – May 2026
  • Offline species data capture (core)
  • GPS, photo, and audio recording
  • GBIF taxonomy autocomplete (offline)
  • Equipment deploy/check/recover workflow
  • Team synchronization
Planned June – September 2026
  • Darwin Core Archive & Shapefile export with validation
  • GBIF, NBN Atlas, and LERC template export
  • Offline maps with cached basemaps
  • GeoPackage export for QGIS
Community input Q4 2026+
  • Botany module (Pl@ntNet species ID)
  • Wildlife audio ID (BirdNET)
  • R/Python export templates
  • Localization (5+ languages)

Join the Pilot Program

Help shape the tool. Get early access in return.

Pilot participants get free access, direct input on the roadmap, and dedicated support. We review applications weekly.

About you

Your work

This helps us understand if Taxon is right for your workflow.

We review applications weekly and respond within 5 business days.

Questions

Frequently asked

When will the app be available?

We're targeting Q2 2026 for our first pilot testers. We're prioritizing data integrity and standards compliance before opening broader access. Sign up above to be notified.

Can I test Taxon now?

Not yet — the app is still in development. But we're actively recruiting pilot testers who want to shape the tool from the start. Apply through the form above and you'll be among the first to get access.

What happens to my data during the pilot?

You own all your data. Always. Data is stored locally on your device by default (offline-first). Cloud sync is optional and encrypted. You can export everything at any time in standard formats. We never use your research data for anything without explicit consent.

Will there be a cost?

Early testers get free access through the testing period. Post-launch pricing will be informed by community feedback. We're committed to keeping a free tier for individual researchers and students.

Does it really work offline?

Yes. Offline-first is a core architectural decision, not a feature toggle. The app captures and stores all data locally in SQLite. Sync to cloud is automatic when connectivity returns, but never required.

How is Taxon different from QField or Survey123?

QField and Survey123 are GIS-first tools — excellent for spatial data capture. Taxon is ecology-first: built for species observations (not polygons), equipment tracking (not map objects), and flexible export to Darwin Core, Shapefiles, or your local records centre (not just map tile services). If your workflow ends at GBIF, the NBN Atlas, or a planning authority, Taxon speaks your language.

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Every two weeks: development progress, roadmap updates, and opportunities to influence what we build.

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