91���˰涶��

Shannon graduated from UNSW at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) before serving more than a decade in the Australian Army as a Logistics Officer. Throughout his military career, Shannon approached logistics with a problem-solving mindset, always looking for ways to work smarter and improve systems. His dedication to serve his country has always been front and centre. Now, having transitioned from full-time service, Shannon continues to live out this philosophy through his company Aqua Ubique, which focuses on advancing access to safe and reliable drinking water for all, in Australia and across the globe.

The idea behind Aqua Ubique took shape after an eye-opening experience in Papua New Guinea. While deployed on a 12-week Army exercise with over 100 other soldiers, Shannon participated in both infantry training and the rebuilding of hospitals, schools, barracks, and roads. 

“We couldn’t drink the tap water, so we relied on plastic bottles,” Shannon recalls. “We generated mountains of waste, and the locals, who had no access to clean water, were asking us not to crush the bottles so they could use them to collect rainwater for their children.”

Upon return to Australia, Shannon discovered atmospheric water generation (AWG) technology – machines that extract drinking water from air. Seeing this as a solution to the problems he had seen not only overseas but also in Australia, Aqua Ubique was launched. The company is focused on sustaining life beyond the grid. The applications of these machines are wide and varying, from replacing office water coolers, health conscience households looking to reduce chlorine or fluoride, to disaster relief where access to water is cut off.

Aqua Ubique’s mission is anchored in societal impact. For every five AWG units leased to businesses, one is donated to a community in need. In May 2025, the first two units were installed in Cherbourg, an Indigenous community in Queensland that had been under a boil water alert for nine months. Though still in the early days, Aqua Ubique’s impact in the community is significant. Staff at the local childcare centre shared that the machines are “making water fun for the kids again.”

While the technology is innovative, Shannon is equally focused on social responsibility. Reflecting on Aqua Ubique’s alignment with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, Shannon describes their current model as “small E, big S, big G.” Aqua Ubique is currently working with organisations to quantify the environmental impacts but states ‘if you want to come and support us, don’t support because of the environmental bit. Come support us because of the social bit…’ 

For Shannon, the future of Aqua Ubique is about scale. His goal? To generate 300 million litres of water per day by 2032. It’s an ambitious target, rooted in a clear and urgent need: ensuring every Australian, regardless of geography, has access to clean, safe drinking water.

But this vision goes beyond technology. It’s about building systems that empower communities, particularly those in remote and Indigenous regions, to take ownership of their resources and futures. Shannon’s work represents a broader shift in how innovation can serve society: not by chasing perfection, but by solving real-world problems with practical, scalable solutions. It’s a mindset shaped by military service, strengthened by entrepreneurial drive, and powered by a deep commitment to social equity.