Partners & Allies
The scale and complexity of investigating one of the world’s largest karst groundwater systems requires interdisciplinary collaboration, international expertise, and long-term commitment.
Private Philanthropic Initiatives
Philanthropic initiatives enable long-term scientific research and environmental discovery.
Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative
For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers pushing the boundaries of human endeavour to help them achieve countless historic feats. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside explorers, scientists and entrepreneurs, supporting their work to build a better future for all life on earth. The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative was launched in 2019 and now has a portfolio of more than 30 partners active in three main focus areas: Oceans; Landscapes; and Science, Health, and Technology.
Our project is supported within this framework, enabling the systematic investigation of one of the world’s largest karst groundwater systems and helping build a scientific foundation for its long-term protection.
Aquifer & Reef Foundation (A&RF)
The Aquifer & Reef Foundation supports projects that investigate regions where karst landscapes, aquifers, and marine ecosystems intersect. Its mission focuses on advancing scientific understanding and promoting the protection of groundwater systems, coastal regions, and the world’s oceans as interconnected natural systems.
Within this project, the Foundation supports research on the functional relationships between groundwater flow and marine ecosystems. By encouraging system-based analysis and exploration, it contributes to developing long-term protection strategies for aquifers and the coastal environments that depend on them, reinforcing the importance of safeguarding this critical hydrological connection.
Grupo Comuna
Grupo Comuna is a community focused on personal development, holistic well-being, and lifestyle, led by strategist and coach Víctor Francisco Salgado Suárez.
Our purpose is to continue transforming lives through our sustainable projects, where you can enjoy nature, live healthily by consuming natural products from our communities, and at the same time achieve financial freedom through courses taught by our coaches.
Tree Life Company
Tree Life Company offers products focused on sustainable living and eco-technologies. Their catalog is centered around solutions that promote environmental responsibility, including materials and systems designed for eco-friendly construction and development. The products align with their broader vision of integrating nature into real estate and infrastructure projects. Rather than mass consumer goods, they focus on applied environmental solutions for projects and communities. Overall, their offerings support sustainable development, efficiency, and ecological impact reduction.
International Academic & Research Partners
Universities and research laboratories provide scientific expertise and analytical capacity for the investigation of complex groundwater systems.
Jogler Lab at FSU Jena
The Jogler Lab at Friedrich Schiller University Jena focuses on the exploration and study of previously unknown and difficult-to-cultivate microorganisms, particularly within the bacterial group Planctomycetota. Combining microbiology, genomics, microscopy, and scientific diving, the lab investigates microbial diversity, symbiotic relationships, novel bioactive compounds, and unique bacterial cell biology. Their research includes environmental expeditions and sample collection in remote regions around the world, contributing to the discovery of new microbial species and a better understanding of aquatic and extreme ecosystems.
GeoSphere Austria
GeoSphere Austria is Austria’s national geoscientific research institution and internationally recognized for its expertise in airborne geophysics.
Within the project, GeoSphere Austria leads the airborne research component, including aero-electromagnetic investigations, geophysical data processing, and subsurface structural modeling. With extensive experience in karst and coastal environments, the institution ensures the highest scientific and technical standards in large-scale subsurface analysis.
Cave Research Foundation (CRF)
The Cave Research Foundation is an international network of scientists and cave explorers dedicated to the exploration, documentation, and mapping of complex cave systems.
In this project, CRF contributes in the field of speleology, particularly in the exploration, structural documentation, and cartography of dry cave systems, supporting the interpretation of karst development and subsurface morphology.
Czech Speleological Society (ČSS)
The Czech Speleological Society is one of Europe’s long-established speleological organizations, uniting research groups dedicated to cave exploration, mapping, and scientific analysis of karst systems.
Within the project, the ČSS supports systematic speleological exploration and cartography, contributing expertise in the structural assessment and documentation of dry cave systems and karst features.
Crawford Hydrology Lab – Western Kentucky University (CHL)
The Crawford Hydrology Lab at Western Kentucky University specializes in field-based hydrological research in karst systems.
Within the project, its focus lies on dye tracing techniques and advanced water analyses to determine flow paths, hydraulic connectivity, and subsurface dynamics. These investigations provide quantitative validation of modeled groundwater movement.
National Academic & Research Partners
Regional conservation organizations play a vital role in connecting scientific research with community engagement, environmental protection, and long-term stewardship of groundwater-dependent ecosystems.
Amigos de Sian Ka’an A.C.
A leading Mexican conservation organization dedicated to protecting the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Their work connects scientific research with community-based conservation in coastal and groundwater-dependent ecosystems.
Centinelas del Agua A.C.
A civil society organization committed to water protection, sustainable resource management, and public awareness. Their involvement strengthens the bridge between scientific insight and societal engagement.
Karst Lab A.C.
A nonprofit organization focused on karst research, monitoring, and education. Karst Lab contributes regional expertise in surface–subsurface interactions and karst feature documentation.
Muluk
The MULUK Private Reserve Project is a conservation initiative located in Akumal, within the municipality of Tulum. The project focuses on protecting approximately 10 hectares of ecologically important mangrove habitat and the connected underground freshwater and cave systems that form part of the region’s unique karst landscape.
The reserve is directly linked to the Yalkú Lagoon and the Murena underground river system, a geologically unusual flooded cave network extending more than 14 kilometers. Unlike most subterranean rivers of the Yucatán Peninsula, which flow toward the coastline, the Murena System runs parallel to it. The reserve includes several cenotes and provides access to the deep flooded cave system known as “Aak Kimin,” one of the deepest submerged cave systems in Quintana Roo.
MULUK also protects a highly valuable ecosystem rich in biodiversity, including endemic cave species found nowhere else. Among them is the crustacean Triacanthoneus akumalensis, a species discovered in the anchialine cave system beneath the reserve, along with additional endemic invertebrates currently under scientific study.
The project is being developed with the support of several governmental and environmental institutions, including CONANP, SEMAQROO, Reserva Ecológica El Edén, and other regional conservation and research organizations.
The main goals of MULUK are the conservation of biodiversity, the protection of underground hydrological and ecological processes, scientific research, climate and water quality monitoring, environmental education, and the development of sustainable ecotourism. Overall, the project represents a long-term effort to preserve one of the Yucatán Peninsula’s most sensitive mangrove and subterranean ecosystems while supporting conservation science and environmental stewardship in the region.
The Universidad Tecnológica de Tulum
The Universidad Tecnológica de Tulum (UTT) is a young public university in Tulum offering practice-oriented programs closely linked to regional development. It is currently expanding and continuously shaping its academic focus.
Within our project, the UTT actively collaborates and contributes to the scientific work. At the same time, the university sees this as a strategic opportunity to develop and establish the field of water resource management as a future area of study. This creates a strong link between research, education, and practical field application.
Tecnical & Equipment Partners
Chalk Outdoor
CHALK Outdoor is a premium outdoor gear company that develops its own products while also curating high-end equipment from other brands. The company is known for its rigorous field-testing process, in which products are tested for years in extreme environments before being released. Their product range includes technical items such as waterproof backpacks, modular storage systems, and weather-protective clothing. Field testing takes place worldwide—from the North Pole to the South Pole—ensuring real expedition-level reliability. Overall, CHALK positions itself as a performance-driven brand focused on durability, innovation, and real-world exploration.
SEAL Drysuits
SEAL Drysuits is a European brand focused on designing high-performance drysuits for technical divers and explorers operating in extreme environments. The company emphasizes uncompromising quality, using advanced materials and manufacturing all products within the EU.
Their flagship product, the SL:01 drysuit, is built around a “double-shell” construction that balances durability with flexibility, aiming to perform in harsh cave and expedition conditions. The design incorporates reinforced fabrics like Cordura and Superfabric to provide high resistance to abrasion and cuts.
SEAL works closely with exploration teams, and its products are developed and tested in real expedition scenarios, particularly through its connection to exploration support initiatives. The brand positions itself strongly within the technical and cave diving community rather than the recreational market.
Their suits are typically custom-made to the diver’s measurements, highlighting a focus on performance, fit, and individual configuration. Overall, SEAL Drysuits presents itself as a niche, innovation-driven brand dedicated to extreme diving applications, combining engineering precision with field-tested design.
X deep
XDEEP is a European manufacturer specializing in high-performance scuba diving equipment for both recreational and technical divers. The company focuses primarily on buoyancy control systems (BCDs), including single tank, double tank, and sidemount configurations, along with accessories and diving hardware. Their products are designed and manufactured in the EU using high-quality materials, with a strong emphasis on durability, reliability, and engineering precision.
A core part of XDEEP’s philosophy is continuous innovation, developing technologies and construction methods that improve safety, comfort, and efficiency underwater. Their gear is often built with robust materials like CORDURA® fabrics and reinforced stitching to withstand extreme conditions and long-term use.
The brand is particularly well known in the technical and cave diving community, especially for its sidemount systems such as the STEALTH series. XDEEP supports exploration projects and expeditions, aiming to contribute to the discovery and understanding of underwater environments.
Founded around 2011, the company has grown into a globally distributed brand, with products available in dozens of countries and used by both professional and advanced divers. Overall, XDEEP positions itself as a technically driven, innovation-focused brand dedicated to producing durable, high-quality diving equipment for demanding environments.
KISS Rebreathers
KISS Rebreathers is a specialized manufacturer of diving rebreathers designed for both technical and advanced recreational divers. The company is built around the “Keep It Simple” philosophy, prioritizing reliability, simplicity, and ease of field maintenance in life-support equipment.
Their systems are intentionally designed to be mechanically straightforward, reducing failure points and allowing divers to service and repair equipment even in remote expedition environments. The product lineup includes multiple rebreather models such as the Classic, Spirit, Sidewinder, Sidekick, and GEM, covering backmount, sidemount, and semi-closed configurations.
KISS is particularly well known in the technical and cave diving community, where durability and independence from complex electronics are highly valued. Many of their units are manually controlled closed-circuit rebreathers (mCCR), emphasizing diver control over automation.
Founded in 1995 in Canada, the company has evolved internationally and is now headquartered in Europe, while maintaining a strong legacy in exploration-focused diving.
KISS supports expedition-style diving by offering robust, customizable systems that can be adapted to extreme environments and specific mission requirements.
The brand is also involved in industry safety and education, being a founding member of the Rebreather Education & Safety Association (RESA).
Overall, KISS Rebreathers positions itself as a niche, engineering-driven company focused on simple, rugged, and field-serviceable life-support systems for serious divers and explorers.
Governmental & Institutional Partners
Governmental institutions provide regulatory oversight, environmental stewardship, and institutional coordination that ensure scientific exploration aligns with national conservation priorities and cultural preservation.
CONANP – National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Mexico)
CONANP manages Mexico’s federally protected natural areas, including key ecosystems across the Yucatán Peninsula. Collaboration ensures alignment with conservation objectives and supports integration of scientific findings into protected area management strategies.
INAH – National Institute of Anthropology and History (Mexico)
INAH is responsible for safeguarding Mexico’s archaeological and cultural heritage. As many cenotes and cave systems hold archaeological significance, collaboration ensures that scientific exploration is conducted responsibly and in accordance with cultural preservation standards.
German Honorary Consulate – Cancún
The German Honorary Consulate in Cancún supports German–Mexican institutional collaboration and facilitates international scientific cooperation. Its engagement strengthens bilateral coordination and promotes structured academic exchange.
A Shared Commitment
Together, these partners represent:
technical expertise
institutional responsibility
Regional engagement
Long-term environmental commitment
Through this collaborative framework, the project becomes more than a research initiative — it establishes a coordinated foundation for understanding, protecting, and responsibly managing one of the world’s most significant freshwater systems.