Eric Schmidt

The Voyage

Eric and Wendy Schmidt founded the Schmidt Ocean Institute in 2009 with a single principle: provide free ship-time to oceanographers and require, in return, that the findings be open-published within 90 days. The original R/V Falkor (a converted German fisheries research vessel) ran 95+ expeditions over a decade, discovering dozens of new species, mapping uncharted seafloor, and contributing to a fundamental change in how marine science is funded. In 2023 SOI commissioned Falkor (too) — a purpose-built 110-metre research vessel from VARD in Norway — currently one of the most advanced civilian research platforms in the world.

The Stewardship

Schmidt's ocean philanthropy through SOI has funded an estimated $200M+ in oceanographic research. SOI's open-data model has been adopted by NOAA, the European JPI Oceans programme and others as a reference standard. Schmidt also funds Schmidt Futures, which runs ocean-AI fellowships, and is a major backer of climate technology more broadly. The Schmidt Ocean Institute is widely cited as the gold standard of how private wealth can accelerate civilian ocean science without distorting it.

The Vessels

R/V Falkor (too) (110 m) — purpose-built 2023, twin ROV systems (SuBastian to 4,500 m), wet/dry labs, broadcast-grade media suite, 4 fast-track research cranes, accommodation for 28 scientists. R/V Falkor (the original, 83 m) — operated 2012–2023, now donated to Italy's National Research Council and renamed Gaia Blu.

Why this voice on Wind Voyage

Falkor (too) and Wind Voyage 110 are siblings in spirit. Same scale (110 m), same philosophy — that a private vessel can do serious work in the open ocean if you build it that way from the keel up. Schmidt set the modern playbook for what private ocean science looks like; Wind Voyage extends that playbook into wind-power for the long-range owner who wants both the science platform and the family yacht.