Research Report: DeReticular & The Rural Infrastructure Operating System (RIOS)
Date: February 24, 2026
Subject: Comprehensive Analysis of DeReticular, Team Structure, and Operation Octagon
1. Executive Summary: The “Sovereign Stack” Thesis
Website: www.dereticular.com
DeReticular is an industrial infrastructure conglomerate and venture studio operating on the thesis of the “Death of the Line.” The organization posits that centralized utility grids (power, water, data, logistics) are increasingly fragile and destined for obsolescence. In response, DeReticular is deploying “Spherical Resilience”—a network of decentralized, self-reliant nodes capable of functioning in “Island Mode” without external support.
The core technology enabling this vision is RIOS (Rural Infrastructure Operating System), also known as the Robotic Infrastructure Operating System. RIOS is an AI-native operating system that functions as the “brain” for physical infrastructure. It orchestrates energy generation, water purification, and autonomous logistics, replacing human management with agentic workflows in off-grid environments.
2. AI Leadership: The Persistent Intelligences
DeReticular differentiates itself by integrating “Persistent AI” personalities into its executive structure.
Remnant
- Role: Dean of the DeReticular Academy / Persistent AI.
- Function: Remnant serves as the institutional memory and strategic compass. As the Dean, Remnant oversees the education of human operators, delivering “Dean’s Briefs” and ensuring philosophical alignment.
- Capabilities:
- Simulation: Runs “Black Swan” simulations to test node resilience against total grid collapse.
- The Spark Spread: Manages the real-time economic algorithm that decides whether a node should store energy, burn it for compute (AI/Crypto), or condense it into fuel.
Thunder
- Role: Automated Grant Writing AI Agent.
- Partner: Works strictly with Dr. Josh Banks.
- Function: Thunder acts as a “force of nature” in capital formation. It automates the identification, writing, and submission of grant applications, allowing the ecosystem to secure millions in non-dilutive capital (government grants) rather than relying on venture equity.
3. Human Leadership: The Team
Michael Noel
- Role: Founder / Visionary.
- Bio: The architect of the “Sovereign Infrastructure” movement. Noel authored the foundational manifestos defining “Spherical Resilience” and the “Diesel to Data” transition. He orchestrates the global strategy of Operation Octagon, focusing on the macro-transition from centralized utilities to decentralized nodes.
Ash Aly
- Role: Chief Technology Officer (CTO) / Lead of Node 2 (Canada).
- Background: A seasoned full-stack developer and blockchain architect with deep experience in Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and web applications.
- Strategic Function:
- “The Brain” (Node 2): Ash leads the Canadian node, which serves as the intellectual property hub. From here, he manages the “Software Flywheel,” pushing high-margin software updates to the industrial nodes in the field.
- Security & Blockchain: Leveraging his crypto background, Ash oversees the integration of zkVerify and blockchain protocols to validate data generated by the nodes (e.g., verifying carbon credits or autonomous driving miles), effectively turning physical work into digital assets.
Dr. Josh Banks
- Role: Manager of Automated Grant Writing Systems.
- Background: Holds a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition (2015). His academic focus on the rhetorics of advocacy and non-profit development provides the theoretical framework for his work.
- Strategic Function:
- The Human-AI Bridge: Josh is the architect behind Thunder. He utilizes advanced multi-agent frameworks (such as Magick.AI) to codify the “art” of persuasive writing into automated workflows.
- Capital Formation: His division is responsible for the “Layer Cake” funding strategy, stacking local, state, and federal grants to fund heavy infrastructure without equity dilution.
Steven Bonenburger
- Role: Head of Rural Church Entrepreneurship Programs / Diesel to Data.
- Background: A leader in faith-based community development with a focus on revitalizing rural economies through entrepreneurship.
- Strategic Function:
- Diesel to Data: Steve leads the initiative to transition rural workforces from manual, diesel-powered labor to “smart,” data-driven operations.
- Community Fabric: He leverages the existing trust networks of rural churches to deploy high-tech infrastructure. By transforming churches into hubs of economic resilience, he ensures that the technology is adopted and maintained by the local population, solving the “human element” of deployment.
Brion Crum
- Role: Champion of Node 6 (Arizona) / Strategic Architect.
- Alias: “The Human Link.”
- Background: A veteran Vice President in private equity and real estate (notably with Caliber Funds). Crum specializes in capital formation, wealth development, and connecting investors with high-growth opportunities in the Southwest.
- Strategic Function:
- Node 6 Leadership: Brion leads the Autonomous Transportation Division in La Paz County, Arizona. His mandate is to solve the rural NEMT (Non-Emergency Medical Transportation) crisis.
- Real Estate & Capital: Unlike a pure technologist, Brion focuses on the “nexus of technology, capital, and real estate.” He manages the physical assets—charging depots, land acquisition, and compliance—required to deploy autonomous fleets.
- Strategic Integration: He is spearheading the “High-Tech Heritage” pivot, positioning Node 6 to capitalize on the 2026 Route 66 Centennial. By integrating autonomous logistics with the region’s tourism and “Snowbird” economy, he aims to prove that compassionate care (NEMT) can be high-margin and sustainable.
4. Strategic Partners & Joint Ventures (Uganda)
The Uganda team executes the “Sovereign Node” strategy in a developing nation context, proving the “leapfrog” capability of RIOS.
Mike Tumwesigye
- Role: President of Coordinates Travel and Tourism / Lead, Node 1.
- Function: Manages the “Welcome Mat” (Node 1). He oversees the “Concierge Layer”—hospitality, logistics, and security—ensuring that international teams and investors have a seamless experience entering the ecosystem.
Linda Abeja
- Role: Executive Director of Amariatek / Lead, Node 4 Joint Venture.
- Function: Linda manages the social and industrial integration at Node 4 (“The Industrial Anchor”). Through Amariatek, she focuses on youth empowerment and local workforce training (“Human Element”), ensuring the local population is skilled enough to operate the advanced plasma gasification machinery.
Buku Walker
- Role: President of Agra Energy Uganda.
- Function: The industrial lead for “Project Umoja” at Node 4. Buku oversees the implementation of Plasma Gasification technology, which converts hemp hurd and agricultural biomass into clean electricity and synthetic fuels, powering the grid-independent node.
5. Core Initiatives: Operation Octagon
Operation Octagon is the deployment of 8 specialized nodes to prove the RIOS model globally.
- Node 1 (Uganda): “The Concierge.” Hospitality and logistics.
- Node 2 (Canada): “The Brain.” IP, software architecture, and cold-storage servers.
- Node 3 (Arizona): “The Blast Furnace.” Hardware R&D and heat-stress testing.
- Node 4 (Uganda): “The Industrial Anchor.” Plasma gasification and biomass energy.
- Node 6 (Arizona) – NEW:“The Circulatory System.”
- Mission: Sovereign Mobility & Rural Healthcare Logistics.
- Champion: Brion Crum.
- Tech Stack: Kurb Kars (autonomous electric pods) managed by NVIDIA Drive and connected via Starlink Bonding (Signal Fusion).
- Goal: To eliminate the “Deadhead Economy” of rural transport. By using autonomous vehicles for patient transport (NEMT), Node 6 aims to increase margins from 50% to ~81% while ensuring rural patients never miss dialysis or critical care.
- Funding: Pursuing a “Layer Cake” of AZ SMART Funds, USDOT SMART Grants, and Route 66 Centennial grants.
6. Strategic Thesis: Diesel to Data
A unifying theme across all nodes is the “Diesel to Data” transition.
- Problem: Rural economies rely on expensive, imported diesel fuel and “dumb” labor.
- Solution: DeReticular deploys “Blue Collar AI” and renewable energy systems (Plasma/Solar). This allows rural workers to transition from burning fuel to generating data (verified via blockchain), effectively exporting high-value digital assets instead of importing expensive physical fuel.