1. The Internet
Traditional methods of monitoring crops and fields require considerable labor, equipment, and time; however, the Internet of Things (IoT) presents a revolutionary alternative. IoT devices, which are outfitted with various sensors, collect and send real-time data via mobile applications, edge devices, or other methods. These sensors are utilized for various purposes, including monitoring soil temperature, humidity, livestock, and plants. The Internet of Things (IoT) enhances the ease of remote farm monitoring, offering greater convenience to farmers.
Furthermore, irrigation systems powered by IoT incorporate sensors for automatic watering of crops, including those that detect evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and rainfall. Cutting-edge startups are leading the way in creating sensor solutions by integrating IoT technology with drones, robots, and computer imaging. This improves farming accuracy, flexibility, and adaptability by providing prompt alerts for areas requiring attention.
Agrila creates a sensor station utilizing IoT technology
Agrila, a Bulgarian startup, developed a modular IoT sensor station designed to monitor essential parameters such as soil moisture, temperature, wind speed and direction, rainfall, humidity, solar radiation, and more.
The station operates on solar energy and offers real-time notifications through mobile or web apps. In addition, the solution provides comprehensive charts, reports, and analyses of sensor data, allowing farmers to efficiently and economically gain insights.
Remote Monitoring Sensors by Farmer's Hive
Farmer's Hive is a Canadian startup focusing on the immediate remote monitoring of agricultural machinery, crops, and microclimates. The startup creates sensors utilizing IoT technology for use in greenhouses, family farms, and by fruit growers. Farmer's Hive also offers cloud services that store data along with the detailed metrics collected by these sensors.
Additionally, the startup enables remote monitoring within a wireless ecosystem using connectivity technologies such as 4G LTE-M, Wi-Fi, or LoRaWAN networks. This enables farmers to access their farm data and detect issues as they happen.
2. Robotics in Agriculture
The shortage of farm workers, particularly in large-scale farming, presents a major difficulty for farmers. Agricultural startups are creating robots to help with a range of tasks to tackle this problem. These operations comprise fruit picking, planting, transplanting, harvesting, seeding, spraying, and weeding. These agricultural robots are performing repetitive tasks in the fields automatically. Farmers are implementing advanced agricultural machinery, such as autonomous and semi-autonomous tractors, which feature auto-steer technology to enhance efficiency in harvesting and navigation.
Moreover, robots are useful in automated livestock management systems, handling tasks such as weighing, incubation, milking, and feeding. By incorporating robots into their processes, farmers increase overall productivity, minimize human errors, and ultimately enhance farming efficiency.
Robotic Harvesting Available from Advanced.Farm
Advanced.Farm, a startup based in the US, is utilizing robotics technology to create solutions for autonomous harvesting and field navigation. Robots equipped with stereo cameras are used to detect and harvest fresh produce by assessing its size and ripeness.
Furthermore, the startup develops food-safe grippers designed to detach the fruit from the plants. The company also produces autonomous tractors and hybrid-electric drive systems, allowing farmers to automate extensive operations with reduced time and effort.
Robotic Weeder Development by Nexus Robotics
Nexus Robotics, a Canadian startup, has developed a robot named Le Chevre that identifies and eliminates weeds from fields. The robot employs deep learning algorithms and cameras to distinguish between crops and weeds.
This method allows the robot to accurately detect and eliminate weeds without harming the crops. Additionally, it gathers information on the crops' growing conditions and allows farmers to use this data to make well-informed decisions.
3. Intelligent Systems
Incorporating AI into agriculture provides farmers with real-time insights, enabling proactive decision-making. AI provides predictive analytics for weather forecasts, crop yield predictions, and pricing trends, offering farmers data-driven decision-making tools. Chatbots driven by AI help farmers by providing customized advice and recommendations. AI and ML algorithms streamline the detection of anomalies and diseases in plants and livestock, allowing for quick corrective measures when needed.
In the field of agricultural biotechnology, machine learning algorithms assist in providing recommendations for gene selection. AI creates opportunities for alternative credit scoring, thus broadening financial access for farmers typically disregarded by conventional banks. Startups with innovative approaches are using AI to enhance the quality of their harvests. For instance, the harvest quality vision (HQV) technology evaluates and determines the quality and quantity of fruits and vegetables through scanning.
Arva Intelligence offers AI-driven crop planning solutions.
Arwa Intelligence, a startup based in the United States, utilizes artificial intelligence to offer tailored crop planning recommendations. The startup develops a software platform that compiles comprehensive farm data to conduct in-depth analyses on genetics, soil fertility, climate, harvest, and yield.
Arva Intelligence provides smart solutions for classifying soil and climate conditions tailored to the crops cultivated in the field. In addition, it offers harvest analytics through farm-level report cards, allowing farmers to pinpoint limiting factors and assess how field inputs affect crop performance.
Smart Agritech Introduces Automated Pig-Weighing System
Smart Agritech, a Swedish startup, has created Pigxcel, a digital tool that automatically weighs pigs using AI and camera technology. Pigxcel tracks the growth timeline of pigs to enhance both weight upon slaughter and feed efficiency. It removes the need for manual weighing, which decreases stress and the risk of injury for both pigs and staff.
The system offers early warnings of deviations. The startup enhances animal welfare by unobtrusively weighing pigs several times daily. It enables staff to conveniently access weight data through computers, tablets, or mobile phones.
4. Drones for Agriculture
Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), gather raw data that is converted into essential insights for detailed farm management. With the aid of cameras, drones make aerial imaging and the surveying of large areas easier. Farmers utilize these tools to enhance the precise distribution of fertilizers, water, seeds, and pesticides, thus promoting precision agriculture. Drones have the ability to capture a wide range of images from the air, including both standard visible-light photos and multispectral imagery, aiding in the analysis of crops, soil, and fields.
Furthermore, drones simplify activities such as tracking livestock, implementing geofencing, and monitoring grazing. Drones are highly effective for overseeing livestock, grazing, and crop cultivation, although they are not suitable for monitoring poultry because they might disturb the birds. Startups are investigating the use of drone technology to measure chlorophyll levels, analyze weed pressure, and assess the mineral and chemical composition of soil.
Aerial Pollination Enabled by Wakan Tech
Wakan Tech, an Omani startup, develops drone solutions for the aerial pollination of date palm trees. They oversee crop health and include tools for precise pesticide and pollen application. Drones use liquid or dry pollen to pollinate trees and operate more quickly than traditional methods.
The startup's drones use AI and computer vision technology to identify pests and diseased date palm trees. This enables quicker and more precise targeting and spraying, particularly for large-scale farming operations.
Drone Solutions for Farmers by Equinox's Drones
Indian startup Equinox's Drones utilizes drones to provide services such as crop monitoring, aerial inspections, data processing, and data analysis. The aerial mapping solution incorporates ortho-mosaic maps, 3D point clouds, digital models, contour maps, among other tools.
The startup processes drone-captured images and videos to aid in aerial crop inspection and data analysis. It also estimates crop yield using data collected by drones.
5. Agricultural Precision
Sustainability in agriculture entails employing environmentally friendly methods that reduce or prevent environmental damage. A notable instance is precision agriculture, which involves tailored management of crops and livestock for each specific location. This method enables farmers to use exact quantities of resources such as water, pesticides, and fertilizers, thereby enhancing the quality and productivity of yields.
Fields display different soil characteristics, sunlight exposure, and slopes, rendering uniform treatment both inefficient and wasteful. To tackle this issue, many AgriTech startups are creating precision agriculture solutions aimed at enhancing profitability and optimizing the use of inputs.
Cloud-Based Precision Agriculture Powered by Data Farming
Australian startup Data Farming provides digital solutions for precision agriculture via pay-per-use cloud services. The Digital Agronomist, a cloud-based platform, offers satellite imagery, soil mapping, auto-zoning, and additional features to equip farmers with practical insights.
The platform provides soil mapping using NDVI, high-resolution satellite images, and variable rate technology. The variable-rate application guarantees that farm inputs are applied according to specific locations, enhancing precision farming.
Agricolus Creates Tools for Precision Agriculture
Agricolus, an Italian startup, creates tools designed for precision agriculture. The startup uses satellites and drones to measure parameters associated with vigor, water stress, and chlorophyll levels. Subsequently, it creates maps to aid in the variable rate application of fertilizers and other inputs.
Additionally, the startup enhances farm operation traceability and performance evaluation through its AgriPlug hardware. In summary, these solutions enhance production by using the appropriate treatments and inputs, while simultaneously reducing the associated management expenses.
6. Biotechnology in Agriculture
Pests and plant diseases frequently lead to reduced crop yields. Although agrochemicals have been a frequent solution, they do not support sustainability objectives. Biotechnology provides a way to improve the quality of crops and livestock. Scientific techniques such as plant breeding, hybridization, genetic engineering, and tissue culture allow for the recognition of beneficial characteristics in plants. Significantly, the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technique provides accurate and swift alteration of traits.
Employing innovative biotechnological solutions leads to transgenic plants capable of tolerating diseases, resisting drought, being resilient to pests, and possessing high yield potential. Consequently, this enhances the profitability of farms. Start-ups are utilizing agri-biotech methods to offer sustainable options like biopesticides, bioherbicides, biofertilizers, and bioplastics. They tackle soil toxicity problems while reducing the impact on the environment.
AgGene is an expert in the field of plant breeding.
AgGene, a Canadian agricultural biotechnology startup, utilizes plant breeding methods to create seeds and tissues with enhanced protein levels. The startup focuses on gene manipulation to enhance protein accumulation.
In this manner, AgGene responds to the growing global demand for plant-based proteins. The startup utilizes genetic editing platforms such as CRISPR and MAD7 to integrate preferred characteristics into commercial crops.
Enhancing Livestock Productivity with XytoVet
XytoVet, an Australian startup, is developing breeding methods for sheep, cattle, and aquaculture. The DNA technology accurately determines the parentage of sheep and cattle, helping farmers swiftly identify quality herds.
The startup enhances aquaculture by selecting genes that promote faster growth and greater disease resistance. It offers various genetic analyses to help farmers make informed decisions in managing their livestock.
7. Large-Scale Data and Analysis
Comprehensive metrics on crop area, production, land use, irrigation, agricultural prices, weather forecasts, and crop health are vital for future farming seasons. Analytical tools and big data process information on weather events, agricultural machinery, water cycles, and crop quality and quantity to derive essential insights for farming activities.
This approach, driven by data, enables growers to identify hidden patterns and relationships. Companies now provide farm analytics solutions, enabling farmers to utilize field data more efficiently. For example, farm analytics offer insights into soil nutrient levels, acidity, alkalinity, and fertilizer requirements, facilitating decisions based on data.
Fyllo Offers Crop Analytics
Fyllo, an Indian startup, utilizes cloud services to analyze agricultural data. The startup’s equipment is set up throughout the farm to collect and report data. Fyllo develops models using live farm data to provide farmers with immediate insights.
This guarantees a better comprehension of crop demands, irrigation needs, as well as pests and diseases. The startup additionally offers customized fertilizer schedules for crops after analyzing soil data.
Data-Driven Farming Enabled by AgriData Innovations (ADI)
AgriData Innovations, a company based in the Netherlands, creates advanced camera technologies to help greenhouse farmers more effectively oversee and manage their crops. They evaluate crop traits, monitor for pests and diseases, and assess seed germination, offering valuable data insights to farmers.
ADI's comprehensive solutions evaluate the gathered crop data to provide practical advice aimed at enhancing growth, production, and harvest predictions. The insights produced by the startup through data analytics and visualization enhance the productivity and efficiency of greenhouse operations.
8. Agriculture in a Controlled Environment
Traditional farming methods are often disrupted by extreme and unpredictable weather patterns. Simultaneously, growing crops in heavily populated cities, dry deserts, or difficult environments poses significant challenges. Controlled environment agriculture presents itself as the answer to these challenges. CEA carefully regulates the conditions that plants experience, including light, temperature, humidity, and nutrient levels. This method encompasses a range of cultivation settings, including indoor farming, vertical farming, and greenhouses.
Furthermore, progressive methods such as hydroponics and aeroponics, which involve cultivating plants without soil using nutrient-rich solutions or mist, are becoming increasingly popular. Aquaponics is a method where plants and fish live together; the fish provide nutrients for the plants, while the plants clean the water for the fish. CEA techniques reduce pest and disease risks, enhance yields, and promote sustainable farming methods.
OnePointOne focuses on Vertical Aeroponics
OnePointOne, a startup based in the US, develops aeroponic farming spaces with vertical planes. The startup utilizes vertical farming methods to conserve space, water, and labor. Additionally, it utilizes high-resolution hyperspectral imagery to assess the plants on the farm. The startup additionally offers tailored farming and nutrition services to farmers.
Fogponics Available from Baltic Freya
Lithuanian startup Baltic Freya addresses current challenges in hydroponics and aeroponics, leading to the development of an innovative atmoponics method. Hydroponic plants are prone to root diseases, whereas aeroponic systems typically use multiple nozzles. Current fogponics methods have the potential to either overheat the nutrient solution or damage the piezoceramic discs.
The startup has introduced Fogponics 2.0, which guarantees optimal fog production while preventing the solution from overheating or causing the discs to crack. This supports and enhances the upkeep and functionality of the environment in which plants thrive.
9. Agriculture Regeneration
Conventional farming methods frequently lead to long-lasting soil erosion and compaction. Frequent plowing, tilling, and overgrazing do not allow the soil enough time to recover between growing seasons. Conversely, regenerative agriculture focuses on reducing soil disturbance, promoting greater soil biodiversity, and revitalizing the topsoil. This method includes several techniques such as no-till farming, reduced tillage, crop rotation, and others.
For instance, growing cover crops during periods when land lies unused aids in restoring soil fertility by protecting the soil. Moreover, regenerative agriculture promotes carbon sequestration in fields, turning them into carbon sinks. This helps lower carbon emissions in the air and lessens the effects on climate change.
BX Powers Regenerative Farming Through Technology
A UK-based startup, BX, creates a technological solution to support farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture. SAM, the AI-driven virtual agronomy platform developed by the startup, integrates research with farm data to provide tailored insights. Another solution, BX Score, evaluates the environmental performance of farms and delivers detailed data at the field level, taking into account factors such as carbon emissions, biodiversity, water, and waste management.
BX's products provide farmers with a unified system to access and exchange data. This information enhances the transparency of farm-sourced products. Consequently, the startup enhances trust within the food and beverage supply chain as it works to decarbonize the industry.
RhizeBio Improves Soil Health and Performance
RhizeBio is a startup located in the United States that enhances soil quality and performance. The startup utilizes a metagenomic approach, machine learning, and biostatistics to evaluate soil microbiomes. This offers an understanding of soil biodiversity, including species count and community balance, alongside soil functionality, such as its capacity to withstand droughts and disease.
The company also delivers this data as reports via telephone. This enables farmers and agricultural companies to adopt new regenerative farming methods and monitor enhancements in their soil's biodiversity and functions.
10. Technologies for Connectivity
Smart agriculture is heavily dependent on connectivity technologies like 5G, LPWAN, rural broadband, and satellite communication. 5G, especially, is crucial for the integration of IoT devices, robots, and sensors, enabling rapid communication for on-site assets. This enables farmers to more precisely track real-time data and promptly respond when needed.
Fiber optic cables providing high-speed internet significantly boost the real-time sharing of field data, which is vital for ensuring precision and accuracy in agricultural processes. These connectivity technologies lay the groundwork for IoT and other smart technologies to work together in developing interconnected and intelligent farms.
Ellenex produces smart sensors for agricultural applications.
Australian company Ellenex provides a diverse selection of agricultural sensors utilizing connectivity technologies like LoRaWAN, low-power satellite, Sigfox, and low-power WiFi, among others.
These network technologies operate on battery-powered devices designed to measure pressure, flow, level, water quality, and temperature. This facilitates timely farm monitoring, enabling farmers to effortlessly access precise data.
4CLIMATE Produces a Networked Climate Monitor for Controlled Environment Agriculture
4CLIMATE, an Indian startup, has created AER 360, a smart climate monitoring system for indoor agriculture. It monitors and records temperature, humidity, vapor pressure deficit, and dew point, offering farmers real-time information about their cultivation environments.
The device interacts with other automation systems and includes a dashboard for farmers to view real-time and past farm data. In this manner, the company enables CEA businesses, cultivators, and agronomists to guarantee the best conditions for maximizing plant growth.
Explore the Latest Developments and Innovations in Agriculture
The agriculture sector is witnessing major technological progress, especially in developed nations, with developing countries slowly following suit. Smart farming boosts farmers' profitability by offering access to localized data, weather forecasts, and yield projections. A combination of technologies optimizes farm operations, guaranteeing both efficiency and accuracy.
With modern agriculture, farmers can enhance productivity and ease by remotely managing their farms using IoT devices, sensors, and automated systems. The trends, technologies, and startups in agriculture highlighted in this report merely represent a glimpse of what we discovered during our data-driven innovation and startup scouting process. Discovering new opportunities and emerging technologies to integrate into your business can significantly enhance your competitive edge.
