By 2050, 10 billion people would require a 70% increase in global food production. In order to satisfy the global food demand, there is a strong need for sustainable agriculture solutions. For that reason, agricultural technology is one of the most interesting sectors right now and the latest favorite investment area of many international VCs. From precision farming to farm drones, AgTech is simplifying agriculture around the globe. Here are 10 European AgTech startups to watch in 2019 and in the years to come.
EAgronom – For Robin Saluoks, farming is part of his DNA. Growing up he saw his father struggling with papers, excel files and reports on their farm, so he decided to simplify his life, and the lives of other farmers. His solution was eAgronom, a farm management software that keeps a field log, manages storage, organizes logistics, runs complicated calculations etc. Accessible via web and mobile platform, Estonia-based eAgronom allows farmers to manage and oversee their farm in real-time and bring informed decisions.
Augmenta – Augmenta helps farmers understand the health and quality of their crops via a plug and play device that scans and analyzes crops as a tractor moves across the field capturing 4K video data of every inch of the field, but also automates tasks such as fertilizer application, through crop-calibrated software. A conducted study demonstrated that the “Field Analyzer” brings 12% increase in yield, using 13% fewer chemicals and producing a 15% improvement in protein levels.
Eden Advanced Technologies – This Dutch startup is designing and manufacturing fully automated urban farms. For a start, they have developed an aeroponics farming module capable of growing up to 35 different types of crops, starting with leafy greens and herbs and then going on to tomatoes, paprika, strawberries and beans. More importantly, the crops grow in fully controlled environments, independent of season and weather, without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.
Sencrop – The Lille-based startup is a pioneer in the field of connected agriculture, offering sensors, a data platform and a service marketplace. For a subscription-based service, Sencrop’s devices will track air temperature, hygrometry, rainfall, leaf wetness, and wind speed, providing users with live readings of their sensors, and predictions about next steps. In January 2019 the startup raised $10 million Series A funding to further simplify crop monitoring and encourage precise, efficient, and eco-friendly agriculture.
Faromatics – Faromatics is a Spanish startup which makes robots that help chicken farmers monitor their flocks. Their ChickenBoy, armed with a series of sensors and cameras, zooms around the chicken barn and measures things like air quality, humidity and temperature, as well as equipment operation. In addition, it can detect dead birds, analyze the chicken feces and can detect intestinal disease. Farmers get better information and cost savings while providing optimal conditions for the chickens.
Gamaya – The Swiss crop intelligence AgTech startup Gamaya uses drones and artificial intelligence to provide farmers insights into changes in water and fertilizer use, crop yield, and the emergence of pests and offer predictions. Consequently, crops can be grown more efficiently and cost-effectively. The startup has so far been backed by investors such as former Nestlé boss Peter Brabeck and Philip Morris, and since July 2019 by Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector which led a Series B funding of 7.5 million Swiss francs.
AgroSustain – The spin-off from the University of Lausanne has developed a technology that prevents the development of fungal pathogens in fruits and vegetables by up to 80%. Their product, AgroShelf+, is an efficient, non-toxic, plant-inspired solution, which is sprayed onto the crop and is able to extend the life of fruit and vegetables by a minimum of one week. Founded in 2018, the AgTech startup has already won numerous awards and grants in Switzerland and Europe for its solution to fight food waste.
Karnott – Founded in 2016, Karnott offers a tracking software coupled with a connected device that tracks agricultural equipment. Karnott places an automatic, autonomous, mobile, real-time device in tractors, trailers, or seeders to collect data, and then their software automatically calculates, analyzes, and archives it. Offering considerable time savings for farmers and reduction of the costs linked to mechanization, Karnott won a Sima Innovation Award in 2018 for meeting the performance needs of the agricultural world.
LettUs Grow – The Bristol-based startup is a developer of innovative aeroponic technology for efficiently growing plants in completely controlled environments. Instead of using soil, plant roots are suspended in a nutrient-dense mist, resulting in growth rate increases of over 70% compared to existing solutions for leafy greens, salads and herb production, consistent and predictable yields, and a 95% reduction in water usage. As global food demand rises, sustainable solutions like LettUs Grow are well-positioned to become the farms of the future.
Sabi Agri – Sabi Agri is a French startup which designs and manufactures electric tractors. Their flagship product, ALPO, is a robotable electric tractor which performs the same operations as a thermal tractor of comparable power, lasting up to eight hours, with operating costs 6 times cheaper than thermal tractor. Created in 2017, Sabi Agri currently offers three versions: Basic, 4×4 and Enjambeur to market gardeners, grape growers, arboriculturists, to simplify their daily operations.
