The livestock and pasture management sector is currently facing several challenges, including rising operational expenditures and labor shortages, compounded by the demand for sustainable, efficient food production. The pressures they face require a radical transformation driven by technological expansion. These combined factors strain traditional farming methods, making technological adoption a matter of survival. 

Autonomous systems have emerged as a solution, changing the agricultural landscape through unprecedented precision and insight. From intelligent herd tracking to automated land care, the equipment is unlocking new possibilities in agriculture. 

The New Era of Agricultural Automation

The adoption of agricultural automation marks a transition from strictly mechanical labor to data-driven farming, backed by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and the Internet of Things. It is not merely about the emergence of new gadgets but a necessary response to global pressures for food security and sustainability. 

The approach utilizes a wave of technological innovation, including aerial drones, sophisticated robotics and analytics, to gather and interpret information with precision. For example, sensors and global positioning systems (GPS) collect data on animal health and land conditions. 

The information undergoes processing by computer vision and AI algorithms before delivering actionable insights. Ranchers can then improve resource, husbandry and operational management before more critical issues arise.  

Intelligent Monitoring for Superior Livestock Health

According to experts, the global livestock monitoring market is growing exponentially, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.82% from 2026 to 2033. 

One company, Advantech Co. Ltd., developed a system that uses AI and infrared vision to measure cattle’s body temperature as part of daily health screenings. The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona has also designed sensors to observe livestock behavior, productivity, environmental impacts, and physical and mental well-being. 

The platforms process data from camera networks and sensors worn by the animals, including devices like GPS, thermometers and accelerometers. Ranchers can establish a baseline for each animal and monitor changes over time. For instance, the systems might send an alert if they detect abnormalities, such as illness or distress. 

Receiving a warning about potential disease helps farmers intervene early on, providing rapid treatment that prevents the rest of the herd from falling ill. Overall, the proactive approach reduces economic losses from disease outbreaks and the high labor costs associated with manual assessments. 

Optimizing Pastures with Autonomous Ground and Air Systems

On the ground, robotic mowers maintain pasture quality, mitigate invasive weeds and ensure optimal vegetation for grazing animals. Their operational performance typically covers 1 to 3 acres per hour, depending on the terrain. Implementing this technology can dramatically reduce labor costs and boost worker safety by eliminating the need for manual machine functions.

Complementing these efforts, autonomous drones enable more precise and effective field mapping and surveying, crop and animal monitoring, disease detection, and fertilizer and pesticide applications. Farmers who grow high-rise date palms and walnut trees might use drones for pollination, which is a labor-intensive task. 

The multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles cover 4 to 20 hectares per hour or about 30 to 150 hectares a day. For spraying, they usually come equipped with liquid tanks holding 5 to 50 liters. The targeted application decreases chemical waste and environmental impacts. 

Farmers also reap a financial benefit. With an initial investment of $40,000 to $50,000, drones help growers recoup costs in just four to six weeks, making it a profitable and validating system for modern pasture management. 

Integrating Autonomous Systems for Long-Term ROI

Those interested in integrating autonomous systems must carefully consider the return on investment. Although up-front costs often present a financial barrier, the long-term economic and operational benefits usually outweigh the initial price tag. 

Ranchers can reduce labor hours and input costs for feed and treatments by employing data-driven decision-making to improve animal welfare and land productivity. Still, initial investments in these technologies often make them out of reach for many professionals.

Purchasing a GPS tracker for every cow might be unaffordable and impractical, depending on the herd’s size. Fortunately, industry innovations are helping overcome the financial barriers as researchers develop less expensive solutions. 

Researchers developed a method for fitting GPS collars to select animals and tagging the rest with low-cost Bluetooth devices. The collars, which connected to the Sigfox network, enabled cost-effective tracking while delivering essential information about the herd. 

The decision to invest in autonomous systems hinges on the unique needs of individual operations. Fortunately, these solutions are often scalable, so farmers can target the areas where automation will benefit them most. This allows them to phase implementation in a manner they can afford and still attain significant long-term returns. 

The Future of Farming is Autonomous

Autonomous developments have proven practical and accessible for modern livestock and pasture management operations, addressing some of the more pressing challenges today’s farmers face. Although the tools require an initial investment, professionals cannot deny the economic benefits of embracing the technology. As the equipment continues to evolve, it will become increasingly necessary for secure and sustainable farming.

The post From Pasture to ROI: Implementing Autonomous Systems in Livestock and Pasture Management appeared first on Green Prophet.

We tend to think of forests as quiet places—but beneath the soil, there’s a bustling network of chemical conversations taking place. It’s part of what some scientists call the “wood wide web”—a vast underground communication system that connects plants, fungi, and microbes in complex, symbiotic ways. It’s been shown that plants can speak. This new study might help us decode what they are saying.

Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have uncovered new insights into this hidden language. By studying the molecular “words” that tree roots send into the soil, they’ve created one of the most detailed maps yet of underground plant communication—one that could revolutionize how we grow food and bioenergy crops.

As plants grow, their roots don’t just absorb nutrients—they release a rich array of organic chemicals into the soil, a process known as rhizodeposition. These secretions act like messages or invitations to microbes and fungi, encouraging cooperation, support, or sometimes defense.

“Plants form relationships with microbes like bacteria and fungi that help them survive tough conditions like drought or poor soil,” said Dr. Paul Abraham, co-lead of the study at ORNL. “But we’re only beginning to understand the full vocabulary of these underground interactions.”

To decode this chemical language, ORNL researchers focused on poplar trees, which are being studied as future bioenergy crops. They grew two types of poplar under different conditions—some with extra nutrients, some without—and collected samples from their roots at different growth stages.

Instead of looking for specific molecules they already knew, scientists used a technique called untargeted metabolomics, which allowed them to capture everything the plants were saying, so to speak.

“This approach lets us detect a much broader range of chemical diversity,” Abraham explained. “We’re finding unexpected or previously unrecognized compounds that may play critical roles in soil and plant systems.”

A molecular treasure trove

What they found was a treasure trove of compounds—some never identified before. Each plant produced different chemical profiles depending on its genes, environment, and age. These findings suggest that plants tailor their messages depending on who they’re talking to—whether they’re calling for help, warning of threats, or optimizing partnerships.

“This kind of insight helps us breed or engineer crops that are not only higher-yielding, but also more resistant to climate stress,” Abraham said.

Mushrooms, microbes, and machine learning?

Why does this matter? The underground networks built by fungi and bacteria are essential for healthy ecosystems—and for our ability to grow resilient crops in a changing climate. Fungi, in particular, act as “middlemen”, connecting roots across distances and helping move nutrients, water, and even chemical signals between plants.

To better understand this complex web, ORNL is now looking to AI and machine learning. “The chemical space we’re measuring is vast,” Abraham said. “Most of the molecules we detect can’t be confirmed using existing reference standards.”

In other words, there are too many molecules and not enough names. That’s where artificial intelligence will step in—to help identify unknown compounds and unlock new insights into how plants and microbes interact.

The ORNL team’s research, published in Plant, Cell & Environment, could eventually lead to crops that communicate more efficiently with beneficial fungi and bacteria—reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and helping build a more sustainable agricultural system.

“Nature already has a smart underground network,” says Karin Kloosterman, editor of Green Prophet who founded an AI company Flux to listen to the language of plants: “Our job is to listen, decode it, and learn how to work with it.”

The post The hidden chatter beneath our feet – how trees, mushrooms, and microbes speak appeared first on Green Prophet.

Last week, the most advanced Earth-mapping satellite ever built left Earth to watch over it. The joint NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite launched from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre into sun-synchronous orbit. This powerful radar sentinel will orbit the planet every 12 days, capturing changes on Earth’s surface in astonishing detail—down to a few centimeters—whether in daylight, darkness, or through thick clouds and vegetation.

Related: Make Sunsets geo-engineers climate with cooling credits

While the technology may sound like science fiction, NISAR’s mission is urgently practical: to track our changing planet and provide a planetary MRI scan every two weeks. The implications for climate, agriculture, disaster preparedness, and sustainable development are profound—and entrepreneurs are already eyeing the satellite’s open data streams as a platform for innovation.

Developed over a decade by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), NISAR is equipped with dual-frequency L- and S-band synthetic aperture radars, making it the first satellite of its kind. This unique combination allows it to detect subtle shifts in Earth’s crust, vegetation, ice sheets, and even groundwater levels.

Its potential applications are wide-ranging: In the Arctic, NISAR will track how fast Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are melting.

In Indonesia or the Amazon, it will monitor deforestation, peatland collapse, and forest biomass.

In urban zones, NISAR can observe subsiding infrastructure, helping cities adapt to rising seas and overextraction of groundwater.

NASA’s Earth Science Division Director Karen St. Germain called it “the most advanced radar system for Earth observation we’ve ever put into orbit.”

For India, this is a leap into space-enabled environmental management. For a warming planet, data is power. By measuring the movement of glaciers, the expansion of wetlands, or the sinking of deltas, NISAR offers vital intelligence for managing climate adaptation and natural disasters.

Every region, from coastal cities to desert farms, is going to be impacted by changes NISAR can see coming,” says Karin Kloosterman, the editor of Green Prophet. This technology is like giving Earth a health checkup every two weeks. Existing startups in agtech, climate, solar, energy and mining will be improved with this robust new data. Thousands of exciting new opportunities in sustainable and clean tech await.”

Critically, NISAR’s data will be publicly available. That means not only scientists and governments, but also nonprofits, local planners, and startups can build tools and services using the data.

Entrepreneurs, take note. NISAR’s raw power is just the beginning—it’s what we do with it that matters. A few promising directions:

Disaster tech startups could build risk maps and alert systems for earthquakes, landslides, or floods based on ground deformation data.

Agri-tech companies can combine NISAR’s soil moisture and terrain maps with AI to help farmers in Africa or the Middle East optimize irrigation.

Climate risk insurers may use NISAR insights to assess premiums for homes near eroding coastlines or unstable hills.

Carbon credit marketplaces can verify reforestation or wetland projects through updated biomass assessments, ensuring transparency and accountability.

At a time when political uncertainty has cast doubt on future U.S. funding for Earth science missions, NISAR is a bright spot. But it could be among the last of NASA’s major Earth-monitoring projects for years if proposed budget cuts by U.S. lawmakers take effect.

Related: The history of drip irrigation

Still, the baton may be passing. By building collaborative platforms around satellites like NISAR, we can democratize access to Earth data and decentralize its benefits. In the face of floods, droughts, fires, and rising seas, it’s not just the scientists who will act—it’s technologists, policymakers, and concerned citizens who will rise to the challenge.

As climate change accelerates, our window to act narrows. With NISAR watching from above, we gain a clearer view of where the planet hurts—and where we still have time to heal.

The post The Satellite That Sees Earth Breathe: How NISAR Could Transform Sustainability From Space appeared first on Green Prophet.

Climate change poses a severe threat to food production, making it imperative to find sustainable methods that complement natural, regenerative, soil based farming. One such method is aquaponics, which grows fish and vegetables together using a water substrate with no added minerals. The fish poop supplies all that the plants need to grow. It’s been hard for dreamers and doers to find that sweet spot that balances several ecosystems at the same time: the fish in the pond, the food in the hydroponics beds, and both those parts together.

Researchers from a desert country, where food growing is limited due to lack of water, offer a new proof of concept for a new closed loop system called aquaponics that produces more fish and vegetables while using less energy than conventional systems.

Their findings were published in the journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling.

Prof. Amit Gross, at Ben-Gurion University has been working with his students and collaborators for the last decade on aquaponic systems. His system uses brackish, or salty water and combines farming with growing fish farms.

As we mentioned above, aquaponic systems grow fish while using the fish waste to grow vegetables hydroponically. Hydroponics was invented by NASA decades ago and later perfected by stealth cannabis growers in Canada who could run grow-ops between walls in their apartment throughout the winter. Now that cannabis is legal in Canada and the US and hydroponics a great method for controlled growing of high value crops, advances are needed to make it even more sustainable.

That’s where this new research steps in: coupled aquaponics are closed loop systems that recycle much of the fish effluent rather than reusing it outside of the aquaponic system. Where typically the fish solid waste is disposed of, Gross managed to treat it by anaerobic digestion and recover energy and nutrients into the system to form a near zero waste unit. This is the path to resolving the ups and downs and headaches of balancing the nutrient load in the system and what the plants need as they grow.

After more than two years of testing, Gross’s system demonstrated 1.6 times higher plant areal productivity, 2.1 times lower water usage and 16% less energy consumption per kilogram of feed than conventional systems.

His calculations suggest that upscaling to about one ton of fish will allow operation of the system with no need for external energy, less than 1% water exchange, negligible waste production as well as significant carbon sequestration.

Net zero, here we come? The next grow system for the spaceship to Mars and the first Mars colony? Sustainable food that can be grown in Antarctica?

“Feeding the more than 8 billion people on the planet while reducing greenhouse gas emissions will require innovative technologies. Those that combine two functions in one are obviously preferable. Fish are a sustainable high-quality source of protein with a far smaller carbon footprint than most other sources. Combining fish growth with vegetable production and preventing waste is a win-win-win,” says Gross who worked with Ze Zhu and Uri Yogev from Ben-Gurion University and Prof. Karel Keesman from Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands.

? Hydroponics, Aquaponics, and Cannabis: Growing Greener with Smart Agriculture

As the world looks for sustainable ways to grow food and medicine, modern farming methods like hydroponics, aquaponics, and even cannabis cultivation are leading a quiet revolution—especially in regions facing water scarcity, like the Middle East and North Africa.

Hydroponics uses nutrient-rich water instead of soil, saving up to 90% of water compared to traditional farming. Aquaponics adds fish into the mix, creating a closed-loop system where fish waste feeds the plants, and the plants clean the water. These systems can be set up in homes, urban rooftops, or greenhouses, making them ideal for future food security.

And yes, cannabis—the once-taboo plant—is gaining ground as a medicinal crop. Grown sustainably in hydro or aquaponic systems, cannabis can provide medical benefits without the environmental damage associated with traditional farming.

This green trifecta—hydroponics, aquaponics, cannabis—is not just a trend; it’s a glimpse into the future of ethical, sustainable agriculture.

? Learn More

Here are 5 useful links to deepen your understanding:

1. Hydroponic Farming in the Middle East

2. What is Aquaponics and Why is it Eco-Friendly?

3. Israel’s Medical Cannabis Revolution

4. Rooftop Farming in the Middle East

5. Smart Agriculture Innovations in MENA

The post New advances on making aquaponics a valid business appeared first on Green Prophet.

In today’s farming, using agrochemicals and fertilizers wisely is essential for cost savings and protecting the environment. Space technology is changing how farmers handle their resources by providing data that helps them use inputs more effectively and save money. With satellite images and remote sensing, agronomists can check soil health, evaluate crop condition, and identify nutrient shortages with great precision.

This up-to-date information allows for precise application of agrochemicals and fertilizers, making sure plants get the right care at the right time and location. Consequently, waste is reduced, crop yields increase, and farming becomes more eco-friendly. Satellite technology is more than just a tool for better efficiency and tracking crop growth; it leads to smarter and more sustainable agri practices. Let’s take a look at a case where a cutting-edge satellite crop monitoring technology company assisted in enhancing fertilizer application efficiency.

Case Study: Optimizing NPK Fertilizer Application with EOSDA’s Satellite Monitoring Technology

In Central and Eastern Europe, traditional crop cultivation practices have long relied on NPK fertilizers to enhance soil productivity and maximize yields. However, conventional application methods often achieve only 40-60% nutrient efficiency, with severe drought conditions further reducing this figure. Overuse of these fertilizers not only strains farmers’ budgets but also imposes heavy environmental costs, including nutrient runoff and water contamination. To address these challenges, innovative practices are emerging that enable growers to achieve higher yields with reduced chemical inputs.

A prime example is the collaboration between Agrinova Group and EOSDA Crop Monitoring. Since 2021, Agrinova Group, a consulting firm established in 2014 with a strong presence across Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine, has integrated EOSDA’s satellite-based platform into its advisory services. Leveraging high-resolution space imagery, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, EOSDA Crop Monitoring provides near real-time insights into vegetation health and vegetation dynamics. This technology enables the creation of precise VRA maps for variable rate application of fertilizers and seeds, tailored to the specific needs of each field.

A productivity map is useful for applying potassium and phosphorus.

By replacing traditional, labor-intensive soil testing with remote sensing, Agrinova Group has significantly reduced fertilizer inputs — optimizing nitrogen use by 50–130 kg/ha. This shift not only cuts chemical costs but also minimizes ecological impact. Moreover, remote management capabilities have slashed operational travel expenses by 80%, enhancing overall service efficiency. The successful implementation of EOSDA’s platform has reinforced Agrinova Group’s reputation as a leader in sustainable, tech-driven agricultural consultancy, driving both business growth and improved environmental stewardship. Let’s explore how agronomists can make the most of satellite data to improve their crop management strategies.

Using Satellite Data for Better Crop Management with Precision Fertilization

Satellite crop monitoring is revolutionizing fertilizer application by offering farmers a detailed, data-driven understanding of their fields. Utilizing vegetation indices like NDVI and MSAVI, space imagery provides critical insights into plant vigor and health. These indices reveal variations in plant biomass and chlorophyll content, allowing agronomists to identify areas that require more intensive fertilization versus those that need less.

In addition to vegetation indices, satellite data captures soil moisture levels, which play a vital role in nutrient uptake. By understanding moisture distribution, growers can fine-tune fertilizer applications to coincide with optimal soil conditions, thereby increasing the efficiency of nutrient absorption. Furthermore, nutrient distribution maps derived from space imagery highlight spatial variability within fields, enabling the creation of precise prescription maps for fertilizer application.

One of the most impactful innovations arising from this technology is Variable Rate Application (VRA). VRA empowers farm owners to adjust fertilizer doses on a granular level rather than applying even rates across entire fields. This targeted approach not only reduces the overall quantity of fertilizers used but also ensures that each section of a field receives the appropriate amount to maximize crop yield. The resulting efficiency not only cuts costs but also minimizes the environmental impact by reducing chemical runoff and preserving soil health.

In essence, the integration of satellite data into fertilizer management transforms conventional practices. It offers a robust toolset that enhances decision-making, drives cost savings, and sustains high yields. By embracing this technology, modern agriculture moves towards a more precise, sustainable, and economically viable future, demonstrating the powerful synergy between cutting-edge remote sensing and traditional farming techniques. Let’s take a closer look at how satellite-guided fertilization can benefit both the economy and the environment.

The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Satellite-Guided Fertilization

Space-guided fertilization and crop monitoring systems are reshaping modern agriculture by offering a dual advantage: boosting farm productivity while reducing ecological harm. By precisely targeting fertilizer applications, farmers can significantly cut input costs. Detailed satellite data — encompassing vegetation indices, soil moisture levels, and nutrient maps — allows for pinpoint accuracy in fertilizer delivery, ensuring that each portion of the field receives just what it needs. This precision minimizes the excessive use of agrochemicals, curtailing unnecessary expenses and reducing the risk of nutrient runoff that can pollute water bodies and harm local ecosystems.

The economic benefits are multifaceted. Reduced fertilizer usage reduces production costs, while optimized nutrient management enhances vegetation vigor and yield. This leads to a healthier bottom line for farm owners and contributes to a more competitive agricultural sector. Moreover, the ecological benefits are equally compelling. Over-fertilization is a primary cause of soil degradation and water contamination. By adopting satellite crop monitoring software, farmers mitigate these issues, preserving soil fertility and promoting biodiversity. 

The integration of AI-driven satellite analytics, predictive modeling, and modern farm management tools is revolutionizing agrochemical use by boosting yields, cutting waste, and reducing ecological impact. This innovative approach supports sustainable farming practices, aligning economic growth with environmental stewardship and paving the way for a resilient, eco-friendly future in agriculture.

The post How Satellite Technologies Reduce Costs for Agrochemicals and Fertilizers appeared first on Green Prophet.

Pollination is big business in the United States. Pollination from bees, beetles, flies and birds makes sure that olive trees and agriculture crops such as strawberries and almonds will grow. In fact 75% of all pollination comes from bees. But about 40% of managed honey bee colonies in the US were lost between 2021 to 2022, a problem for farms and farmers.

Part of the reason the bees are being lost –– or colonies dying –– I am acutely aware, is because of the conventional farming system that creates monoculture crops and which uses pesticides. However, beekeeping for honey and as a pollinator service is big business in the United States, expected to grow to about $700 million USD by 2027.

A startup from Israel called BeeHero, based now in California with an R&D office in Tel Aviv, is using sensors and data to help conventional beekeepers maintain healthy hives. A sensor in the hive that monitors conditions paired with data inputs from research and a sharing app helps commercial beekeepers keep track of their hives in the field, real time.

In 2022 BeeHero had already raised $42 million USD. This year they are voted one of 100 companies of the year by the CleanTech Group. The Cleantech Group totaled 25,435 nominations from over 65 countries to offers a fair representation of global innovation and private company creation.

Beeher’s latest $42M Series B funding round led by Convent Capital was joined by General Mills, Cibus Capital (formerly ADM Capital), Rabobank, MS&AD, Firstime, J-Ventures, Plug&Play, iAngels, Gaingels, UpWest, and more. By that point they had raised $64M.

BeeHero creates what they call a Healthy Hive Score, a metric for measuring bee health that promotes bee welfare management. Their beehive sensors collectively saved a quarter of a billion bees this past year, according to their data, and beekeepers using BeeHero’s technology have reported 33% fewer colony losses compared to the US national average.

As the human population continues to rise, growers are faced with the challenge of producing more food with fewer resources. Bee pollination is indispensable to this production of the world’s most valuable and nutritious foods, providing $18 billion annually in value to US agricultural crops alone.

BeeHero currently runs the largest database of bee behavior in existence, according to the company. They have amassed  data from hundreds of thousands of monitored colonies, and existing academic research, to give beekeepers a way to assess colony health based on colony growth, brood health, and queen presence, normalized against weather conditions and flight hours.

For growers, they can decide where and when to place bees for better pollination rates: “While beekeepers and growers depend upon strong and healthy hives, they have long struggled to accurately see inside their hives to better understand and care for their colonies, leaving both their crop yields and bottom lines at risk,” says Omer Davidi, the CEO of BeeHero. This is especially true in the United States and Canada where a significant number of colonies do not withstand winter. Other stressors include disease and climate change.

We wrote about the problems with almonds and almond milk here. And our demanding almond milk is also part of the problem. California supplies 80% of the world’s almonds. In 2019, that amounted to 2.5 billion pounds of the nuts. And the demand rises, with companies especially eyeing the growing Chinese market. California farmers have ripped out citrus trees and planted almond groves that cover over 1000,000 acres – an area comparable to the size of Delaware.

While Americans eat plenty of almonds – an estimated 900 grams every year – it’s the demand for almond milk that’s driving the industry.  At sales of $1.2 billion yearly, hugely topping other non-dairy milks, it’s easy to see why.

The catch is that almond farmers can’t rely on native bees to pollinate their orchards. There aren’t enough of them, and they can’t be counted on to pollinate a predictable number of trees. The farmers contract commercial beekeepers to transport their hives to the orchards while the trees blossom. 1.6 million hives are needed to make USA almond trees produce every spring – over ten times what other crops, like apples, demand.

And this is where BeeHero hopes to fit into the market.

The first application of BeeHero’s Healthy Hive Score was during the 2023 almond pollination season in California. Growers received scores based on analysis of each of the orchards pollinated by hives under BeeHero management. Based on the average outcome of almonds per acre, growers that worked with BeeHero during this season collectively produced about 270 million pounds of almonds all grown under bee-friendly conditions.

The post Israel’s BeeHero a top 100 cleantech company appeared first on Green Prophet.

Israel’s most active investor along with his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates are banding together to create a new tech investment partnership. The announcement has come hot on the heels of a peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates last month. If you read some of the commentary between the two men you’d imagine it’s the biggest new love story on the planet: but I see it as a chance for individual investors to help grease the wheels of peace and an “in” for cleantech companies from Israel eyeing the Gulf region to explore new business opportunities.

OurCrowd, the world’s largest global venture investing platform, signed a memorandum of understanding this week with UAE businessman Abdullah S Al Naboodah to create Phoenix as part of a 100m investment fund. Veteran investor Sabah Al-Binali will head OurCrowd’s Gulf operations. 

This is the first announced partnership between an established UAE corporation and a major Israeli venture investment firm at this level of commitment. Until now bilateral trade and investments have been rare and almost always under the radar with Luxembourg somewhere in the story as a middle man.

Investing for peace

Times have changed for good, I hope: founded by Jonathan Medved, OurCrowd is a global leader in equity crowdfunding and is Israel’s most active venture investor with $1.5B of committed funding. 

OurCrowd plans on identifying and supporting UAE-based startups seeking growth and development in Israel, as well as leveraging its diverse portfolio of 220 companies in the UAE.

The model of crowdfunding for equity means that individuals can invest in “peace” with real money, with as little as $50,000 USD. Regular venture firms won’t accept less than $1 million USD to enter a deal. 

While individual investors may not have a lot to say about how the investments are used, they can voice their interest in a portfolio that is well balanced and suggest businesses meet sustainability goals, which are mostly absent in Israeli companies. 

Phoenix in Dubai, led by Al Naboodah, will serve as an investment platform for individuals and family offices located in the Gulf seeking opportunities to invest in Israeli tech. Phoenix will enable investors to access OurCrowd’s tech investment opportunities in Agriculture, Medtech, AI and robotics. 

Al Naboodah told the Financial Times: “The commodity-fuelled excess financial capital of the UAE fits well with Israel’s surplus technology and innovation. This will accelerate investing in opportunities both in Israel and the UAE.” 

Medved said: “The signing of OurCrowd’s first MOU in the UAE less than a month after formal normalization between the UAE and Israel shows our deep commitment to building relationships, and growing business in the UAE and beyond.”

The better known portfolio companies taken on by OurCrowd include the data-protection company BioCatch, the smart irrigation company CropX, and the cyber intelligence company Sixgill. 

OurCrowd cleantech companies suited for business in Dubai?

We reached out to Medved and Leah Stern from his team and they suggested these OurCrowd portfolio companies as potential businesses suited for expansion in the UAE: 

Enverid cleans a building’s indoor air at the molecular level, enabling the building to use far less outside air ventilation while improving indoor air quality. 

Ripple: the reduction of greenhouse gases by replacement of dairy with plant based milk, made from peas. Israel is going wild with food startups right now. This vegan cheesemaker is eyeing an IPO.

Skytran: Urban mobility solution via green flying pods on elevated rails. A little too modern for Israel right now, but perhaps Dubai is a better fit?

Juganu installs proprietary street lights maximizing energy efficiency and lighting stability. 

ClimaCell is a hyper-local weather intelligence platform, which uses the Weather-Of-Things to predict the weather. This is combined with air quality data that they collect as well in order to help companies decide if it is better to introduce outside air into the office at a certain time, or circulate the indoor air instead, on a hyper-local level.

What’s the big deal about crowd funding for angels?

A group of people investing increments in as little as $50 to $100K in a new company was always for the realm of angels, but risk-averse investors in the US wanted to get involved in Israeli startups. They didn’t want to buy Israeli bonds from the time of their grandparents.

I saw it starting in the mid-2000s when there was a frantic urge to invest in Israeli cleantech companies, solar and water specifically, with virtually no mechanism to help investors access deals without significant in pocket funds and savvy.

Investors were rushing into Israel coming to Tel Aviv looking for ways to get intel before the next exit. They knew something was brewing in Israel since M Systems and Mirabilis (ICQ) exited and made millionaires from engineering geeks, many with ties to the army.

The world sensed that Israel was brewing something big and they were right: since Israel has had exits in multiples of billions including Mobileye: $15.3 billion (2017), Frutarom (with a terrible environmental track record) $7 billion (2018), NDS $5 billion (2012) and Chromatis $4.7 billion (2000).

Back to the early 2010s and crowdfunding was just starting to make sense. People were sharing office spaces (though local hubs) and then living quarters (Couchsurfing) and the whole idea of social investments was starting to catch on. 

We heard about bands turning to the crowd to produce a music video or Kickstarter for a product and not long after, along with passing regulatory hurdles, crowdfunding for investors became a thing. This was a desirable model for American Jews to be able to support Israel without just pouring philanthropic aid into the country carte blanche.

By 2013 the Israeli-American investor Jonathan Medved stepped up to the plate and started a fund called OurCrowd that would allow almost any sized investor to own a piece of the Israeli startup pie. This excited Jews in America and it it gave new wind of support for young entrepreneurs in Israel that they they could go beyond the expensive government-funded incubator model and get funding without giving away more than half of their business in equity.

Medved is a marketing genius who probably knew all this. He is also known as a business ambassador – one who has collected some of the best to join his tribe from the media, tech and investment world.

____

Have something to say? A cleantech company you want to pitch or an idea for improving sustainability goals in the Middle East? Email me: Karin@greenprophet.com

The post A $100 million USD fund unites Arab Gulf and Israel appeared first on Green Prophet.

Equinom, a seed breeding startup, announces it has closed its Series B round of funding of $10 million, led by BASF Venture Capital, Germany followed by Roquette, France; and Trendlines Group, Israel. Equinom’s current investor, Tel Aviv-based Fortissimo Capital, also participated.

Equinom’s non-GMO technology shapes the future of plant protein by designing smarter seeds via fast-track, technology-driven breeding methodology that harnesses natural genetic variation in plants. Leveraging an innovative business model, Equinom supports the entire supply chain and collaborates with top-tier food companies to bring products to consumers.

Syria’s Seeds Are Locked Away in Norway, But Are Seed Vaults Safe?

Smart seeds are more nutritious than traditional commercial varieties, featuring protein and oil contents among the highest in the market. Equinom introduces such high-value characteristics and organoleptic properties by combining advanced sensory technologies with high-throughput protein analysis systems.

Gil Shalev, CEO of Equinom, founded the company eight years ago with a drive to feed the world with nutritious, high protein food. He recognized the need to improve the food supply and make it more affordable, with a primary focus on the source of the challenge – seeds and legumes. Under his leadership, Equinom has been building a new “ecosystem” that directly connects food companies to the supply chain, bringing greater transparency and paving the way for more responsible sourcing of high-value plant protein.

Today, Equinom is transforming the food industry, strategically breeding non-GMO seeds with higher nutritional profiles and increased crop yields. Equinom is the first company to design seeds exclusively for the food industry, enabling clients to choose specific varieties for their needs.

TransAlgae Seeds A Need For Green Feed

An example of the success of Equinom’s mission is that in just five years, the company has become the preferred supplier for sesame seeds by generating mechanically harvestable varieties. These seed stocks are now being grown worldwide.

“We also plan to launch our high-protein pea variety in 2021,” adds Shalev. “Equinom will continue working with plant-based food ingredients and food companies to help create tasty, “cleaner” plant-based applications. We already have clients producing products with our smart grains, which provide higher quality, improved nutritional values, and lower production costs.”

The recent $10 million investment represents market leaders’ trust in Equinom’s proprietary technology and its capabilities. The FoodTech startup gained increased awareness and leadership in providing solutions to the plant-based-food industry, spurring numerous international strategic collaborations.

“This investment round has been highly successful and combines financial investors as well as strategic investors, as well as VCs from multiple regions around the world,” notes Shalev. “It will accelerate Equinom’s expansion globally and allow us to build talent and infrastructure to better serve our clients locally. Already, we have enjoyed phenomenal sales growth across four continents in 2019.”

The post Equinom, seed breeder raises stakes for non-GMO agtech investment appeared first on Green Prophet.

It’s the middle of NYC AgTech Week. It’s a time where futurists growing hyperlocal food and technologies
in New York City open their labs for urban food week. Tonight there will be a fish taco dinner prepared with fish raised on a roof in the city; the rest of the food was grown in urban farms in locations throughout the Big Apple. Dining starts tonight at Farm on Kent, pictured above, in Brooklyn if any Green Prophet’s are in the city.

A host of tours from 12 noon to 4 tomorrow Friday will show of off the city’s coolest urban farming technologies and I’ll be there giving a demo on how my hydroponics technology flux works.

Leading a global trend to grow hyper-local food close to home, New York entrepreneurs have innovated their food well beyond tomorrow using bold applications from the world of high-tech.

Tonight Manhattan Agriculture chefs will do the chopping and cooking and at the event meet 21 of New York’s leading urban agtech companies planting roots for a vision that New York will produce up to 40% of its food locally.

Sample pesticide-free food or see how food is grown on “water” or hydroponically –– one of the most sustainable ways to grow fresh, tasty food in cities.

The event is hosted by the New York City Agriculture Collective (www.farming.nyc), of which flux is founding member.

Henry Gordon-Smith, from Blue Planet Consulting, one of the city’s leading consultants on urban farm projects using technologies like hydroponics says: “I am getting calls on a daily basis from Real Estate developers wanting to know how they can make use of rooftops to grow both food and a new source of income.

“On the flipside I am seeing nothing short of a revolution driven by young entrepreneurs across the globe. Farming in the city has become the next big career: Post-degree, college students from various disciplines are asking me how they can switch careers and they are moving to NYC to make it happen. They want to quit everything and start growing food in their cities. This week will give answers to everyone who is curious about the industry,” he says.

The crunchiest carrots, the coolest connected cucumbers

And just like each New York neighborhood has its own flavor, the same is true for urban farms in the city. Urban farming can mean growing fish for families on a roof in Brooklyn, using hydroponic greenhouses in the Bronx to grow greens in the winter, or using connected sensors and software to optimize yield in the smallest of space –– even if you live in a small rental in Soho.

It’s no surprise that when a movement to “grow local” sweeps across the nation that New York City picks it up and takes a firm stance and a bold leaf, ahem, lead in urban farming.

Meet the breadth of New York City’s agriculture leaders in industry and products for the connected garden at New York’s first AgTech Week where investors will connect to educators, backyard farmers, large-scale commercial growers, community activists, and city officials.

The full program is found here. Or email hello@farming.nyc for more.

The post Eat New York City farm feast from city-grown fish and veggies appeared first on Green Prophet.

In the same space as the American agtech company flux, built on Israeli R&D to help people grow food in cities, another Israeli-founded, American-managed company is taking a stance and big investment dollars in agtech and food production.

They call it CropX.

The company announced this week that it closed its $9 million Series A financing. This is after 5 years of R&D.

The round was led by some familiar names: Finistere Ventures, Innovation Endeavors, and GreenSoil Investments, and each investor in the Series A round is dedicated to agriculture technology innovations.

Israel-based OurCrowd also participated in the round given its previous investment in the company.

“Before CropX, there was no cost-effective way to control our irrigation infrastructure,” noted Mike Mills, a Missouri farmer and CropX customer. “We are now able to accurately and easily manage our irrigation and make real-time adjustments — all from a smartphone and across multiple farms and fields. CropX’s solution allows us to lower our water and energy usage.”

With drought conditions accelerating around the globe, water management has become one of the most critical issues facing the farming sector.

Driving a new era in AgAnalytics, CropX uses advances in the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data to transform traditional farming techniques. The investment will be used to aggressively expand the CropX team and scale the company to meet the increasing need among farmers for low-cost and simplified, remote control of their irrigation, the company reports.

It will also fund new product development including controls in nutrition, plant protection, and planting and harvesting prediction.

“As a pioneer in the AgTech sector, we are always looking for promising technologies with the potential to make a meaningful difference to farmers’ profitability and sustainability,” said Arama Kukutai, co-founder and partner, Finistere Ventures. “CropX is the first retail-priced solution allowing farmers to control irrigation to minimize water use, save on farm energy, augment yield, and control fertilizer runoff, thereby improving environmental compliance.”

The CropX system automatically analyzes the exact water needs of different parts of each field based on topography, soil structure, and current moisture. Farmers download the mobile app and place three wireless sensors in the ground. These sensors continuously send soil readings to the cloud, where the patent-pending CropX software determines how to effectively irrigate different parts of the field based on pattern-recognition analysis and revolutionary algorithms.

It is not the first of its kind to come out of Israel. There are a number of smart water systems in the works that measure soil variables including Common Sensor.

Competitor Edyn, though promising and aiming at a consumer market for now, didn’t get the most impressive review from this savvy smart home user.

With CropX, designed for farmers, users self-install the system without expensive infrastructure or significant consulting input during the installation process.

“CropX is our first AgTech investment since the launch of the Farm2050 collective, which has grown significantly since its inception in late 2014,” stated Innovation Endeavors Managing Partner Dror Berman. “CropX is a leader in the digital agriculture space, helping farmers globally overcome rising irrigation challenges. We are excited to support such a fantastic team that is building the future ag tools.”

CropX’s product was developed by a team of scientists and technology experts in Israel, a global leader in water conservation technology, and New Zealand, and was validated on-farm over the past five years.

“The world is running out of water, and, therefore, food. The US drought is a growing problem that we must tackle head on. The farming industry is struggling to manage rising energy costs and restricted water supplies, while trying to decrease water waste and increase crop yields,” said CropX CEO Isaac Bentwich. “Our simple software service helps farmers easily grow more with less — and eliminates unnecessary water usage.”

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