Key Takeaways
- Cropin receives €700,000 under EIT Food’s Impact Funding Framework
- The ‘FIRST Potato’ AI initiative aims to accelerate regenerative potato farming practices
- Pilot deployments to begin in Denmark, Germany, and the UK
- Cropin’s platform integrates real-time data and predictive analytics for farm-level decision support
- Partnerships with Aarhus University and food processors position Cropin to expand across Europe
Cropin Launches ‘FIRST Potato’ to Scale Regenerative Agriculture
Cropin has secured a €700,000 strategic contract from EIT Food to deploy its new AI-powered initiative: FIRST Potato (Field Intelligence for Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainability in Potato Farming). The initiative is designed to support the shift from conventional to regenerative farming by delivering data-driven decision support at the farm level.
Through this deployment, Cropin aims to drive sustainable practices across Europe while ensuring that farmers can maintain or improve crop yields and quality.
AI-Driven Insights to Support Regenerative Transitions
The FIRST Potato platform combines satellite imagery, sensor data, weather insights, and Cropin’s proprietary data models to generate daily, plot-specific advisories. These recommendations are customized based on soil profiles and microclimate conditions, guiding farmers in optimizing irrigation, input application, and residue management.
By focusing initially on potato farming, Cropin addresses a critical segment where processors require high solid content for chip and fry production. The company’s AI system not only helps farmers meet these quality requirements but also supports soil regeneration and reduced environmental impact.
Scientific and Commercial Pilots Across Europe
To validate the platform, Cropin will collaborate with Aarhus University, a leading institution in sustainable agriculture research. Field validation will begin on pilot farms in Denmark, followed by commercial pilots with potato processors in Germany and the UK.
As regenerative agriculture gains traction in the region, Cropin’s technology provides a solution for measurable, scalable implementation—bridging a known gap in the industry.
“As regenerative agriculture gains momentum, the absence of verifiable, measurable outcomes poses a real challenge,” said Krishna Kumar, CEO and Founder of Cropin. “Through AI, data intelligence, and real-time decision-support, we are bridging this critical gap.”
Cropin Aligns Sustainability With Profitability
Farmers and processors often face a trade-off when adopting regenerative practices—better soil health may come at the cost of reduced yields, particularly in early years. Cropin’s precision tools aim to mitigate that by optimizing inputs and maintaining profitability.
The platform improves microbial activity, enhances amino acid bioavailability, and enables farmers to produce quality potatoes while aligning with sustainability goals. These dual benefits address both economic and environmental concerns across the agri-food ecosystem.
Cropin Technology’s Expansion Plans Across the Region
In addition to the initial pilot sites, Cropin is in advanced talks with several Europe- and UK-based agri-food brands. The company expects to finalize additional regenerative agriculture pilots before the end of the financial year, further embedding its platform into the region’s sustainable farming initiatives.
With FIRST Potato, Cropin continues to strengthen its position as a critical enabler of climate-smart agriculture in Europe—supporting processors, farmers, and the environment through actionable, AI-powered insights.
