Key Takeaways
- Bethnal Green Ventures has led the pre-seed funding round for Ostara, a company developing real-time optimization software for controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
- Ostara’s platform integrates with key farm systems—such as irrigation, ventilation, lighting, and fans—to reduce labor, water, and energy use.
- The software addresses inefficiencies in CEA operations, where optimal conditions are typically achieved just 20% of the time, with the potential to increase that to over 75%.
- Pilot trials report significant operational savings, including 40 hours of labor saved per week on vent control alone.
- Ostara’s modular, affordable, and user-friendly design supports small to medium-sized growers, offering a scalable, future-ready tool for sustainable farming.
Bethnal Green Ventures Backs Ostara’s Smart Farming Platform
Bethnal Green Ventures has announced its investment in Ostara, leading the company’s pre-seed round to support the development and deployment of its intelligent farm management software. Ostara’s platform is designed to monitor, control, and optimize operations in controlled environment farms—such as greenhouses and polytunnels—in real-time.
Through a network of integrated sensors and a modular software system, Ostara delivers actionable data to help growers increase productivity while reducing costs and resource use.
Ostara Brings Data-Driven Control to Controlled Environment Agriculture
Addressing Efficiency Gaps in Modern Farming
The global shift toward more sustainable and controlled farming environments has led to rapid adoption of covered growing spaces. Yet, many operations still depend heavily on manual labor and intuition rather than data insights.
Growers report achieving optimal growing conditions just 20% of the time on average. Ostara’s software enables these farms to exceed 75% optimal conditions through:
- Real-time environmental monitoring
- Automated control of irrigation, venting, lighting, and climate systems
- Data visualization for informed decision-making
One pilot client noted 40 hours of labor savings per week on vent control alone, demonstrating the potential for widespread impact.
Software Delivers Simplicity, Compatibility, and Impact
Accessible Tech for Small to Mid-Sized Growers
What sets Ostara apart is its modular architecture, which allows seamless integration with existing farm infrastructure. Unlike high-cost or overly complex alternatives, Ostara offers:
- Affordability for smaller growers
- Ease of use with an intuitive interface
- Flexibility to fit diverse farm setups
Rooted in six years of field experience, Ostara’s team has built a system that makes advanced agtech accessible—lowering the entry barrier to digitization in agriculture.
Ostara Founders Push Global Vision for Smart Agriculture
Founders Dan and Adam bring strong leadership to Ostara’s mission. With a global outlook, they’ve been meeting with policymakers and growers around the world to showcase how their platform can transform food production.
Their vision aligns with the increasing urgency around climate adaptation, resource conservation, and agricultural resilience, positioning Ostara as a scalable solution in an industry primed for innovation.
2 Comments