Croptix, a precision ag-tech platform specializing in the early detection of crop health, has announced the first close of its Series Seed round, led by Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), a strategic investor and regenerative agriculture leader. The funding round also saw continued participation from 1855 Capital and Ben Franklin Technology Partners. With this investment, Croptix aims to accelerate the development and adoption of its patented in-field sensing technology, revolutionizing crop health assessment and benefiting farmers with improved crop quality, higher yields, and better financial returns.
Dr. Perry Edwards, co-founder and CEO of Croptix, expressed excitement about the investment round stating, “This investment allows us to expedite our development efforts and expand our market presence. We are eager to introduce nutrient testing as part of our suite of solutions for the in-field assessment of crop health to our customers.” This strategic investment will enable Croptix to enhance its platform’s capabilities, offering predictive, data-driven farming decisions to farmers.
Croptix’s platform utilizes patented in-field sensors, artificial intelligence analytics, proprietary cloud-based data, and a mobile app to provide farmers with rapid and actionable results. The company’s initial solution has been beneficial for citrus growers, helping them identify early signs of Huanglongbing (HLB) citrus greening, one of the most destructive diseases affecting citrus plants worldwide. With the new investment, Croptix plans to expand its offerings to include nutrient testing and disease detection solutions for growers of high-value permanent crops such as apples, grapes, and citrus. The company aims to scale its in-field testing capabilities across various crops domestically and internationally.
Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) is a renowned proponent of regenerative agriculture, offering large-scale farmers agronomy expertise, technologies, and specialty plant nutrition products to monitor soil and plant system performance. AEA CEO Jason Hobson emphasized the value of Croptix’s technology, stating, “Croptix’s technology will add a new dimension to the consulting and nutritional services AEA offers by providing farmers with fast, data-driven analysis. This technology will help farmers quickly understand potential issues related to their crops and address nutrient deficiencies before they become problematic.”
Paul Bergman, AEA’s Executive Chair, further explained their decision to invest in Croptix saying, “We have great confidence in the current capabilities and future potential of Croptix’s innovative technology and its highly committed and talented team. This partnership greatly enhances our mission as we accelerate and expand the support we provide to farmers using regenerative practices, helping them achieve higher returns, grow healthier and more resilient plants, and regenerate soil systems.”
Croptix was founded by Dr. Perry Edwards and Dr. Zhiwen Liu, who aimed to commercialize innovative sensor technology developed by Pennsylvania State University researchers. Their expertise in optical engineering and their team’s combined efforts led to the development of the Croptix platform. The platform offers a convenient, field-deployable solution for farmers to measure nutrition in situ and screen for crop diseases. By leveraging miniature spectrophotometers, big data, and AI, Croptix’s invention provides a new industry tool to improve global food security. The company has been awarded highly competitive National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I and II grants to develop and commercialize its technology.
Croptix’s precision ag platform and its collaboration with Advancing Eco Agriculture signify a significant advancement in the agricultural industry. By leveraging innovative technology, data analytics, and regenerative practices, Croptix aims to empower farmers with tools to optimize their yields, reduce costs, mitigate crop diseases, and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient agricultural ecosystem.
Photo by Brienne Hong on Unsplash
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