Key Takeaways
- The Reservoir announces investment in TerraBlaster, a precision nutrient sensing startup
- Founded by Jorge Heraud and Matt Colgan, former leaders at Blue River Technology and John Deere
- Khosla Ventures leads the pre-seed round to accelerate development of in-field sensing systems
- TerraBlaster’s LIBS-based technology addresses nitrogen inefficiencies and runoff
- Investment aligns with The Reservoir’s focus on deep tech with tangible agricultural impact
The Reservoir Joins Pre-Seed Investment Round in TerraBlaster
The Reservoir has confirmed its investment in TerraBlaster, a startup developing next-generation in-field nutrient sensing and application systems aimed at addressing inefficiencies in nitrogen fertilizer use. The company is led by Jorge Heraud and Matt Colgan, known for their prior work at Blue River Technology and their contributions to John Deere’s See & Spray technology.
Targeting Agricultural Input Waste with Precision Tools
TerraBlaster’s approach addresses a well-documented challenge in modern agriculture: an estimated 70% of applied nitrogen never reaches crops, resulting in economic loss, environmental runoff, and greenhouse gas emissions. The company is using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to deliver high-resolution, real-time nutrient mapping, enabling more targeted and effective fertilizer applications directly in the field.
Technical Leadership and Strategic Backing
The Reservoir praised the TerraBlaster team’s capacity to transition technologies from prototype to large-scale deployment: “They understand what it takes to move from prototype to production at farm scale,” the fund stated.
The investment round was led by Khosla Ventures, whose early-stage conviction and emphasis on foundational science aligns with The Reservoir’s approach to supporting high-impact agricultural innovation.
Positioned for Field Deployment and Scalability
The Reservoir noted the synergy between its investment in TerraBlaster and its ongoing initiatives like Reservoir Farms in Salinas, California. By backing TerraBlaster, the firm reinforces its strategy of investing at the intersection of deep technology and real-world agricultural operations.
