Global food production must increase by 70% by 2050 in order to prevent massive famine. These are the 15 AgTech startups that are helping to tackle some of the biggest challenges in the agriculture industry.

1. Top 15 AgTech Startups
To Watch In 2020
Presented By
Ana Martinez

2. The world population is expected to increase to 9
billion by 2050, which means we need to increase
global food production by 70% to prevent
massive famine according to the United Nations’
Food and Agriculture Organization.
Simultaneously, the agriculture industry is facing
increasing production costs, labor shortages,
land management inefficiencies, food waste, and
disconnected consumers demanding
transparency to the origin of their food.
Agtech startups worldwide are developing
innovative solutions to tackle the challenges in
the agriculture industry to avoid massive food
shortages in the near future. In this presentation,
we will highlight 15 agtech startups providing
creative solutions to such challenges.
Introduction

3. 1. EarthSense
EarthSense has developed an
autonomous robot, TerraSentia, that
contains a variety of sensors to collect
data on traits for plant health,
physiology, and stress response.
EarthSense uses machine vision and
machine learning to seamlessly convert
field data to specific, actionable
information about plant-traits.

4. Biome Makers has developed the first
machine learning system integrating
microbiome information and AgData.
They use DNA Sequencing technologies
and proprietary Intelligent Computing
systems to explain in detail the impact of
microorganisms in soil affecting different
crops. Biome Makers provides actionable
recommendations that allow customers to
improve their agricultural production and
the quality of their products.
2. Biome Makers

5. 3. Verdical
Verdical is an automated indoor gardening system allowing anyone to grow
greens and herbs with the touch of a button. By using Verdical, restaurants
can eliminate their supply chain and connect consumers directly to their
ingredients for an enhanced experience. Verdical transforms indoor areas
into artistic life-sustaining spaces and enables urban areas to grow their own
local food.

6. 4. AgDraft
Australia’s farmers’ biggest challenge is finding quality labour, Agdraft
is solving this problem by developing the LinkedIn in the agriculture
industry. Agdraft is an online platform connecting Australian farmers to
skilled rural workers and uses an AirBnB style reviewing system to
build trust between both parties.

7. 5. Kakaxi
Consumers want to know where
their food comes from. Kakaxi, a
solar powered farm monitoring
device, is the ultimate tool for
farm-to-table transparency.
Kakaxi uses sensor technology to
capture and broadcast accurate,
hyper-local weather data and
time-lapse video of food growth
showcasing the story of food.

8. 6. Kray Technologies
Kray Technologies created the world's
first digital and fully unmanned drone
crop sprayer that delivers on demand
fertilizers and pesticides right to
farmers’ fields. Their solution requires
less fuel, less maintenance, and less
staff compared to current alternative
methods cutting down cost for
farmers. Kray Technologies drone can
process up to 1200 acres per day
autonomously while meeting the EPA
application safety requirements.

9. AgriWebb is a farm management
software that helps farmers
simplify their farm record
keeping, solve their audit and
accreditation needs and increase
the productivity of their farms.
Features include full farm record
keeping, farm mapping,
operational planner, inventory
management, task management,
individual animal management,
biosecurity plans, and more.
7. AgriWebb

10. 8. mOasis
Using proprietary chemistry, mOasis
manufactures BountiGel® a
non‐toxic, next-generation soil
additive called Aquamer® that
allows growers to optimize the usage
of water in agricultural soil.
BountiGel has been proven to reduce
water usage on a wide variety of
crops and transplants, which in turn
improves growers yields.

11. Motorleaf uses artificial intelligence
and machine learning to provide
precise and automated harvest yield
forecast for hydroponic commercial
greenhouses. Equipping growers with
software tools to gain better capacities
to monitor, control and know the
future yields of their harvests.
9. Motorleaf

12. 10. Vence Corp
Vence provides virtual fencing and
autonomous animal control solutions. Vence
has created a Fitbit for livestock that allows
their customers to get real-time information
related to the health and well-being of their
animals. Vence technology also allows their
customers to control the movement and
grazing of their animals directly from their
smartphone to create virtual fencing.

13. BioFiltro provides wastewater
treatment solutions with a patented
filtration system that harnesses the
digestive power of worms and microbes
to remove up to 99% of contaminants
from your wastewater. BioFiltro’s goal is
to convert waste stream into
regenerative revenue streams.
11. BioFiltro

14. Trapview is an automated pest
monitoring and forecasting
platform that enables reliable
collection of pest monitoring
data. Providing near real-time
indications of pest occurrences
allowing growers to successfully
respond to situations in the field.
12. Trapview

15. 13. Vibe Imaging Analytics
Vibe Imaging Analytics has developed
Vibe QM - an inspection instrument for
the post harvest grain and seed market.
Vibe QM uses machine vision and
learning to measure, count and classify
grain size, shape and color. Vibe’s
solution digitizes and streamlines the
commercial grading, quality, and yield
enhancement process while ensuring
compliance with government and
customer standards.

16. Smallhold is the first, and only,
organic mushroom farm in NYC.
Smallhold’s technology allows their
partner restaurants, grocery stores,
and markets to grow mushrooms and
leafy greens on-site without the
effort. Smallhold hopes to expand
across the United States bringing
fresh produce to urban areas.
14. Smallhold

17. Back to the Roots is on a mission to
reconnect people back to where their
food comes from by helping them
experience the magic of growing it
themselves. Back to the Roots has
developed indoor gardening kits such as
their Water Garden, Mushroom Grow
Kits, Hemp Starter Grow Kit, and more.
15. Back to the Roots

18. Presented By:
Ana Martinez is a Manager in the Corporate Innovation Services department at RocketSpace. In
this role, she helps corporations develop new business strategies using the latest technology in
the market and lead corporations and startups through successful partnerships.
Prior to RocketSpace she was a member of the first innovation team at Rabobank who launched
FoodBytes, a global Food & Ag startup pitch competition, and TERRA, a Food & Ag accelerator in
partnership with RocketSpace.
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More Resources:
● Corporate Innovation Playbook
● Corporate Innovation Assessment