Pennsylvania-based agritech startup 'Croptix' has successfully raised seed funding to advance its innovative technology for monitoring crop health in real time. The company, formerly known as Atoptix, has attracted new investor support, including consultancy firm Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), as well as previous investors 1855 Capital and Ben Franklin Technology Partners.
Croptix, a spin-out from Penn State University, has spent a decade developing a field-deployable, hand-held spectrophotometer sensor platform with the help of grants from the US National Science Foundation (NSF). By combining miniature spectrophotometers, big data, and artificial intelligence (AI), the company aims to provide farmers with an efficient tool to detect nutrient deficiency, water stress, and crop diseases such as Huanglongbing (HLB) before visible symptoms appear.
The patented spectrophotometer platform, coupled with AI analytics, cloud-based data, and a mobile app, delivers rapid and actionable results to farmers, empowering them to make informed decisions. Croptix's technology has already proven valuable in identifying early indications of HLB in citrus crops, and the startup plans to expand its disease detection solutions to other high-value permanent crops like apples, grapes, and more.
The recent funding will enable Croptix to accelerate development efforts, penetrate the market, and conduct in-field testing across various crops, both domestically and internationally. The startup's solution aligns with the goals of regenerative agriculture, offering farmers data-driven analysis and the potential to reduce fertilizer usage, decrease water pollution, and minimize the reliance on pesticides.
Croptix's pioneering technology positions Pennsylvania as a hub for innovation in precision agriculture, contributing to the advancement of sustainable farming practices and improved global food security.
Photo Credit: Croptix
Categories: Pennsylvania, Crops