Q1 2024: The Year So Far

Following an outstanding 2023, Q1 2024 presented a challenging quarter for the Israeli agriculture & food sector. Despite a global macroeconomic slowdown, investor interest remains high, and company roadmap milestones are being met.

• Investment Trends: Although overall investments and average deal sizes hit an all-time low, the number of investments decreased slightly.
• Agriculture Innovations: Autonomous and robotic solutions, along with data-based digital tools, have gained investor confidence, indicating recognized value offerings and product-market fit.
• Food Innovations: Israeli food startups are sprouting groundbreaking advancements in cultivated foods, novel ingredients, and packaging subsectors.

Israeli Agriculture & Food Landscape

• Companies: 637 companies within the sector.
• Hubs: 51 hubs supporting innovation.
• Active Investors: 37 investors actively participating in Q1 2024.
• Investment Rounds: 19 rounds totaling $77M in equity invested.
• Exits: Amounted to $18M in Q1 2024.

Top Investments and Active Investors

Key investments in Q1 2024 highlight the sector’s robust rebound:

• SeeTree: $17.5M Series C
• FreezeM: $14.2M Series A
• WeedOUT: $8.1M Series A

Agrifood Sector Breakdown

When analyzing the emerging subsectors within the agrifood sector and the supporting underlying technologies, we remain confident that the ecosystem is positioned to grow, especially in these growing subcategories.

Food Science: Pioneering New Ingredients and Products

At the forefront of the Israeli agrifood tech landscape, companies use food science to develop new ingredients and products. This multidisciplinary approach brings together scientists, engineers, and culinary experts to create innovative solutions. Israeli startups are pushing the boundaries by introducing unique and previously unavailable products like alternative sugar, cultivated meat, and alternative dairy proteins. These advancements expand the culinary landscape and provide opportunities for sustainable and nutritious alternatives.

Precision Agriculture: Disrupting Agriculture for Improved Efficiency

Precision agriculture solutions are revolutionizing agriculture by leveraging drones, sensors, and farm management software. Israeli agrifood tech companies are at the forefront of this disruption, offering innovative solutions to enhance farming output and quality. Farmers can make informed decisions about crop health, irrigation, and pest control with data-driven insights, ultimately improving yields and resource efficiency. Israel’s unique precision agriculture expertise drives global advancements in sustainable farming practices.

Consumer Tech: Empowering the Modern Food Experience

Consumer tech is reshaping the way individuals interact with food. Israeli startups are developing services and devices that empower consumers to cook, identify the best foods for their dietary goals, and make informed choices. From personalized nutrition apps to consumer taste preferences analytics, these innovations cater to the growing demand for food safety, personal health, and sustainability. Cutting-edge technologies developed by Israeli agrifood tech companies are enabling individuals to take control of their food journey.

Supply Chain Solutions: Digitization and Automation

The food supply chain and retail industry are transforming significantly through digitalization and automation. Israeli agrifood tech startups are developing solutions that optimize the supply chain, reducing inefficiencies and minimizing waste. Data analytics, blockchain, and IoT technologies are enhancing traceability, improving inventory management, and streamlining logistics. These advancements help businesses reduce costs and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient global food system.

Delivery Services: Revolutionizing Grocery and Meal Delivery

In an era of convenience, Israeli agrifood tech startups are disrupting the delivery sector. With services enabling seamless ordering and delivery of groceries and meals, these companies are transforming how people access and consume food. From on-demand grocery delivery to innovative meal-kit solutions, the Israeli agrifood tech ecosystem drives customer-centric approaches that cater to changing consumer preferences and lifestyles while maintaining a low carbon footprint.

“The food problem is multi-dimensional, global climate and natural resources considerations, efficiency, and scale to address the growing population, and consumer preferences and health requirements will shape how we grow and produce food.”

– Alon TurKaspa, Agrifood Sector Lead @Startup Nation Central

Israeli Agrifood Tech is Vital Right Now

The urgency to transform the global food system stems from several factors:

1. Resilient Food Systems: A resilient food system that can withstand conflicts and geopolitical risks is needed.
2. Feeding the Population: The challenge of feeding a growing population of 8 billion while reducing our carbon footprint.
3. Consumer Awareness: Rising consumer awareness about the health, traceability, and safety of food demands industry-wide action.

Consider some alarming numbers: the food system accounts for 30% of global energy consumption and over 25% of greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, a staggering one-third of the food we produce is wasted. Addressing these issues is crucial for environmental sustainability, food security, and meeting consumer expectations.

The Israeli agrifood tech ecosystem is at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging data, technology, and innovation to tackle these challenges head-on. By focusing on key areas such as food science, agritech, consumer tech, supply chain solutions, and delivery services, Israel is shaping the future of food and making significant contributions to a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient global food system.

“Israel’s agrifood tech ecosystem takes a wide view and covers many subsectors and disciplines. This attracts global food and beverage corporations, and we are often amazed at the interest in our startups. These big companies are seeking impact-driven investments that solve pressing gaps or challenges, which means there is a lot of opportunity for the local tech industry.”

– Alon TurKaspa, AgriFood Tech Sector Lead @Startup Nation Central

Dive into Israeli Agrifood Tech with Startup Nation Central

Israel is a trailblazer in Agrifood Tech. Having been forced to innovate to overcome unfavorable agricultural conditions, it is today home to the second-largest ecosystem in the world, made up of more than 400 companies.

At Startup Nation Central, our Agrifood Tech experts forge connections and support collaboration between global organizations and Israel’s problem solvers to feed the world’s ever-growing population in healthier and more sustainable ways.

Together, we can advance sustainable, long-term solutions that improve and optimize the entire food chain and contribute to a better future.

The post The Israeli Agrifood Tech Ecosystem: Transforming the Future of Food  appeared first on Startup Nation Central.

Alon Turkaspa is the agrifood tech and climate tech sector lead at Startup Nation Central, where he connects Israeli startups with global partners to address shared challenges and enhance Israel’s tech impact on global solutions.

The Israeli agrifood tech industry has firmly established itself as a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, ranking second only to the United States. Alternative dairy technology is a growing subsector of agrifood tech that addresses issues associated with traditional dairy production, including environmental impact, animal welfare, and health concerns.

Technologies in the alternative dairy space offer substantial benefits. These innovations replicate traditional dairy protein without the need to produce actual milk. They have the same taste and nutritional profile while reducing resource use and greenhouse gas emissions.

By providing sustainable, ethical and potentially healthier alternatives, this technology is poised to transform the dairy industry, offering consumers choices that align more closely with modern values and ecological necessities.

Israel is leading this sector due to the synergistic relationship between academia and industry. Universities and research institutes across the country contribute cutting-edge research in food engineering to biotechnology, seamlessly integrating with robust Israeli agricultural practices and entrepreneurial ventures. This has led to a thriving community of more than 700 companies, each dedicated to revolutionizing the agrifood landscape.

As Shavuot—a holiday that carries with it a tradition of eating dairy foods—approaches, here are some Israeli tech companies “moooo-ving” the dairy industry into the future:

Remilk produces dairy products in a way that is healthy and clean, without cholesterol, lactose, hormones and antibiotics. Their method yields products that taste identical to conventional dairy, use significantly fewer resources and are 100% cruelty-free.

Imagindairy creates animal-free dairy products using fermentation. They combine a passion for dairy, concern for the planet and scientific expertise to produce dairy proteins that mimic the flavor, functionality, experience, mouthfeel and nutrition of traditional dairy. Their products are lactose-free, growth hormone-free and cholesterol-free.

PlantIfoods is committed to the universal availability of nutritious, accessible, plant-based products. They aim to transform how plant-based beverages are produced by offering natural, organic, non-processed and healthy beverages to everyone, regardless of economic means, allowing people to enjoy naturally delicious products.

Wilk, a pioneering foodtech company, develops technology to produce cultured cow and breast milk. Founded in 2018, it aims to produce milk that closely matches the composition of commercial cow’s milk but is free from synthetic or plant additives and contains lower levels of hormones and antibiotics than traditional products. Wilk is also working on creating a lab-made replica of breast milk, which includes complex carbohydrates that support immune system development.

Else is the world’s first whole-plant dairy and soy-free infant formula line. The product is made of 100% plant-based ingredients (major ingredients are almond and buckwheat). Around 95% of the world’s infant formula products are based on dairy, and their core ingredients are whey protein and skimmed milk powder. Else’s plant-based infant formula raw ingredients have about 65% lower carbon footprint than standard products in this industry (according to Carboncloud.com calculation and validation).

Alfred’s FoodTech is transforming the plant-based food industry with its advanced production platform. This platform enables the large-scale creation of delicious, 100% plant-based foods, optimized for exceptional taste and texture. Their technology specifically addresses the challenges of off-tastes in plant proteins and enhances protein content, meeting the specific needs of contemporary food companies.

MNDL Bio enhances protein production by optimizing gene expression using advanced algorithms and patented methods from professor Tamir Tuller, a leader in computational and synthetic biology. Their core technology integrates AI and Machine Learning with genomic Big Data to significantly boost the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of biological systems.

The tradition of eating dairy foods on Shavuot can be traced back to several origins, blending Jewish religious symbolism, historical necessity and mystical significance. This practice honors the biblical description of the Promised Land as rich with “milk and honey” and symbolizes nourishment essential to life like milk to a baby.

At Startup Nation Central, we recognize the critical role that Israel’s agrifood tech sector plays in addressing global food challenges, including those posed by dairy production. Shavuot is a wonderful time to pay homage to the Israeli tech companies that are creatively solving this issue by delivering healthy and sustainable food solutions to a growing global population.

Originally published at JNS on June 7, 2024

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As the world grapples with the daunting challenge of feeding an ever-growing population projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, the integration of AI in agriculture emerges as a beacon of hope. It provides the tools necessary to optimize food production, reduce waste, and address the critical issue of global food shortages. 

The Use of AI in Agriculture 

AI is revolutionizing the agricultural sector with its ability to process and learn from vast data. From precision farming to crop management and livestock monitoring, AI technologies enable farmers to make informed decisions, leading to increased efficiency and higher yields.

The potential benefits of using AI in agriculture are immense. AI offers solutions to enhance crop health, optimize resource use, and sustainably meet global food demand. Here are some current applications:

• Crop Management 

AI-driven technologies in crop management allow for real-time monitoring and analysis of field conditions. By leveraging data from drones, satellites, and ground sensors, AI can predict crop health, identify pest infestations, and provide targeted treatment recommendations, significantly improving crop yields and reducing the need for chemical inputs. 

• Irrigation Management 

AI in irrigation management utilizes predictive analytics to optimize water use. AI systems can precisely schedule irrigation by analyzing weather forecasts, soil moisture levels, and plant water requirements, ensuring crops receive the right amount of water at the right time. This conserves water resources and enhances crop productivity. 

• Livestock Management 

In livestock management, AI tools help monitor animal health and behavior, predict illnesses, and optimize feeding strategies. Wearable sensors and video analytics can track vital signs and movements, providing farmers with insights to improve animal welfare and productivity. 

• Agribusiness 

AI also transforms agribusiness by streamlining supply chain operations, enhancing market access, and facilitating better decision-making. From predictive analytics for crop pricing to AI-driven platforms connecting farmers with markets, the technology is making agribusiness more efficient and responsive to market demands. 

Advantages and Challenges of AI in Agriculture 

The benefits of integrating AI in agriculture are clear: increased operational efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and improved food security. AI enables precision agriculture, reducing resource waste and environmental degradation while providing better risk management and decision-making tools. 

However, the adoption of AI in agriculture faces several challenges. High initial costs, lack of digital infrastructure in rural areas, and the need for technical expertise can hinder the widespread implementation of AI technologies. Additionally, concerns around data privacy, ethical considerations in automated decision-making, and the potential displacement of agricultural workers need to be addressed. 

The Future of AI in Agriculture 

The future of AI in agriculture holds promise for further innovations that will continue to enhance the sector’s efficiency and sustainability. Emerging technologies such as gene editing, autonomous robots, and blockchain for traceability are set to complement AI’s role in agriculture, offering new ways to improve crop varieties, automate labor-intensive tasks, and ensure food safety and provenance. 

As AI technologies evolve and become more accessible, their adoption in agriculture is expected to accelerate, driving a transformation that will make farming more data-driven and precise. This shift promises to increase agricultural productivity and make farming more resilient to climate change, pests, and diseases. 

AI in Agriculture: the Israeli Ecosystem 

Israel is at the forefront of integrating AI into agriculture, leveraging its bold and determined approach to innovation to address global food challenges. We call this approach “Impatient Innovation“.

The country’s unique combination of advanced technology and agricultural expertise has created a vibrant sector dedicated to developing AI solutions that enhance farming practices, improve yields, and ensure sustainability. 

Pioneering AI Technologies in Israeli Agriculture 

Israeli startups are pioneering AI technologies that are transforming agriculture. These innovations range from machine learning algorithms that optimize crop health and yield to AI-driven robotics for precision farming and harvesting. Israeli companies are also leading in developing AI systems for pest detection and control, reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides and promoting environmentally friendly farming practices.

There are two main areas where Israel excels – and these correspond to the challenges the Startup Nation has faced since its inception: 

1. Precision Agriculture 

Precision agriculture is a key area where Israeli AI innovations shine. Using data analytics and AI, Israeli startups enable farmers to monitor and analyze every aspect of their farming operations in real-time.

This includes soil and crop health, irrigation needs, and even crop yield predictions. Such precision allows for the optimal use of resources, significantly reducing waste and increasing the efficiency of agricultural operations. 

2. Water Management Solutions 

Given Israel’s expertise in water management, it’s no surprise that Israeli startups are developing AI-based irrigation systems. These systems use predictive analytics to optimize water usage, ensuring that crops receive the precise quantity of water needed at the right time. This conserves water—a critical resource in arid regions—and boosts crop productivity and quality. 

Top Israeli AI Agri Tech Companies 

The impact of Israel’s AI innovations in agriculture extends far beyond its borders. Israeli startups collaborate with partners worldwide to implement these technologies in diverse agricultural settings. From helping smallholder farmers in Africa improve crop yields to enhancing sustainable farming practices in Europe and North America, Israel’s AI solutions are crucial in addressing global food security challenges. 

Here are some category-leading Israeli agri tech companies making a major impact by leveraging AI: 

1. Taranis 

Taranis is a leading precision agriculture intelligence platform that uses advanced AI, machine learning, and drone and satellite imagery to provide farmers with actionable insights. Their technology focuses on crop health and pest and disease management, aiming to increase crop yields and reduce costs. 

2. Prospera Technologies 

Prospera Technologies specializes in digital farming solutions that transform complex data from multiple sources into clear, on-point recommendations for growers. Using advanced data analytics, AI, and machine learning, Prospera helps farmers optimize their decisions throughout the growing season, improving productivity and sustainability. 

3. SeeTree 

SeeTree offers an end-to-end service for managing tree health and productivity. Combining high-resolution, multi-dimensional sensing imagery captured by drones with AI and machine learning, SeeTree delivers deep insights into the health and productivity of every tree in an orchard, enabling precision agriculture practices for tree farmers. 

4. CropX 

CropX is an ag-analytics company that develops farm management software and soil sensors that measure temperature, moisture, and electrical conductivity. This data is then analyzed using their cloud-based software, which uses AI to provide farmers with irrigation and fertilization recommendations to optimize crop yields. 

5. Bluewhite  

Bluewhite provides a platform that enables farms to autonomously manage fleets of drones, tractors, and other agricultural machinery. Their technology leverages AI to optimize routes and tasks, improving efficiency and reducing the need for manual labor in farming operations. 

6. AgroScout 

AgroScout offers a cloud-based solution that utilizes AI to analyze aerial imagery from drones or satellites. Their platform can detect, identify, and monitor crop diseases, pests, and deficiencies, allowing for early intervention and management to protect crop health and yield. 

7. SupPlant 

SupPlant is a leading player in the smart irrigation space, using AI and real-time data from plant sensors, weather forecasts, and soil and irrigation systems. Their technology advises farmers on the optimal watering and treatment strategies for their crops, promoting water conservation and improving crop performance. 

Collaboration and Challenges 

The success of AI in agriculture within the Israeli ecosystem is largely due to strong collaboration between startups, research institutions, and government agencies. This collaborative environment fosters innovation and accelerates the development and deployment of AI technologies in agriculture. 

However, challenges remain, including the need for continued investment, education, and training to ensure farmers worldwide can adopt and benefit from these technologies. Additionally, addressing regulatory and ethical issues related to AI in agriculture is crucial for sustainable and equitable growth. 

Looking Ahead 

The integration of AI in agriculture, particularly through the innovations emerging from Israel’s ecosystem, shows the transformative potential of technology in solving critical global issues. As these technologies become more widespread and accessible, the future of agriculture will be increasingly sustainable, efficient, and capable of meeting the world’s growing food demands. 

AI’s integration into agriculture is reshaping the industry, offering unprecedented opportunities to increase efficiency, sustainability, and food security. While challenges exist, the potential benefits of AI in agriculture are undeniable, making it a key driver in the quest to meet global food demands.   

The post AI in Agriculture  appeared first on Startup Nation Central.

How Climate Change Affects Agriculture

Climate change is not a distant threat but a present-day disruptor of agricultural stability. The rise in global temperatures impacts crop yield and soil fertility, altering growing seasons and agricultural zones. Animal farming is also at risk, with heat stress affecting livestock health and productivity. In addition, a warmer climate favors the proliferation of agricultural pests and diseases, further endangering food security. The effects of climate change on agriculture are increasing in both frequency and severity, but it’s not a one-way street.

Impact of Agricultural Practices on Climate Change

While agriculture is a victim of climate change, it’s also a contributor. Traditional farming practices, reliant on heavy machinery, chemical fertilizers, and extensive land use, significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, and habitat destruction. These practices, coupled with deforestation for agricultural expansion, exacerbate environmental degradation.

Agrifood Tech for Adaptation and Mitigation

The intersection of technology and agriculture, known as agrifood tech, is pioneering sustainable solutions. These innovations are steering agriculture toward practices that are not only resilient to climate change but also mitigate its effects.

• Sustainable and Organic Farming Practices

Sustainable farming integrates techniques that maintain soil health, reduce water usage, and minimize chemical inputs. Organic agriculture takes this further by completely cutting out synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, reducing pollution, and enhancing biodiversity.

• Innovative Agricultural Practices

Innovations such as vertical farming, aquaponics, and permaculture are redefining agricultural practices. These methods optimize space, conserve resources, and minimize environmental impact.

• Genetic Engineering in Crops

Genetic engineering plays a pivotal role in developing crop varieties that are more resistant to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses, potentially reducing the agricultural sector’s carbon footprint.

Adapting Farming Practices to Climate Change

To combat the impact of climate change, farming practices are evolving. Strategies include adopting climate-smart practices, developing crops suited to warmer temperatures, and utilizing weather-resistant varieties of crops.

• Transitioning to Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices

Climate-smart agriculture involves practices that sustainably increase productivity, and resilience while reducing or removing greenhouse gases. These measures include crop rotation, mixed farming, and improved water management.

• Adapting Crops to Warmer Temperatures

Research in agronomy is focused on developing crop varieties that can withstand higher temperatures and drought conditions, ensuring food security in a changing climate.

• Utilizing Weather-Resistant Crop Varieties

Developing and deploying weather-resistant crops is crucial in safeguarding food production against climate unpredictability, especially as severe weather events become increasingly prevalent.

Israeli Agrifood Tech Solving Climate Change Challenges

Israel’s agrifood tech sector is not just innovating; it’s revolutionizing how we approach the global challenges posed by climate change in agriculture.

With its arid land and scarce water resources, Israel has become a powerhouse of agricultural ingenuity, developing technologies and making significant strides in enhancing global agricultural resilience. There are a few areas where Israel stands out:

• Use of Big Data & Climate Models in Agriculture

In an era where data is queen, Israeli technology is leading the way by integrating big data and climate models into agriculture. This integration allows farmers to access and utilize actionable insights for more effective crop management.

By analyzing vast amounts of data on weather patterns, soil conditions, and crop health, Israeli tech provides predictive insights that help farmers adapt to climate variability. This proactive approach is crucial in mitigating risks such as droughts, floods, and extreme weather events, ensuring stable and sustainable crop yields.

• Precision Agriculture (Drones, Sensors, and Satellites)

Precision agriculture, powered by drones, sensors, and satellites, is transforming traditional farming methods. These technologies enable farmers to monitor their fields precisely, optimizing irrigation, fertilization, and pest control.

Drones, for instance, can survey vast tracts of land, providing detailed imagery that guides farmers in making informed decisions. Sensors placed in the field or on plants send real-time data on soil moisture and nutrient levels, while satellites offer broader, macro-level views of farmland. This technology ensures that every drop of water and ounce of fertilizer is used efficiently, greatly reducing the environmental footprint of farming.

• Tech-Driven Irrigation and Water-Conserving Methods

In addressing the global water crisis, Israeli technology offers some of the most innovative solutions available. Israel’s expertise in water conservation and irrigation technology is world-renowned and originates in our urgency to make the dessert bloom. Innovations such as drip irrigation, a method that delivers water directly to the plant’s roots, have revolutionized water use in agriculture. This technology not only conserves water but also ensures that crops receive the precise amount needed for optimal growth, minimizing waste and maximizing yield.

Agrifood Tech for a Future of Food Security

The need to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and address climate change is vital to safeguard global food supplies and preserve traditional farming methods. The Israeli agrifood tech ecosystem has a role in this global mission, offering bold solutions that blend innovation with sustainability, ensuring a food-secure future in a changing climate.

The post Climate Change and Agriculture appeared first on Startup Nation Central.

However, bee populations worldwide are facing alarming declines because of habitat loss, pesticide exposure, climate change, and diseases. This decline threatens biodiversity and food security since a big part of our diets relies on pollinator-dependent crops. Recognizing the urgent need to address this issue, startups are stepping forward with innovative bee tech solutions to tackle bee health, pollination, and sustainable agriculture challenges. 

Top Israeli Bee Tech Companies 2024

Israel’s vibrant startup ecosystem has emerged as a significant driving force behind innovative solutions to address the decline in bee populations and ensure sustainable agriculture. Fueled by a culture of entrepreneurship and technological advancement, Israel is a hub for cutting-edge research, technology development, and practical applications. At Startup Nation Central, we call this Impatient Innovation.

Startups in Israel are leveraging the nation’s expertise in fields like biotechnology, agritech, and artificial intelligence to develop pioneering solutions that enhance bee health, promote pollination, and minimize the impact of various stressors on bee populations. Our bee tech startup ecosystem contributes to the global effort to preserve bee populations and secure the future of our food supply. 

Keep reading to learn more about Israeli bee tech!

Bee-io Honey 

Bee-io Honey stands out as a pioneer in the field by producing honey without the traditional involvement of bees. Employing a unique combination of natural nectar from flowers and innovative biological processes, Bee-io Honey creates high-quality honey without the reliance on bee colonies. The company’s groundbreaking approach to honey production has garnered attention for its potential to revolutionize honey manufacturing while addressing concerns related to declining bee populations. Bee-io Honey’s eco-friendly honey production process has gained traction since its inception, promoting sustainable practices in the industry. The company is situated in [Location] and continues to refine its honey production methods for broader adoption. 

BeeHero 

BeeHero‘s mission centers on safeguarding the global food supply by prioritizing bee health. Leveraging data-driven technology, BeeHero offers an encompassing bee monitoring solution to empower beekeepers with insights into colony health and optimization strategies. This comprehensive solution combines cost-effective IoT in-hive sensors and advanced machine learning to enable remote bee colony monitoring and analysis. BeeHero’s platform facilitates precise pollination services by integrating gathered data and optimizing the pollination of commercial crops. With a focus on enhancing pollination performance, the company has experienced notable growth since its inception.

Beewise 

Beewise has pioneered the development of autonomous beehives that utilize AI-powered precision robotics to streamline beekeeping activities. Through automation and AI technology, Beewise aims to reduce colony losses, increase honey production, and minimize the need for chemical pesticides. This innovative solution represents a comprehensive effort to support bee populations amidst various challenges. By combining advanced robotics with the preservation of bee health, Beewise has made substantial strides in its efforts to enhance pollination and honey production. The company’s commitment to sustainable beekeeping practices has contributed to its growth and recognition in the industry.

BioBee Sde Eliyahu 

BioBee Sde Eliyahu specializes in biologically integrated pest management (IPM) solutions, offering farmers an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. The company provides beneficial predatory insects and mites to control pests and professional field services for effective IPM program implementation. BioBee’s global presence, with subsidiaries and production sites across multiple countries, underscores its commitment to sustainable agriculture. BioBee has played a crucial role in promoting environmentally conscious farming practices by supplying natural predators and pollinators like bumblebees. With a strong global presence, BioBee has expanded its influence and aided farmers in reducing reliance on harmful pesticides, contributing to the growth of sustainable agriculture. 

H4Bees 

H4Bees is at the forefront of bee health research and development, focused on producing proprietary bee medicines. The company’s H4Bees compound has demonstrated the ability to enhance hive strength, honey yield, and pollination effectiveness. This natural and ecologically friendly powder is designed to be easily applied to beehives, offering a holistic approach to supporting bee populations and their productivity. H4Bees’ commitment to enhancing bee health has led to developing an innovative solution that holds promise for beekeepers and the agricultural industry. Since its establishment, H4Bees has significantly advanced its proprietary bee medicine, positioning itself as a key player in the sustainable beekeeping landscape. The company’s dedication to bee well-being has contributed to its growth and recognition within the industry.  

Edete 

Basmat Tabun-based Edete, meanwhile, is solving another pressing global challenge to farmers: the need to pollinate their crops at the right time. It’s well known that honeybees and other natural pollinators have declined for the past several decades. On top of this, climate change disrupts the synchronization of male and female blooms in dioecious crops. To solve this problem, the team at Edete has created precision technology to collect natural pollen when it’s available and artificially apply it to crop flowers at the optimal time. Rather than depending on unreliable insect pollinators, which are not only disappearing but subject to a variety of natural temporal and weather-related constraints, Edete’s solution allows farmers to use artificial robotic pollination to ensure crops receive the pollen needed for optimal crop cultivation. Edete’s solution includes harvesting and preserving pollen in a pollen bank and distributing it in orchards and fields as needed.  

Don’t Worry, Bee Happy.

Israeli bee tech is working towards a more sustainable and promising future. In the dynamic innovation landscape, Startup Nation Central propels Israeli tech to the forefront of global challenges, including agriculture, food, health, and climate. From enhancing pollination precision to revolutionizing hive management, these startups exemplify the power of innovation in safeguarding our environment.

In bee tech, Israeli tech buzzes with promise, offering solutions that resonate worldwide.

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More than two billion people live in deserts and drylands, which cover approximately 40% of the earth. As these numbers continue to rise, so does the urgency of developing technologies to ensure food and water security.

With one of the world’s leading DeserTech ecosystems, Israel is among the tiny number only countries in the world to reverse desertification by developing innovative solutions enabling sustainable living in an arid climate. As a result, Israel attracts leading scientists, environmentalists, and solar energy enthusiasts seeking to learn from and replicate its success.

Over 300 Israeli start-up companies are developing technologies either specifically geared to, or potentially adaptable for, desert environments, and have raised over USD 350 million in investments.

The Negev is the Heart and Future of DeserTech

A major enabler and contributor to the initiation and operation of DeserTech startups was (and continues to be) the Negev Desert. For decades, it has been a living laboratory for developing solutions that will enable sustainable living in an arid climate. Even in the days of David Ben-Gurion, the Negev was declared to be the place where the people of Israel would be examined, and he dreamed that a Hebrew Oxford would be built there – a space of spiritual creation and advanced science. Today, Israeli DeserTech is concentrated in the Negev region, part of the world’s desert belt and a living laboratory of science and technology.

Institutions in the Negev region are at the forefront of research addressing climate change in a range of sectors. Building on existing technological and policy research and leveraging growing private sector activity, Israeli DeserTech is promoting sustainable agriculture, energy, water, and infrastructure while addressing desertification challenges as part of its core business.

The DeserTech startup ecosystem includes dozens of basic and applied research institutions and many incubators and accelerators established in recent years. In addition, the ‘Innovation District’ is currently being developed in Be’er Sheva to connect academia, advanced industry, research hospitals, and more. These developments will accelerate the development and commercialization of desert technologies and transform the Negev into an international hub to combat desertification.

4 Global Challenges and How DeserTech Can Help

1. Extreme weather events

Dust storms, droughts, heat waves, and flash floods are all intensifying environmental threats for desert inhabitants. As desertification increases, agricultural productivity, and income decrease. According to the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land, extreme weather events have the highest potential to increase poverty over the coming decades in dryland areas, urgently necessitating innovative solutions to ensure food security and alleviate poverty.

Heat and dust-resilient renewable energy sources, green desert construction, adapted agricultural crops, sustainable land management practices, and prediction systems for extreme weather events are just a few of the solutions needed.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS:

2. Water Scarcity

Prolonged droughts and soil degradation will continue to aggravate existing water scarcities rendering life in the desert even more difficult for its inhabitants. Climate change will exacerbate water shortages, negatively impacting regional agricultural systems. By 2025, 1.8 billion people will experience “absolute water stress,” threatening water security worldwide, especially in arid regions.

Desalination-solar hybrid system treatment, reuse, and treatment of wastewater, water-saving precision irrigation, generation of water from air humidity, and advanced systems for drought forecasting are just a few of the solutions needed.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS:

3. Remote and Marginal Living

The lack of food and water security, reliable clean energy, and access to basic healthcare all test the survival of communities living in remote arid environments. The desperation of people living in these drylands is likely to drive them to emigrate leading to additional challenges for the global community. As desertification expands, marginal communities in arid regions will only be able to thrive with the use of new technologies. As of 2019, more than 785 million people in the world did not have access to basic water services.

Off-grid water and sanitation services, non-wire clean energy sources, and innovative self-sustaining food production technologies are just a few of the technologies needed.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS:

4. Land Degradation

Land degradation is primarily the result of human-related activities and climate variations. When land degradation occurs in drylands it is considered desertification. Unsustainable land management practices and increased pressure on the land to produce combine to drive degradation. Every year, 75 billion tons of fertile soil is lost to land degradation, thus increasing soil vulnerability to water and wind erosion, salination, and flash floods.

Land management techniques using runoff water, soil restoration, agro-voltaic systems, and smart irrigation are just a few of the solutions needed to achieve land degradation neutrality.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS:

Israel DeserTech Landscape Map

In terms of technologies designed to adapt to desertifying environments, Israel is no stranger to the problem as it had faced these challenges since its establishment with its settlements in arid and semi-arid zones which required appropriate solutions. Solutions that focus mainly on water, agriculture, and energy have formed the basis for the establishment of technology startups that operate in these fields.

Start-Up Nation Central, in partnership with DeserTech Community, mapped the Israeli startup ecosystem to deliver a comprehensive overview of companies developing relevant DeserTech-related technologies. Originally published in summer of 2022, this initiative provides insight and access to an industry with the potential to improve the lives of millions.

Partners for Progress

DeserTech is an Innovation Community that promotes the development, adaptation and
commercialization of technologies that enable sustainable living in arid climates, while
simultaneously, turning Be’er Sheva and the Negev region into a global entrepreneurial hub
for these technologies.

Start-Up Nation Central is a non-profit organization that connects Israeli innovation to the world to help international entities solve global challenges. Focusing on the Israeli technology ecosystem, we provide a platform that nurtures business growth and generates partnerships with key countries, multinational companies, and organizations to strengthen Israel’s economy and society.

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The connection between SeeTree and the IFC was made back in 2018 by Start-Up Nation Central as part of its mission to promote Israeli innovation, by connecting business, government, and NGO leaders from around the world to Israeli innovation that can help them answer their most pressing needs.

“This is a substantial step forward for Israel’s AgriTech sector, working with key players focused on sustainable development such as IFC, unlocking the vast potential we see in emerging markets for these technologies in a way that is financially viable with substantial impact on global agriculture,” said Daniela Kandel, Senior Director at Start-Up Nation Central. “That is why we have been working to expose IFC and other organizations to the value Israeli technology can bring to the development context, and are proud that a connection that happened over two years ago has come to fruition.”

She added that “this is only the beginning; Israel has much to offer in this space, from solutions to smallholder farmers to large-scale optimization of agriculture, leveraging high-value technologies for sustainability.”

“Artificial intelligence can revolutionize agriculture”

In addition to the IFC, other investors participated in this round, including Citrosuco, Orbia Ventures, and Kubota; existing investor Hanaco Ventures participated as well. “All of our new investors are true partners who believe in the power of our platform to increase productivity and help address the impact of the climate and other major challenges in agricultural production today and going forward,” said Israel Talpaz, Cofounder and CEO of SeeTree.

According to Stephanie von Friedeburg, interim Managing Director, Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer of the IFC, “artificial intelligence can revolutionize agriculture and have a transformative impact on productivity, the environment, and the livelihoods of farmers. We are excited to invest in SeeTree’s technology and help leverage precision agriculture in emerging markets.”

Monitoring 50 million trees around the world

SeeTree offers farmers an end-to-end service to manage and optimize the health and productivity of their trees. Its system identifies the health and growth rates of every tree in a farmer’s grove, and enables the creation of personalized cultivation plans for each tree or cluster of trees. SeeTree collects ultra-high-resolution images captured by drones and multi-spectral sensors, tree and soil samples, and analyzes the data through the platform’s machine-learning algorithms. Ultimately farmers receive an easy-to-use product with features such as tree health, pest, and disease tracking.

With operations in Brazil, the U.S., Chile, and South Africa, SeeTree monitors over 50 million trees around the world, which will grow to 1 billion trees by 2023. “We started with citrus and are servicing the largest citrus growers globally,” Talpaz said. “We will continue scaling within citrus. We are now equally focused on growing our offerings into new crops, such as almonds, olives, and hazelnuts, where we are already deployed and supporting farmers.”

According to Talpaz, the company’s vision is “to enable the Tree-Farming 4.0 Revolution with the Intelligence-per-Tree that we provide. SeeTree as a standalone solution can reduce operational expenses by 20%-40%. By connecting SeeTree to tractors and irrigation systems, we can unlock additional optimizations to further increase the value to our farmers.”

*Photos courtesy of SeeTree

The post Start-Up Nation Central’s Matching of SeeTree and the World Bank Group Leads to $30M Investment by IFC appeared first on Startup Nation Central.

In recent years, totalistic solutions have generated a global craze of investor interest. Everyone knows Beyond Meat, whose plant-based burgers continue spreading throughout the restaurant industry. According to Pitchbook, newer totalistic solutions attracted $700 million in venture capital in 2019 worldwide, including from new alternative-protein-focused VCs and even from the world’s largest livestock companies. From 2015 to 2019 the number of such startups in Israel more than tripled and annual investment rose from zero to $33 million. No other area of AgriFood-tech innovation has grown so quickly in number of companies or investment capital.

Ameliorate rather than replace

This boom in totalistic solutions is fueled by concern over the environmental and ethical compromises of the livestock industry: animal farming is responsible for 15% of human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (“Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock,” 2013); it requires 35% of the world’s cropland and 20% of water withdrawals to grow crops for feed (“Water Use of Livestock Production Systems and Supply Chains,” FAO, 2018); three liters of water are needed for obtaining one liter of milk from a cow (FAO, 2018); ethical issues include the physical conditions in which animals are raised, and the practices and magnitude (even the very notion) of slaughter, including the culling of several billion poultry chicks annually.

Seen as resource-intensive, cruel, and a cause of global warming, the livestock industry may be unsustainable (some research even anticipates its collapse by 2035). Protein-alternative solutions that would replace the industry with plant-based and cell-cultured products are therefore very popular right now in tech media and among investors.

Protein alternatives are popular, but the livestock industry is too important to be replaced

But the livestock industry is too important economically and nutritionally to be replaced any time soon. Throughout the world, the industry is a ubiquitous feature of any growing or industrialized economy. It is so interconnected with other sectors (especially in middle- to higher-income countries) that when it expands, numerous others tend to also, producing overall economic growth. As for human nutrition, animal byproducts contribute 33% of global protein intake. No wonder the industry has exceeded a value of $22.5 trillion.

This industry’s universal, multifaceted value worldwide makes ameliorative technologies significant. Several important ones are coming out of Israel:

All of this tech innovation makes the treatment and use of farm animals more sustainable without eliminating the industry.

Yet since 2017, Israel’s ameliorative solutions have raised less than a tenth of the capital raised by its totalistic ones. This disparity may reflect how alarmism and excitement over technologies touted as revolutionary – as “the future” – drive investor interest. But for now, totalistic solutions reach mainly vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians, and they predicate a global shift toward a futuristic animalless industrial agriculture.

Meanwhile, the ameliorative target has an existing, growing global market. In fact, ameliorative innovation has already demonstrated returns. The largest AgriTech acquisition to date – Merck’s $2.4 billion purchase of Antelliq in early 2019 – involved Israeli ameliorative technology from SCR. Investors should consider betting on more innovation from this school.

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Prime Minister Modi is painfully aware of the stress on the country’s already fragile healthcare system, and announced strict stay-at-home orders. While managing to stabilize the numbers somewhat, the lockdown appears to be tearing away at the Indian economy, namely the country’s essential agricultural, industrial and financial sectors. Unemployment rates hit record highs of nearly 30% in May (compared to about 10% in March, before the outbreak of the virus), and analysts predict that India could be headed towards its worst economic recession since 1979.

As a result, Modi  announced recently that the Indian government would provide a robust stimulus package of 20 trillion rupees ($266 billion), including a specific stimulus package to assist vulnerable populations with a direct cash transfer of 1.7 trillion rupees ($22.5 billion).

Healthcare and agriculture pushed to the precipice

While India has seen significant economic development in recent decades, the COVID-19 pandemic forced that progress to take a few steps backwards. More than just causing a recession, the pandemic has made plain the real issues hindering the steady growth of the Indian economy – lack of accessible healthcare services and waning food security for a large portion of its population.

Healthcare systems everywhere are in the limelight due to the pandemic, but in India the situation is worse, since its sprawling rural population does not have ready access to a hospital, let alone testing kits and personal protective equipment.

The agricultural sector, which has long been the lifeblood of the Indian economy, is facing equally compelling challenges due to quarantine restrictions, impairing farmers from accessing their fields and selling their harvests. As a result, Indians are experiencing a food security crisis (in addition to combatting a locust attack in recent days).

With the country’s two most critical sectors – health and Agri-food – under stress, India is thirsting for innovation that can help get its healthcare and agriculture systems back on track, and make the country resilient in the face of similar crises in the future.

India’s most basic resources – food and health – are compromised

As India yearns for technologies to solve its most pressing problems, and in light of the enormous stimulus package, Israeli MedTech and AgriFood-tech startups have much to offer.

In the MedTech field, remote health monitoring solutions such as Beecardia’s offer affordable and easy-to-use solutions for remote monitoring, including ECGs (electrocardiograms), portable cardiographs, and stethoscopes, as well as kits for rural areas that could be useful in testing for COVID-19. Start-Up Nation Central’s Digital Health & Life Sciences Sector Lead, Lena Rogovin, explains that due to a limited number of family doctors in India, huge distances between hospitals and rural areas, and a lack of medical equipment in those areas, these solutions could be a lifesaver for the Indian market.

Another issue in India is hygiene, which is exacerbated by the lack of personal protective equipment. One solution was developed by an Israeli startup, Bio-fence. The company’s antimicrobial (anti-viral) coating for large surfaces can be deployed at relatively low costs in order to get India’s major industrial sectors (especially factories) back to business.

There is also the aspect of health insurance in India, which is currently being expanded to provide coverage for poor and vulnerable populations that are out of work.  Israeli startup GYNISUS uses artificial intelligence to help hospitals and doctors focus on patients with a  higher risk of contracting COVID-19, and can forecast resource needs and cost management.

Digitizing the agricultural supply chain

Indian farmers are in dire need of digitalization solutions that will allow them to effectively store current lines of produce, as well as sell them online to enable a continuous flow of revenue, according to Shmuel Rausnitz, AgriFood-tech Analyst at Start-Up Nation Central, who mentions several Israeli startups that can address these needs:

Avenews digitizes the AgriFood supply chain, granting greater visibility to everyone involved, from farmers, to traders, to consumers in quarantine in need of food commodities. Another Israeli digitization platform is Rapid Farm, which offers an e-commerce platform for farmers to sell directly to consumers, thereby stabilizing supply chains in India.

Rausnitz notes that it is important to think about the day after, which is where companies like Vibe Imaging Analytics come in, developing solutions for sterile food packaging and processing, with the ability to quickly examine samples and evaluate quality using camera imaging and algorithms. The solution could be used to get the consumer goods sector up and running and to provide foodstuffs quickly and safely to needy populations.

Preparing for the ‘new normal’

With the COVID-19 crisis still looming, India faces some of the most serious economic and social challenges in the country’s history. However, if there is one thing that this global pandemic has taught us, the potential for cooperation, sharing ideas and generating new ones together, is greater than ever. With technology and innovation, we can imagine new tools for recovering and rebuilding from this unprecedented global pandemic.  More importantly, such technologies can allow us to emerge stronger and more resilient to face an uncertain future.

To learn more about the challenges India is facing these days, join this webinar, the first in a series. For a host of COVID-19 solutions, visit CoronaTech Israel.

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