Agrisound

Agrisound, established in January 2020 by Dr. Casey Woodward, operates at the intersection of agricultural technology and environmental conservation. Woodward, who holds a PhD in Biological Sciences, identified a market gap in utilizing technology to monitor insect populations, particularly bees, which are crucial for crop pollination. His background in animal health and agriculture informed the company's direction, recognizing that the welfare of pollinators is often overlooked despite their vital role in food production.

The company provides pollination management solutions by combining acoustic technology with environmental sensors to monitor pollinator activity and biodiversity. Its core product is an in-field sensor, often referred to as 'Polly', that listens for and identifies insects by their distinct wing beat frequencies. This solar-powered hardware transmits data via a cellular connection to a cloud-based platform, providing clients with real-time analysis through a web app. The platform generates heat maps of pollinator activity, highlighting areas with deficits and enabling targeted interventions. This approach supports precision pollination, which can improve crop yields and quality.

Agrisound serves a diverse client base that includes farmers, growers, and corporations seeking to enhance their sustainability strategies. The company has engaged in trials and partnerships with notable organizations like Marks & Spencer, Tesco, and Innocent Drinks. The business model involves the sale of hardware (sensor platforms) and software (a user interface and predictive algorithms). Revenue is generated from these sales, providing clients with data to optimize pollination for agricultural output and to monitor biodiversity for sustainability reporting.

The company has secured funding through various rounds, including investments from institutions like Tesco, WWF, and WHIreland, alongside angel investors. This financial backing supports the commercial rollout of its sensor technology and ongoing research and development. Agrisound's mission is to build the world's largest insect biodiversity database to inform strategies for enhancing pollinator levels and to support data-led policymaking.

Keywords: pollination monitoring, agritech, biodiversity data, acoustic sensors, precision pollination, insect detection, crop yield, sustainable agriculture, environmental monitoring, beehive monitoring, Casey Woodward, pollinator management, farm technology, biodiversity assessment, ecosystem services, nature-based solutions, food security, pollinator decline, smart farming, data-driven agriculture