In the dynamic world of AgriFoodTech startups and scale-ups, the journey can be thrilling, daunting, and often complicated. Valeria Kogan, founder of Fermata, is navigating this rollercoaster and we supported her. With insights and mentorship, StartLife has played an important role in shaping Fermata’s groundbreaking advancements in agricultural AI. This is the story of how StartLife’s expertise and guidance have unlocked new growth avenues for Fermata, transforming its vision into a thriving reality.

When Valeria stepped into her first commercial greenhouse, little did she know it would be the beginning of a transformative journey. Originally working in the biotech industry, Valeria had no idea about the monumental world of agriculture until friends introduced her to the fascinating world of tomato growing.

“I had no idea how people produce food or how vast this industry is,” she recalls.

The unexpected similarity between the challenges in agriculture and those in the medical field sparked her curiosity, leading to the birth of Fermata, a company now at the forefront of agricultural innovation.

Identifying the Challenge: Turning MedTech into AgriTech

Valeria’s experience in biotech, particularly in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and computer vision, made the transition smoother. However, the challenges in agriculture were stark and unique. “The work of scouts, who inspect each leaf in massive greenhouses, is exhausting and inefficient,” she explains. The consequences of missed detections are severe: a staggering 30% of global harvests are lost to pests and diseases, contributing significantly to food waste and CO2 emissions.

Seeing a clear opportunity, Valeria and her team envisioned an AI solution to revolutionize this labor-intensive process. “It was evident that similar technologies used in medical imaging could be applied to plants,” she says. This led to the development of software focused on computer vision.

Navigating with StartLife and the Ecosystem

Joining StartLife’s accelerator program was a game-changer for Fermata. Unlike most startups that join early in the company’s life, Fermata entered the program three years into its journey. “I already knew a lot about what not to do, but not exactly what to do,” Valeria admits. StartLife provided invaluable expertise and a fresh perspective, challenging assumptions made and refining Fermata’s focus.

“StartLife provided invaluable expertise and a fresh perspective, challenging our assumptions and refining our focus. The mentors there helped us narrow down our focus and validate our concepts, leading to significant progress.”

Valeria Kogan, Founder and CEO, Fermata

Valeria emphasizes the importance of external validation and critique. “I love using any available expertise. I believe in sharing ideas and getting feedback, even if it’s harsh.” This open approach proved beneficial, as StartLife’s mentors helped Valeria and her team to narrow down their focus and validate their concepts, leading to significant progress.

Collaborating with Wageningen University & Research

One of Fermata’s notable milestones was its collaboration with Wageningen University & Research (WUR) as a partner for their Public-Private Partnership project (PPP). Initiated by StartLife, this partnership aimed to combine Fermata’s greenhouse monitoring technology with WUR’s expertise in pest detection.

“Working with smart people who challenge your work is crucial,” Valeria asserts. This collaboration not only improved Fermata’s technology, but also extended its application to lab environments, demonstrating the company’s versatility.

“Fermata has been a really good partner and I really like how they wanted to grow and learn from our project. They were always paying attention to the project’s demands and remained easy to contact whenever there are issues, even when they are remotely working from different parts of the world. All I can say is that their company is a company that I will always recommend to other colleagues in WUR as a potential partner.”

Dan Jeric Rustia, WUR

Looking Forward: The Scale-Up Challenge

After StartLife acceleration program, Fermata’s journey is far from over. “We’re now in an interesting stage, scaling up our solutions,” Valeria says. This new phase brings its own set of challenges, especially in making strategic decisions about which opportunities to pursue.

“The more credible you become, the more opportunities arise, and saying ‘no’ becomes harder” she reflects.

With ongoing projects in Australia and Brazil and collaborations with major agricultural producers, Fermata is poised to make a significant impact on global food production.

“Fermata’s progress since joining Accelerate a year ago has been remarkable. Their deep connection with customers and current growth challenges highlight the market’s demand for their solution. I’m confident that the leadership will cultivate the right culture to scale and become a standout example in the agtech industry.”

Jean Boudillon, Program Manager, StartLife

About Fermata

  • Founded in 2020.
  • Fermata’s AI-powered decision support systems automatically detect pests & diseases.
  • By catching pests and disease at their earliest stages, Fermata’s Croptimus™ provides an up to 25% savings on crop inputs, 30% saving on crop losses, and 50% saving on scouting.

Are you a startup who could also benefit from StartLife’s support? Check out the StartLife Accelerate program here.