Description
Sencrop offers numerous farm management solutions to farmers based on agro-weather monitoring, data analysis and visualization through a mobile device or desktop app. Sencrop acquires data from rain gauges, anemometers and wetness sensors allowing professionals to instantly access ultra-local weather data for any location, 24 hours a day. The data can be transmitted by 0G signal. Users can, in real time, access their data via the mobile app, personalize alerts to position an intervention at the best time, and intervene in the event of disease outbreaks or frost. Water accumulations can be calculated to plan a treatment after a rain, or to predict phenological trends thanks to the water accumulations expressed in days and cold hours. The four weather monitoring tools available are Raincrop, Windcrop, Leafcrop and Solarcrop, which can be used separately or together. Raincrop comes equipped with a dual-trough swivel system for the accurate measurement of cumulative rainfall, and data is drawn from three temperature and humidity sensors ensuring the provision of reliable weather data and preventing measurements from drifting over time. Windcrop is an independent sensor that ensures stable free readings, and provides data on average wind speeds and gusts. Leafcrop simulates a real leaf at the heart of the foliage cover, where it measures leaf humidity, temperature and air conditions, as well as the leaf humidity rate. Another three temperature and air humidity sensors are placed nearby that measure local weather conditions. Solarcrop is a patented pyranometer or irradiance sensor that measures ultra-local solar radiation levels, which can be used for optimum irrigation management.
Technology
Sencrop is a mobile and/or desktop app that provides access to data from physical tools sited on the farm, and that can be accessed from both iOS and Android devices. Weather data is collected by in-field sensors every 5 minutes, ensuring ultra-local weather measurements, while the Rain and Leaf sensors transmit data every 15 minutes, and the Wind sensor every 20 minutes Data restitution to the farmer, in the Sencrop application has real time, alerts, short term forecast and long-term data storage for analysis. It is possible to multiuse on desktop, tablet, smartphone . Sencrop uses IoT and 0G for data collection, and makes use of a low-energy transmission system that provides broad coverage, especially in rural areas, but which is cost-effective for the volume of real-time weather measurement data. Sencrop’s network of more than 12 000 farmers are connected through the in-field ag-weather data app, and a network has been developed for the transition and centralization of information from a large number of connected objects that transmit very small packages of data (less than 12 bytes, i.e., much less than an SMS). Sigfox’s 0G network ensures the low electrical consumption of the technology.
Target
Sencrop’s solution can benefit farmers, wine growers and arboriculturists, and the organization works hand-in-hand with cooperatives, traders chambers of agriculture and purchasing groups. The private network solution developed by Sencrop allows each group to establish its own network in its location, thus ensuring a precise overview of local weather. Sencrop is being used by more than 20 000 farmers.
Business model
Downloading the app does not require the purchase of weather stations, which are purchased separately. The app operates with a subscription model, for which different options are available. The standard annual Sencrop subscription costs EUR 130.80 (USD 142.65), and includes access to two weather stations, one collaborator, weather forecasts, weather data and the rain radar, while the professional Sencrop subscription costs EUR 226.80 (USD 247.35) per year.
Impact
The weather stations set up in fields provide reliable, accurate and ultra-local data remotely, supporting decision-making in planning and the streamlining of daily tasks, as well as the management of chemical inputs, thus contributing to crop care and productivity. In France, 1645 agricultural data points are now live, and the Sencrop team has started to expand in Europe with dedicated vendors in the Netherlands. In 2018, dedicated sales teams settled in the UK and Spain. To date, 3422 stations have been sold, and a new cooperative partnership has been established with the Chamber of Agriculture of Île-de-France. In 2019, Sencrop’s third station – Leafcrop (the connected wetness sensor) won an award at SIVAL, and fundraised approximately USD 11 million. In the same year, Sencrop started establishing private networks for larger organizations, and in 2020, the start-up acquired its competitor Visio-Green. It now operates 15 000+ agricultural data points.
Partners
Jerusalem Venture Partners; EIT Food; Telos Impact; BpiFrance; Demeter partners; WaterStarts; Stellar Impact; IRD Management; The Yield Lab; Breega; Nord Capital Partenaires
Four Betters
Better production
