Electric Plant raises $11.2M to "listen" to plants

Key Takeaways

1Electric Plant has raised $11.2 million to commercialize its sensors and its Bombadil model

2Bombadil interprets electrical signals from nearly 125 species and promises to reduce water usage by 20% or more

3The sensors cost a few dozen dollars and transmit data for cloud analysis

4Existing tools are deemed insufficient to understand the internal needs of plants

Why it matters : This technology could enable producers to optimize irrigation and fertilization based on the internal signals of plants, with a reduced access cost.

The startup Electric Plant aims to translate the electrical signals of plants into actionable agronomic needs. After three years of data collection, its Bombadil model covers around 125 species and relies on sensors priced at just a few dozen dollars. The company has recently raised $11.2 million to move towards commercialization.

Up to 20% Less Water and Approximately 125 Species Covered

Justin Mast claims that their system can increase yields while reducing water usage by 20% or more. He states that it only takes a few sensors per acre to obtain usable data. Bombadil is presented as capable of analyzing electrical signals from about 125 species, including ferns, sequoias, tomatoes, and dahlias. Mast asserts that this is the most diverse model ever developed for biological electrical signals and notes that there is no equivalent model in the animal kingdom.

“Dozens of Dollars” Sensors and Cloud Processing of Signals

The startup highlights sensors that are significantly cheaper than common instruments priced in the thousands of dollars. Justin Mast indicates a price in the range of a few dozen dollars. About the size of a folded iPhone, these sensors attach to the plant using stainless steel screws that must penetrate the cambium to capture variations in microvolts. The data is transmitted to a base station via a low-power wireless network, interpreted by Bombadil in the cloud, and then sent back to customers, who can, for example, adjust watering or fertilization.

Le brief IA que lisent les pros

Le brief IA que les pros lisent chaque soir

Les 7 actus IA du jour, décryptées en 5 min. Gratuit.

Inclus dès l'inscription : notre sélection des meilleurs guides & comparatifs IA.

Choisissez votre rythme

Gratuit · Pas de spam · Désabonnement en 1 clic

$11.2 Million to Industrialize Bombadil and Its Sensors

Electric Plant recently raised $11.2 million in seed funding to commercialize its sensors and Bombadil, a round led by Onto Ventures and Climactic, with participation from Ponderosa, Endeavor Catalyst, Ludlow, Michigan Rise, The Fund, Schox VC, and Dug Song. The company, founded by Justin Mast and neuroscientist Lee von Kraus, claims to have spent three years collecting data to build Bombadil, a model that interprets the electrical signals from stems and relays useful information to growers. The founders envision a tool that will one day allow them to “talk” to plants; Mast emphasizes that at this stage, they prioritize listening, the “first step.”

A More Intimate Approach Compared to Current Tools

According to Justin Mast, even highly controlled greenhouses do not provide complete visibility into the needs of plants. Professionals rely on soil probes, portable spectroscopes, or satellite images, which serve their purpose but remain limited in capturing the interior of the plant and responding to needs in real time, he argues. Electric Plant has used these instruments to train Bombadil, and Mast claims that their model will surpass many of these devices. However, he has not disclosed the identities of the first customers. Mast's interest in the subject arose from reading research where an indoor plant, through electrical signals detected by a control board, was moved closer to a light source, a discovery that surprised him.