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A Peruvian startup uses drones and AI to help farmers make better decisions
CategoriesSustainable News

A Peruvian startup uses drones and AI to help farmers make better decisions

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Farmers have always had to contend with the vagaries of the weather, but in recent years, increasing variability and extreme weather conditions have made it even harder to maintain healthy crops. Now, there’s a new tool in the fight against unpredictable conditions.

As a leading provider of agricultural technology solutions, Space Ag is using data captured from drones and mobile sensors to generate artificial intelligence models that help farmers make better decisions. This includes maximising yields, optimising the use of resources such as water and fertilisers, and reducing the impact of pests and diseases.

Space Ag’s high-precision drones can capture aerial images of fields and provide farmers with a complete vision of their crops’ state. The drones’ precise analysis of plant health also makes it possible to improve harvest forecasts and effective field inspections. And because they can also detect irrigation problems, the drones offer a comprehensive solution for maintaining healthy crops.

SpaceAG was founded in Peru in 2017 by Cesar Urrutia and Guillermo De Vivanco. As the largest exporter of blueberries and second exporter of Hass avocados in the world, the duo decided that Peru was the perfect country to launch their company from. The pair’s aim was to transform agriculture into a sustainable industry that could feed a growing population while taking care of the planet.

So far, Space Ag has over 35 customers in seven different Latin American countries with more than 1,000 active users.

Other solutions spotted by Springwise aimed at maximising farm yields include an app that provides Indonesian farmers with real-time weather information, a startup speeds up the development of safe herbicides, and a software platform that helps farmers improve their agriculutral management.

Written By: Katrina Lane

29th July 2022

Website: spaceag.co/en/home

Contact: spaceag.co/en/contact

Reference

Startup converts existing buildings to net-zero with innovative process
CategoriesSustainable News

Startup converts existing buildings to net-zero with innovative process

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: One of the big challenges to reaching net zero is converting existing buildings to reduce their carbon footprint. It is simply not feasible to tear down existing structures and replace them with purpose-built net zero buildings, and in many cases, it is also not economically viable to add elements such as insulation or heating pumps to older buildings. In response, German startup Ecoworks is tackling this problem from the outside . The company develops a second skin with built-in insulation designed to help buildings radically cut energy use.

Ecoworks begins with a 3D scan of the building, which is used to create a digital twin. Using this twin, the company develops plans for panels which will fit over the existing walls. Robots then assemble the panels, which are complete with windows, ventilation, channels for pipes, and solar panels on the roof. On-site, skilled workers can install the panels rapidly, completing the project in a few weeks.

This approach works best with buildings that have a simple exterior structure, such as apartment complexes. However, Ecoworks has plans to expand the concept to less uniform buildings, such as schools and single-family homes. In one project—which involved a 1930s apartment complex—the building went from using 450 kilowatt-hours of energy per square metre, to having negative emissions and feeding excess energy back into the grid.

The push to decarbonise existing buildings is just getting started, but already we are seeing some fascinating innovations in this space. Springwise has already covered a number of these, including an SaaS platform geared to helping real estate investors lower their environmental impact, as well as zero carbon buildings made from ceramics. 

Written By: Lisa Magloff

14th April 2022

Website: ecoworks.tech

Reference

An Australian startup develops enzyme-based technology that can break down plastics
CategoriesSustainable News

An Australian startup develops enzyme-based technology that can break down plastics

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: What if there was a way to help eliminate the global plastic crisis without having to significantly compromise any of the conveniences we’ve grown accustomed to in our everyday lives? Meet Samsara Eco. With enzyme-based technology that can break down plastics, the Australian enviro-tech startup may have just what we need. The company’s innovative solution can break down single-use plastics into harmless organic molecules that can be easily recycled or composted.

This ‘cradle to cradle’ solution offers a way to recycle plastics sustainably, recreating them into new plastic or upcycling them into more valuable commodities. Enzymes—organic substances that catalyse bio-reactions—are the key to the technology. The enzymes break plastic ‘polymer’ molecules down into their constituent parts – known as ‘monomers’.

Samsara’s process is carbon neutral, and can be performed at room temperature. This is a significant benefit compared to other advanced plastic recycling processes – which require large amounts of heat. The startup therefore offers a more sustainable method of recycling, estimating that it will save 3 tonnes of carbon emissions for every tonne of plastic recycled using the process.

Founder and CEO of Samsara Eco Paul Riley explains that the technology ensures that plastics no longer need to be made from fossil fuels or plants, and won’t end up in landfills or oceans. He explains, “The motivation behind this work comes from our concerns about the environment, especially relating to carbon emissions and plastic waste, combined with our love of enzyme engineering – being able to design proteins to do new and useful things.” 

Founded in 2021, the startup has a team of 13 composed of scientists, engineers, and researchers from the Australian National University in Canberra. The startup’s long-term vision is to extend its technological capabilities to infinitely recycle other oil-derived plastic products such as clothes made from polyester and nylon.

Other innovative recycling technologies recently spotted by Springwise include a decentralised network of advanced recycling sites, a chemical-free process for turning plastic into a building material, and a water-based recycling process for hard-to-recycle plastics.

Written By: Katrina Lane

4th April 2022

Website: samsaraeco.com

Contact: samsaraeco.com/contact-us

Reference

A startup uses microbes to boost carbon sequestration
CategoriesSustainable News

A startup uses microbes to boost carbon sequestration

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: The climate crisis has seen record-breaking levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Potential solutions range from renewable fuels to reforestation. But a growing band of researchers and biotech firms believe that one of the best solutions may be waiting right underfoot – microbes. Companies like Loam Bio (founded in 2019 as Soil Carbon Co.) believe that they can use tailored microbes to turn the world’s soil into a massive carbon sink, while also improving crops.

The company has developed a microbial seed coating that ‘supercharges a plant’s natural ability to store carbon in soil’. Farmers coat the seeds in the solutions before sowing. As the plants grow, they exude sugars into the soil. These are then converted into stable soil carbon by the microbes. This soil carbon is stored in tiny structures called micro-aggregates, which prevents the carbon from being released back into the atmosphere.

The added carbon also benefits plants by increasing soil health and leading to higher yields, boosting farmers’ revenue. Studies conducted by Loam show an increase in soil carbon of up to 17 per cent in a single season – which, if used on a global scale, would equate to drawing down 8 gigatonnes of CO2 each year. Loam CEO and co-founder Guy Hudson believes that, if applied to America’s entire soybean crop, the coating could offset the emissions from the country’s aviation industry.

“Using our naturally-derived products on crops across the globe will give the world the time it needs to adjust to a low carbon economy,” Hudson explains, adding, “Our modelling includes the fact that large proportions of the soil organic carbon we are building will be decomposed and respired back into the atmosphere. The stable remainder still leads to an environmentally significant amount of CO2 removal. Our aim is to increase the storage of carbon to levels higher than what our current agricultural systems are achieving.”

Carbon sequestration is increasingly being seen as a valuable tool in the arsenal of those seeking to slow climate change. And there is no shortage of idea. Innovations seen recently here at Springwise include an artificial leaf that captures carbon dioxide and a technology that makes sequestration cheaper and more efficient. 

Written By: Lisa Magloff

17th March 2022

Website: loambio.com

Contact: loambio.com/contact-us/minneapolis

Reference

A startup using open banking to create a loyalty programme for the planet
CategoriesSustainable News

A startup using open banking to create a loyalty programme for the planet

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Swedish fintech startup Gokind has set out to transform consumer awareness of brand sustainability. The company aims to encourage ethical, and environmentally conscious decisions by reaching customers through something they use every single day – their bank account.

The Stockholm-based startup has developed what they claim to be the world’s first loyalty programme for the planet. Leveraging expertise in behavioural science, software development, sustainability reporting, and business law, Gokind is making it easier for consumers to become eco-conscious. The startup encourages consumers to buy from more ethical and eco-friendly companies through rewards and loyalty incentives – using open banking to help customers understand which brands have sustainable practices.

To use the app, customers simply connect Gokind to their existing bank or credit accounts. With every purchase from an ethical or sustainable brand, customers will earn ‘impact credits’. The more ethical the brand, the more credits they get. The credits can then be exchanged for products and services, or put towards donations.

Thanks to the financial data they can access through open banking, Gokind can give consumers personalised advice and nudge them to make changes in their consumption habits – such as switching to a greener electricity provider or building credit with companies that support more diverse leadership.

Next steps in the company’s development include expanding beyond Sweden to provide sustainability insights to consumers across the world. 

Gokind is just the latest example of a fintech innovation that encourages sustainability. Others spotted by Springwise include a fintech app that powers the circular economy, and a credit card that tracks the carbon emissions associated with purchases.

Written By: Katrina Lane

15th March 2022

Email: hi@gokind.co

Website: gokind.co

Reference