LAUSANNE, Switzerland, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Gamaya, provider of the world's most advanced solution for large-scale diagnostics of farmland using hyperspectral imaging and artificial intelligence, announced it has raised 3.2 million in a series A financing round. Investors include Sandoz Foundation, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe (Chairman of Nestle), Seed4Equity and VI Partners.
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Gamaya responds to the need to feed 10 billion people by providing a unique solution to boost the efficiency of industrial agricultural production. The company utilises a unique constellation of patented hyperspectral imaging technology, drone-based deployment and artificial intelligence to empower industrial growers with unprecedented level of situational awareness, allowing for significant cost savings and improvement of quality and quantity of yield. Examples of the information products include early alerts for disease, pests and weeds, optimum rates of application for fertilisers, and prediction of yield. Currently, Gamaya provides a solution for soybean, corn and sugarcane growers.
"Before we started working with Gamaya, there was no cost-effective way to measure the impact of nematodes, outbreaks of weed and soil deficiencies during the crop cycle," noted Nicolas Landolt of Agricert, a farm based in Brazil. "We are now able to accurately see where those problems are occurring and make real-time decisions that ensure that those problems are looked after. With a simple drone flight, Gamaya's technology allows Agricert to maximize profitability through production cost reductions and increase in yield."
The Gamaya system includes a drone-mounted hyperspectral camera, that provides much more valuable information than any other competitive technologies. The camera is integrated with an analytical platform that automatically translates the data into actionable information for farmers using a simple, scalable and cost effective methodology. Agronomy-driven information are delivered in the form of action maps and recommendations, such as weed or disease maps, so that a farmer can easily take action in the field. The action maps are integrated into farm management platforms, and can be easily relayed to field machinery for the necessary treatment, such as the spraying of chemicals, or the distribution of fertilisers.
"We believe food production to be one of the main challenges facing humanity in the future. Population growth, climate change, reduced water availability and environmental concerns will force food producers to become more and more efficient with less and less resources and Gamaya's technology could in our view become part of the solution," said Andres Brabeck-Letmathe, Managing Director of Glasshouse SA.
SOURCE Gamaya
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