Fermata: AI-Powered Plant Disease & Pest Detection

From Bioinformatics to Agriculture: The Story of Fermata

Valeria Kogan commenced her doctoral studies in bioinformatics – a discipline integrating computational techniques with biological data analysis – in 2017, initially anticipating a career path confined to mathematics, medicine, or biology.

However, following the initial surge in artificial intelligence during the late 2010s, an unexpected opportunity arose within the agricultural sector.

Kogan (featured in the image above) shared with TechCrunch that a connection through a mutual acquaintance, a tomato cultivator seeking expertise in AI application to farming, sparked her interest.

The prospect of utilizing AI for plant health monitoring resonated with her, as she recognized the significant overlap between her bioinformatic skillset and the challenges presented.

Identifying Transferable Skills

“The difficulties they described – the health of plants and its importance, and the methods used to assess that health – were technically very similar to problems I’d tackled before,” Kogan explained. “The core objective remains the same: to observe and diagnose issues as rapidly as possible.”

This realization led to the founding of Fermata in 2020.

Based in Tel Aviv, Fermata leverages computer vision and AI to monitor and identify diseases or pest infestations in greenhouse crops.

The company’s software is compatible with standard cameras, capturing images of greenhouse crops twice daily.

An internally developed AI model then analyzes these images, delivering alerts regarding any detected infestations or diseases directly to farmers via a dedicated application.

Overcoming Past Challenges in AgTech

Kogan acknowledges the historical difficulties faced by companies attempting to integrate AI into agricultural practices.

While Fermata is still building substantial market share, she believes their unique approach is contributing to their growing success.

A key factor, she states, is their commitment to understanding the genuine needs of greenhouse farms, rather than attempting to impose unwanted technology.

Learning from Early Mistakes

“Initially, my vision involved developing robots to navigate greenhouses, and we even constructed a prototype,” Kogan recounted.

“However, we made the mistake of building before engaging with potential users, and that project remains in my father’s garage.”

“Conversations with farmers quickly revealed that such robots were unnecessary and undesirable.”

The Importance of Data and In-House Expertise

Fermata’s strategy for training its AI model has also been instrumental in its differentiation.

From the outset, the company has maintained an in-house data labeling team, a decision Kogan attributes to the high accuracy of their system.

While initially utilizing publicly available datasets, Fermata now primarily trains its models on data collected from its customers.

Furthermore, they operate a research and development facility where plants are intentionally infected with various diseases to expand their dataset.

“We actively seek out customers experiencing significant challenges, as these situations provide valuable data, particularly when dealing with severe diseases,” Kogan remarked with a laugh.

“While such issues are concerning for our clients, they represent invaluable learning opportunities for us.”

Strategic Partnerships and Growth

Upon launching, Fermata initially explored partnerships with existing agricultural suppliers.

However, these efforts yielded limited results in 2020.

The increased prominence of AI in 2022 dramatically altered this landscape, leading to collaborations with major agricultural companies like Bayer and Syngenta.

Fermata currently works directly with farms and maintains these strategic partnerships.

The company has deployed over 100 cameras and has not disclosed specific growth metrics.

Securing Funding for Expansion

Fermata recently secured a $10 million Series A funding round.

The entire investment was provided by Raw Ventures, a European venture capital firm that was already an investor in the company.

Kogan explained that they opted to deepen their relationship with an existing investor rather than dilute ownership by bringing in new parties.

The funds will be allocated to scaling operations and achieving profitability by 2026.

Currently, Fermata has experienced growth primarily through inbound inquiries, without a dedicated sales team, but plans to expand its sales force.

The company currently focuses on greenhouse-grown tomatoes but is actively pursuing expansion into new crops and strengthening its partnerships.

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