The Rise of Precision Farming: Nordetect's Innovative Approach

With the continued growth of indoor farming, a wave of new companies is emerging, focused on delivering advanced data and monitoring solutions. These businesses aim to enhance the efficiency and quality of crops grown in controlled environments.

Nordetect Enters the U.S. Market

Nordetect, a company headquartered in Copenhagen, is now expanding into the United States, backed by approximately $1.5 million in funding. This investment originates from both government investment firms and established accelerators, including SOSV. The company’s technology is designed to provide vertical farms with improved methods for monitoring and managing nutrient levels and water quality.

The Benefits of Controlled Agriculture

Controlled agriculture, encompassing both greenhouses and indoor warehouses, offers the advantage of meticulously controlling all input factors. This ensures plants receive optimal growing conditions. However, it's acknowledged that this method typically incurs higher costs compared to traditional open-field farming.

Advocates of controlled environment agriculture contend that the increased expenses can be offset by gains in efficiency. These include reduced water consumption, minimized pesticide and fertilizer application, and the cultivation of produce with superior taste and quality.

The Founding of Nordetect

Keenan Pinto and Palak Sehgal, the co-founders of Nordetect, first connected as undergraduate students in India eight years ago. They continued their academic journey together, pursuing master’s degrees before venturing into digital fields. Despite their career paths, their shared passion for plant science remained strong.

Sehgal’s professional experience centered on medical diagnostics, while Pinto focused on lab instrumentation. Throughout their careers, they continued to explore ideas related to plant science and soil health.

Developing the Core Technology

Around three years ago, the pair conceived the idea for a comprehensive toolkit integrating water quality monitoring and soil health assessment. Sehgal subsequently left her position at the India Institutes of Technology to join Pinto in Copenhagen. There, they began developing the technology that would become the foundation of Nordetect’s business.

The company’s system comprises an analyzer and a cartridge. This cartridge is a microfluidic chip that users insert into their water tank to obtain a sample. The data collected by the device enables farmers to precisely control nutrient levels in the water, optimizing for desired traits such as color and flavor, as explained by Pinto.

From Shenzhen to Denmark and Beyond

Nordetect was accepted into SOSV’s Hax accelerator in 2017, prompting the founders to relocate from Denmark to Shenzhen to refine their business model. In late 2018, the company returned to Denmark and secured additional funding from SOSV and Rockstart.

By 2020, recognizing the expansion of vertical farming, Nordetect adapted its initial soil-monitoring tool to include water-quality monitoring capabilities. This strategic move proved pivotal for the company’s growth, according to Pinto.

Indoor Farming's Receptive Market

“Compared to the outdoor market, which felt somewhat conservative, the indoor farming sector has been much more receptive,” Pinto noted. “This traction was instrumental in securing our $1.5 million funding round.”

Investment and Expansion Plans

The new funding round includes investments from Rockstart, Preseed Ventures, SOSV, the Danish government’s growth fund, and Luminate, a Rochester, New York-based accelerator specializing in optical electronics technology.

Luminate’s involvement is a key factor driving Nordetect’s entry into the U.S. market, alongside the substantial capital flowing into indoor agriculture companies. Notably, leading U.S. vertical farming companies, Plenty and Bowery Farming, have raised $541 million and $167 million, respectively.

Data-Driven Agriculture

“The growth of vertical farming has transformed growers into what I term ‘data farmers’,” Pinto stated. “Each harvest is utilized for learning, and the data generated is now more valuable than the yield itself. We’ve strategically positioned ourselves to serve this evolving market.”