Aurea Imaging secures EUR 2.8m Series A investment

By Sepehr Achard, iGrow News

Key Takeaways:

1. Aurea Imaging, a Dutch agtech company, has closed a Series A investment round of EUR 2.8 million.

2. The investment will help scale deployments of Aurea’s TreeScout, a sensor system for tree-level farm applications, and fund new application developments.

3. The consortium of investors includes Pymwymic, ROM Utrecht Region, Knop Ventures, Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds, and BarUni Family Fund.

4. Aurea aims to optimize orchard farming, increasing yields and reducing labor and agrochemical use.

5. Founder Bert Rijk will become the Chief Product Officer, and co-founder Joost Hazelhoff will become the new CEO.

Image provided by Aurea Imaging

Investment Details and Future Plans

Aurea Imaging, a Dutch agricultural technology company specializing in sensor systems for orchard farming, has successfully closed its Series A investment round, securing EUR 2.8 million. The funding will enable Aurea to scale up the deployment of its TreeScout technology, a tractor-mounted sensor system that facilitates tree-level farm applications throughout the growing season. Additionally, the investment will support the continuous development of new applications for TreeScout.

The investment round saw participation from a consortium of investors, including existing pre-Series A investor Pymwymic, a Netherlands-based impact investor. Joining them were ROM Utrecht Region, Knop Ventures, Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds, and BarUni Family Fund. These investors bring extensive experience in agtech and impact investing, providing valuable support as Aurea navigates its next growth phase.

Statements from Key Stakeholders

Monique Meulemans, a partner at Pymwymic, expressed confidence in Aurea’s future, stating, ″We are proud to see how Aurea has successfully launched its promising TreeScout. With the new partners on board, they are ready to roll out their technology further and continue supporting growers to unlock the potential of every tree.″

Joyce Houterman, Investment Manager at ROM Utrecht Region, highlighted the global significance of precision farming: ″Fruit cultivation takes place on a large scale worldwide. Precision farming offers a lot of potential to create the sustainable orchard of the future. With the TreeScout, Aurea has shown that it has a unique and economically validated technical solution for optimizing production while minimizing the environmental impact. ROM Utrecht Region is very pleased to support Aurea with its future developments together with a strong consortium of investors.″

Kee Koopmans, Investment Director with Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds, emphasized the importance of sustainable agriculture: ″We are happy to join the journey ahead of Aurea together with this group of impact investors focused on, amongst others, a sustainable transition of agriculture to a healthier future for soil, farmers, and consumers. We believe Aurea has developed a very smart and practical solution for growers that helps reduce pesticides while improving yield for farmers.″

Technological Innovation and Impact

Founded in 2016, Aurea Imaging emerged during the early days of precision technology in fruit orchards. The company responded to the need for tree-level farming solutions, with the average orchard containing about 3,000 trees per hectare, each with varying fruit loads. Traditional full-field applications were replaced with custom treatments for individual trees, made possible by Aurea’s TreeScout technology. TreeScout assesses each tree’s parameters, such as blossom density and vigor, creating digital prescription maps for equipment like sprayers. This approach has resulted in yield increases of up to EUR 3,500 per hectare and significant reductions in labor and agrochemical use, by up to 90%.

Leadership and Future Focus

As Aurea transitions to its next phase, founder Bert Rijk will take on the role of Chief Product Officer, focusing on product development. Co-founder Joost Hazelhoff will assume the role of CEO, overseeing the company’s development, distribution, and commercial strategies. Hazelhoff expressed optimism about the company’s future: ″I think the company is very well positioned for the next phase and I very much look forward to contributing to this. We have a clear handle on where we want to go and what’s needed to be successful, and the whole team is incredibly motivated to make sure we get there.″