Dutch agtech startup Aurea Imaging bags €2.8M from ROM Utrecht Region, others

Utrecht-based Aurea Imaging, an agtech startup specialising in sensor systems for orchard farming at the tree level, has closed €2.8M in a Series A round of funding.

The round saw participation from a consortium of investors, including Dutch impact investor Pymwymic (the company’s existing pre-series A investor) along with ROM Utrecht Region, Knop Ventures, Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds, and BarUni Family Fund. 

This consortium brings experience in agtech and impact investing, positioning Aurea Imaging well for its next phase of growth.

Kee Koopmans, Investment Director with Goeie Grutten Impact Fonds, says, “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.”

A crop intelligence company

Founded in 2016, Aurea Imaging claims to have emerged during the early days of precision technology in fruit orchards, catering to pioneering growers seeking tree-level farming solutions.

With an average of 3,000 trees per hectare and variation in fruit load, Aurea aimed to maximise productivity by customising treatments for each tree, replacing conventional full-field applications. 

The company’s TreeScout system assesses individual trees for parameters like blossom density and vigor, generating digital prescription maps for tractor-mounted machinery such as sprayers.

This approach led to yield increases of up to €3,500 per hectare and reductions in labour and agrochemical use by up to 90 per cent.

Joyce Houterman, Investment manager at ROM Utrecht Region, says, “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 TreeScout, Aurea has shown that it has a unique and (economically) validated technical solution for optimising production while minimising the environmental impact. ROM Utrecht Region is very pleased to support Aurea with its future developments together with a strong consortium of investors.”

Capital utilisation

The funds will enable Aurea to scale deployments of its TreeScout, a tractor-mounted sensor system enabling precise farm applications at the tree level throughout the farming season.

Additionally, the proceeds will support the ongoing development of new applications for the TreeScout platform.

Aurea Imaging has received investment to focus exclusively on advancing its TreeScout technology. 

Founder Bert Rijk will now serve as Chief Product Officer, concentrating on product development, while co-founder Joost Hazelhoff steps in as CEO to lead the company’s growth and commercial strategy.

Hazelhoff says, “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.”