Rotterdam-based Blue Radix, a specialist in autonomous greenhouse solutions, has secured a €5M investment from Dutch-based Navus Ventures and Horticoop to accelerate its commercial growth.
Horticoop, representing 300 greenhouse companies committed to enhancing the horticultural sector, aligns with Blue Radix’s mission by investing in solutions that promote increased yield and energy efficiency.
Eduard Meijer, Director of Navus Ventures, says, “We see greenhouse technology as a key driver of efficient and sustainable food production. From the very beginning, almost 5 years ago, the philosophy of Blue Radix has been to go beyond insights, graphs and tables.”
“With their Autonomous Climate & Irrigation Control, Blue Radix is changing the game, with the grower in full control. With their proven track record, we’re pleased to provide financial support to the company once again and help them with our knowledge and network, to make a global impact on sustainable food production and energy management.”
Enabling sustainable growth in horticulture
Blue Radix, a specialist in autonomous growing solutions, claims to have established itself as a market leader by developing AI-driven technology for greenhouse operations.
The company’s Crop Controller offers integrated autonomous climate and irrigation control, enabling growers to optimise their crop strategies and reduce reliance on climate management systems by up to 80 per cent.
The Crop Controller combines AI technology with personalised support from Autonomous Greenhouse Managers, who provide guidance to ensure optimal growing conditions. This system is designed for mid- and high-tech greenhouses across various climates and includes a Strategy Optimiser module to help growers achieve more predictable yields.
Currently implemented in nearly 100 greenhouses globally, the Crop Controller has shown potential for increasing yields and energy savings, offering growers annual returns of up to 10 times their investment. This value proposition aims to enhance Blue Radix’s commercial growth initiatives.
Patrick Groeneveld, CEO of Horticoop, says, “Blue Radix is a proven leader in the field of applied artificial intelligence in the horticultural sector. As the world’s population grows, so does the demand for healthy and safe food.”
“However, the greenhouse horticulture industry faces challenges due to the rising cost of energy and fertilizers, the need for yield improvement and the increasing shortage of crop expertise. Blue Radix addresses this complexity and these global challenges by empowering growers with algorithm-based solutions that are running like it’s tailor-made.”
“We are therefore delighted with this second investment that characterises the essence of our cooperative: investing in the future of the horticultural sector,” adds Groeneveld.
Capital utilisation
Ronald Hoek, CEO of Blue Radix, says, “We are very pleased with these additional investments by our partners Navus and Horticoop who support us in realising our mission. The investments underline their trust in our progress, impact and value.”
“As from now, we’ll speed up the growth of the team further and we invite anyone who matches our job vacancies and wants to contribute to our mission and become part of our international team, to get in touch.”
Brief about the investors
Netherlands-based Horticoop actively invests in businesses that benefit the horticultural industry, supporting efforts to meet the needs of a growing population while minimising environmental impact.
Dutch-based Navus Ventures is a venture capital firm linked to the Lely family office, focusing on high-tech startups and scale-ups that promote sustainable transitions in food and energy. The firm invests in both typical VC setups and longer holding periods.
Navus leverages the Lely family’s knowledge and network in high-tech product development, adopting a hands-on, pragmatic approach to support management on strategic and operational issues.
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