August 26, 2021

By Lynda Kiernan-Stone, Global AgInvesting Media

Leading Canadian permanent crop precision farming platform Semios announced it has acquired Agworld, an Australian data-driven farm management platform resulting in one of the largest independent agtech solution providers in the world. 

Founded in Vancouver in 2010, Semios offers real-time crop data and pest management tools for nut, tree fruit, and vine crop growers by leveraging a proprietary in-orchard IoT wireless network that monitors climate, soil moisture, and insect and disease activity with machine learning and big data analytic capabilities to help farmers manage insect pests, disease, frost, and irrigation demands. Its patented mesh network allows the company to install remote-controlled pheromone dispensers, camera traps for pests, soil moisture sensors, and leaf wetness devices for total coverage of every orchard block, delivering more than 500 million data points.

In February 2020 the company raised $75 million through a funding round led by  Boston-based Morningside Group that brought its total funding to-date to $115 million. At the time, Semios stated that it intended to use the funds to accelerate its R&D initiatives and partnerships, and for acquisitions to use in-field data to help permanent crop growers around the world reduce chemical inputs, improve water management, and increase crop quality and yields.

This June, Semios went on to make two acquisitions – of California-based Altrac and Washington State-based Centricity – strengthening its ability to deliver more value to farmers via greater automation, control, and compliance – benefits needed by today’s growers as they face increasingly challenging conditions.

As margins tighten, there is an ever greater pressure to deliver tools that make a difference in the field. And Semios stated that its acquisition of Agworld answers this call. 

Founded in Perth, Australia in 2009, Agworld is an international information management platform and a leader in collaborative farm management, enabling farmers, advisors, and third parties to share data on a single platform.

Its standardized database with more than 100 million acres paid for and managed across five countries makes it quick and easy to create accurate, reportable farm data accessible through one dashboard and single login.

“Through the acquisition of Agworld, Semios is furthering its commitment to simplifying the grower’s experience through leveraging technology to deliver critical insights,” said Dr. Michael Gilbert, CEO, Semios.

“Agworld and Semios offer farmers complementary solutions that are helping growers manage risk and optimize yields, more sustainably. For our customers, it will be business as usual.” Gilbert continued, “The true impact of our combined forces in the global agricultural industry will soon be realized through the increased velocity of our R&D efforts and getting new products to market, benefitting growers who are being tested by Mother Nature like never before.”

Doug Fitch, CEO of Agworld, added, “Empowering growers with data for better analysis, insight, and action is at the core of what we do. The agricultural industry has long demanded the benefits of managing their crops from start to finish with a single solution, which is why I’m so excited about this next step of the journey for both Agworld and Semios together.

He continued, “The availability of important data to growers and their stakeholders for real-time decision-making through one platform is key to improving the sustainable performance of farming operations.”

As Semios continues to pursue its strategy of growing its crop management platform by partnering with other leading decision-aid farming solutions, Agworld is joining with good company. Semios has been named to the Global Cleantech 100 – a yearly list of the 100 most innovative cleantech companies in the world – and the Thrive Top 50 – a list of the 50 leading global agtech companies.

We’re thrilled to welcome Agworld to the Semios family,” said Gilbert, “securing the future of independent farm data ownership in Agriculture. Semios and Agworld are closely aligned in our values and culture and are driven by a shared goal of driving much needed innovations, and ultimately profitable solutions that make a difference to growers and their service providers.”

– Lynda Kiernan-Stone is editor with GAI Media, and is managing editor and daily contributor for Global AgInvesting’s AgInvesting Weekly News and  Agtech Intel News, as well as HighQuest Group’s Oilseed & Grain News. She can be reached at lkiernan-stone@globalaginvesting.com.