Agrisound is a York based Agri-tech start-up, established by founder and director Dr Casey Woodward, in January 2020. It aims to deploy 1 million low-cost sensors globally to enhance crop yields.
Agrisound monitors insects using proprietary technological developments and cutting-edge algorithms. By combining acoustic technology with environmental sensors, it has developed a range of innovation products that can aid in maintaining an optimal pollination environment, necessary for not just the survival of our future pollinators, but our farms, gardens and planet.
Young Innovators programme
Casey has benefitted enormously from one-to-one coaching with an Innovate UK EDGE innovation & growth specialist as part of Innovate UK’s Young Innovators programme. The business experienced growth in a very short space of time and Casey required support to guide him through the day-to-day issues faced by a new business owner. The support has included helping Casey to understand intellectual property, recruitment of employees and HR issues, as well as work to help enhance the value proposition and product quality, explore expansion into new markets and make cost savings.
Casey also benefited from participating in Innovate UK EDGE Pitchfest as part of our growth support and is in the process of raising £1.5 million in equity funding at a £3.5 million pre-money valuation to support the commercial roll-out of the sensor technology.
In addition to this Agrisound also benefited from £100,000 in Government R&D funding and £150,000 in private investment to develop a suite of proprietary acoustic technologies for monitoring insect welfare and productivity.
Agrisound experienced rapid growth and is now entering an exciting phase with the core product line launching in the fourth quarter of 2021, after completing trials with Marks & Spencer. The business was also recently nominated as a finalist in Barclays’ Eagle Lab Awards and was one of only 10 UK businesses invited by the Cabinet Office to present at the UN Climate Change Event (COP26). Our coaching support helped Casey prepare for this prestigious event. He has also been awarded follow on funding from Innovate UK’s Young Innovators programme and further one-to-one coaching from Innovate UK EDGE will be offered as part of this award.
Founder and Director of Agrisound Dr Casey Woodward commented: "Working with Innovate UK EDGE has played an important role in scaling up our business. With support from our specialist, we have introduced new business planning strategies and tools into the organisation which ultimately helped us to secure further private investment."
