John Deere selects tech startup companies for its 2020 Startup Collaborator program
Nickie Louise
Posted On January 23, 2020
Deere & Company today announced the list of tech startup companies that will be part of the 2020 cohort of the Startup Collaborator program in its Intelligent Solutions Group. This program was launched last year to enhance and deepen collaborative relationships with startup companies whose technology could add value for John Deere customers.
“Our focus for the Startup Collaborator is specifically on startups that want to work with John Deere in real-world customer environments to determine the technology readiness of their innovations,” said John Stone, senior vice president of Deere’s Intelligent Solutions Group.
Stone said the Startup Collaborator provides flexibility for Deere and startup companies to test innovative technologies with customers and dealers without a more formal business relationship. Startups also gain affiliation with and mentoring from a world leader in precision agriculture.
“Innovation has been at the heart of John Deere for more than 180 years,” Stone added. “The Startup Collaborator welcomes innovative companies into a program that could help us drive improved results for our customers.”
“The first year of the John Deere Startup Collaborator program showed us and the start-ups involved the tremendous mutual value of working closely together,” says Julian Sanchez, director of strategy and business development at Deere’s Intelligent Solutions Group. “We’re excited to continue building on the program’s success.”
The four companies chosen for the 2020 program include:
DataFarm – This Brazilian company is developing digital tools to recommend climate-smart agricultural practices to optimize a farmer’s return on investment.
FaunaPhotonics – Based in Denmark, this start-up is building technology for real-time pest detection to ensure sustainable crop management and improve tools for pest control.
Fieldin – An Israeli company, FieldIn is working on data management tools for specialty crops.
EarthSense – Located in Champaign, Illinois, this start-up is creating novel sensing methods to improve in-field data collection.
The Startup Collaborator enables Deere and start-ups to test innovative technologies with customers and dealers in a less formal setting. In turn, start-ups gain the expertise and mentoring from Deere’s precision agriculture division.
