ADM Capital Europe, a London-based private equity firm, through its Cibus Enterprise Fund (Cibus) has invested in a predictive analytics and livestock monitoring software company, Connecterra, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Partners in the round include Kersia and impact fund, Pymwymic.
The Cibus Fund team believes that, in Connecterra, they have found a value additive technology that can improve animal welfare and increase returns to farmers by providing some much-needed technological advances and insight into an otherwise archaic farming system.
Connecterra has developed a solution that it has named IDA (Intelligent Dairy Assistant), which can provide farmers with the early detection of health issues and fertility predictive analytics. IDA gives farmers the power to be proactive in preventing diseases and monitor their livestock with real time data, aiming to disrupt the dairy industry by significantly cutting the cost associated with animal care and antibiotic use. Through the use of sensors, cloud computing, integrated data sources, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, IDA identifies these potential issues on the farm two days before a human can observe them, providing the farmer with its recommended solution and support resulting in a 50% reduction in antibiotic use, 20 per cent reduction in labour costs and 30% improvement in farm efficiency.
Alastair Cooper, Head of Early Stage Investments at ADM Capital Europe, says: “We are most excited to invest into Connecterra, the Company is at the forefront of innovation within the dairy industry, powering innovation through its sensors and cutting edge artificial intelligence. Connecterra’s IDA software empowers farmers via predictive intelligence to drive productivity and increase sustainability. IDA connects farmers to the value chain whilst increasing animal welfare and improving farm efficiency. Its system, harnessing innovative technologies, is a natural fit for Cibus Enterprise Fund which focusses on investment opportunities in the Agri-Food Tech sector. We are excited to help Connecterra continue to evolve and expand into new markets.”
Commenting, Robert Appleby, CIO, ADM Capital, says: “Connecterra is a great example of how sustainability and commercial viability in food production have become inseparable handmaidens. If you have happier cows, use fewer inputs and can allow farmers to make informed decisions, you can be assured of a superior outcome. We believe Connecterra is emblematic of the adoption of technology to produce better food, in a better way.”
