Company name: GoMicro
AgriBusiness Connect program: Concierge
The Challenge
GoMicro is an agtech company developing AI assessment solutions for the agri value chain. In early 2022, CEO Dr Sivam Krish and his small team had a magnifying device that could be attached to a mobile phone camera to create superior imaging that could be used to accurately assess the quality of food. Harnessing the power of AI, the device can deliver quality and objective assessments in minutes, a vast contrast to traditional testing carried out by trained experts which can take three to 10 times as long. GoMicro believed its tech could eliminate subjectivity about quality, resulting in reduced food wastage and reducing quality related risks for the agricultural value chain.
But the reality was GoMicro was in its early stages and had a slightly futuristic product, which meant it was difficult to convince companies to give their tech a go. To continue building the applications of its device, GoMicro needed data on defect types which were difficult to obtain. To get this data, the company needed a progressive customer willing to give their solution a try but hadn’t yet found one.
The solution
GoMicro was invited to participate in an AgriBusiness Connect (ABC) event that brings together industry leaders, innovators and stakeholders in the agribusiness sector. It was through this event that GoMicro was introduced to potential partners, PB Agrifood.
Engaged in ABC’s open innovation program at the time, PB Agrifood had been trading in soybeans for more than 30 years but assessing the quality of loads coming in from its producers had long proved a challenge. With humans carrying out the assessments, there could be varying opinions on quality which could result in unnecessary wastage. When ABC explored its ecosystem for suitable solutions, it found a good match between selected GoMicro technologies and a few companies in Queensland. PB Agrifood is currently going through the process of adopting GoMicro’s technology.
“Where we see GoMicro’s technology working for us is making our soybean assessments more objective,” PB Agrifood General Manager Ben McIntyre said. “We are currently implementing GoMicro’s technology, which we believe has great potential. We are still in the process of getting our people to use the technology in a way that ensures we can carry out our testing in an objective and timely manner.”
The benefits of working with AgriBusiness Connect
AgriBusiness Connect is, as its name suggests, a connector with incredible reach.
“In Australia, there are tech-savvy farmers who are early adopters of technology, but they can be difficult to find, particularly in the startups that do not have deep connections into agriculture,” Dr Krish said.
“While ABC is physically located in Toowoomba, they have great connections across Australia with farms, salespeople and other startups.”
ABC invited GoMicro to pitching event (400M Agrifood Innovation Forum) in July 2022, from which the company learnt a lot and made good connections.
“We also enjoyed excellent media coverage from the event, which helped spread the word about our AI assessment solutions,” Dr Krish said.
ABC has helped GoMicro progress, and the company is now bringing its game-changing technology to the horticultural and seafood industries, with quality assessment solutions also being used for strawberries and tuna in addition to grains.