UK agritech startup raises £150k for AI-driven palm farming solution

London based Permia Sensing, an agritech startup on a mission to sustainably increase productivity on palm plantations, has secured a £150,000 investment from British Design Fund.

The Imperial College London spinout is seeking to revolutionise the way palm plantations are managed, with the introduction of precision farming techniques supported by IoT, AI, sensors, and robotics. This includes helping improve yields through the use of sensors that enable the early detection of damaging pests.

Palm plantations play a crucial role in global agriculture but challenges such as disease, nutrient deficiencies and drought can all impact heavily on yield. Permia Sensing aims to address these issues and help increase sustainability by improving the efficiency of farming, while enabling a less toxic approach to pest control.

The company’s acoustic sensors are capable of detecting the Red Palm Weevil (RPW) with 97% accuracy – an insect estimated to damage around 10% of the coconut yield in the world. RPW has been declared a global threat to the food industry. 

Permia Sensing is currently piloting its solutions in corporate plantations in Sri Lanka, as it continues to build connections with plantations across the tropics.

Efrem de Paiva, CEO of Permia Sensing, says: “Palm trees provide a source of income for millions of farmers globally, significantly contributing to rural development by creating employment opportunities and improving infrastructure in remote areas. With our technology, we aim to help farmers generate the most sustainable yield from their plantations. This funding from British Design Fund will support deployment of our technology and growth in key markets.”

Damon Bonser, CEO at the British Design Fund, said: “Something that really stood out about Permia Sensing was the depth of skill and experience within the team. The company has developed technology and solutions that have the potential to increase farming efficiency and yield, positively impact on rural communities, where disease and poor tree health can have a devastating effect.” 

British Design Fund is a leading early-stage British manufacturing investor. The Fund works with ambitious product start-up enterprises who are ready to scale-up and build thriving stand-out businesses. Alongside capital investment, BDF provides expert mentoring to support such companies to accelerate their growth plans.