Plant communication startup Electric Plant raises $11.2M seed round for AI model Bombadil
· Technology · TechCrunch
Justin Mast and neuroscientist Lee von Kraus founded Electric Plant after Mast encountered a cyborg plant that moved toward light via electrical signals. The startup has spent three years collecting data to build Bombadil, a large language model interpreting electrical signals across 125 plant species. Electric Plant recently closed an $11.2 million seed round led by Onto Ventures and Climactic, with investors including Ponderosa and Endeavor Catalyst. Sensors about the size of a folded iPhone attach to plants via stainless steel screws that penetrate the cambium layer to capture microvolt changes. Traditional tools like soil probes and satellite imagery react to plant demands but fall short of real-time internal needs, founders say.
Why it matters
Farmers and growers could gain real-time insight into plant needs, reducing waste and improving yields across agriculture and forestry sectors.
Read the original report — TechCrunch
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