Groovy
- Colombia
- For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
We are confronted with a critical challenge: the reduction of Colombia's food deficit. This task extends beyond mere augmentation of food output; it necessitates the optimization of our agricultural land utilization. Central to this issue lie myriad impediments, ranging from climatic adversities to economic shortfalls, which have curtailed the efficacy of our land and its contribution to societal welfare.
The discerning report by UPRA in 2022 underscores our meager utilization of just 13.5% of the 39.2 million hectares of agricultural potential within our borders. This underutilization translates into economic setbacks and deleterious effects on the food security of our populace. The causes for this diminished output are evident: extreme weather events, such as heavy precipitation and prolonged droughts, have impeded both diversification efforts and efficient land usage.
Official data from the Ministry of Agriculture underscores the significance of the agricultural sector to our economy, currently comprising 6-8% of national GDP and making a substantial contribution to employment, engaging 15% of the workforce. However, these statistics face threats from climate change and the continual rise in production costs, as cautioned by the president of the Colombian Farmers' Association (SAC).
Confronted with this pressing reality, we must pose a pivotal inquiry: How can we foster greater sustainability within our agricultural practices amidst an environment where we annually lose 4% of our arable land, witness a twofold increase in production costs, and experience inadequate governmental support to meet our populace's nutritional needs?
Addressing this question demands a comprehensive strategy that amalgamates social and technological innovations within the sector. It is imperative to adopt more efficacious and sustainable agricultural methodologies that facilitate judicious water usage, diminish reliance on energy sources, and implement meticulous soil management. Such measures would not only bolster agricultural output but also unlock fresh prospects within the global market, thereby fortifying our national GDP and engendering employment opportunities in rural regions.
In essence, the challenge confronting our agricultural sector transcends mere food production; it is about safeguarding nutritional security for our citizens, preserving our natural environment, and fostering inclusive economic development throughout Colombia. The time has come to act decisively and with foresight, harnessing our complete agricultural potential to forge a more prosperous and sustainable future for all.
Groovy represents an AI-driven system poised to spearhead the requisite technological advancements within the agricultural sector. Leveraging external sensors for real-time data aggregation, our platform endeavors to amass comprehensive insights into specific locales, thereby formulating strategic initiatives aimed at optimizing land utilization, fostering local economic development, and mitigating the deleterious impacts of climate change, all facilitated by the expansive reach of internet infrastructure.
Catering to enterprises of all scales within the agricultural domain, encompassing both private and public sectors, Groovy targets entities seeking to augment resource efficiency and bolster profitability by streamlining operational costs while concurrently enhancing land management practices. This objective is realized through the facilitation of seamless communication channels between industry professionals and agricultural stakeholders.
Key functionalities of our solution encompass:
For Farmers:
- Continuous reporting coupled with crop condition monitoring: Conservation metrics furnish granular insights into the precise requisites of every square inch of the surveyed parcel.
- Actionable recommendations: A suite of objectives and directives is proffered to effectuate cost reductions and productivity enhancements.
For Entrepreneurs:
- Comprehensive land status reports: Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, our platform delivers concise assessments of soil health, productivity metrics, and existing deficiencies within the surveyed area.
- Performance indicator tracking: Implementation of management metrics furnishes stakeholders with a nuanced understanding of soil dynamics and cultivation practices.
- Real-time surveillance: Various business segments are equipped with the capacity to monitor land productivity in live settings, enabling prompt decision-making and proactive interventions.
- Groovy functions as a conduit bridging the realms of industry and agriculture, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise to propel the economic and sustainable innovation imperative to the agricultural sector. This comprehensive paradigm aligns seamlessly with the overarching vision of optimization and progress, aimed at addressing the prevailing challenges confronting Colombian agriculture, as delineated above.
Groovy, serves a variety of stakeholders within the Colombian agricultural sector, impacting their lives in several ways:
- 1.Farmers
- 2.Community
- Increased Efficiency and Profitability: Groovy provides real-time data and actionable recommendations to optimize resource use, reduce costs and boost crop yields, which translates to higher profits for farmers, which will not have to wait for the execution of lengthy studies with professionals, giving them the autonomy to make timely decisions based on immediate action plans.
- Reduced Risk: Continuous crop condition monitoring helps farmers identify potential problems early on, allowing them to take preventive measures and minimize losses.
- Improved Sustainability: Groovy promotes sustainable practices by guiding farmers towards efficient water use and soil management.
- Informed Investment Decisions: Groovy's land status reports give entrepreneurs valuable data to make decisions about land acquisition, investment, and resource allocation.
- Affordable food costs: Groovy provides timely and optimal solutions that reduce the cost of production for the farmer and therefore for the final consumer.
- Food Security: By increasing agricultural output and efficiency, Groovy contributes to a more secure food supply for the Colombian population.
- Job creation: Optimizing agricultural productivity will require more labour in the fields and related industries.
Our team is made up of different professionals who together allow us to provide a holistic solution to the problem, considering the different requirements related to technological development, knowledge of Colombian agriculture and the expected financial results:
Diverse Expertise
- Technical Expertise: Our team comprises engineers with the skills to design, develop, and maintain Groovy's AI algorithms and hardware components.
- Agricultural Expertise: Our agronomists bring in-depth knowledge of crop production, soil management, and sustainable agricultural practices to ensure Groovy's effectiveness in real-world farming scenarios.
- Business Expertise: Our finance and economics experts understand the financial implications of Groovy for farmers and businesses, enabling us to tailor solutions that maximize profitability and return on investment.
- Colombian Context: Our team's deep understanding of the Colombian agricultural landscape, including its challenges and opportunities, allows us to tailor Groovy to the specific needs of local farmers and businesses.
- Industry Contacts: Our extensive network of contacts within the Colombian agricultural sector provides us with valuable insights and facilitates collaboration with key stakeholders.
- Project Experience: Our prior experience in agricultural projects has equipped us with hands-on knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in the sector, enabling us to develop practical solutions.
- Passion for Agriculture: We are driven by a shared passion for transforming Colombian agriculture and improving the lives of farmers and rural communities.
- Data-Driven Approach: We leverage data analytics to gain insights from real-world farming operations, enabling us to optimize Groovy's performance and deliver tangible results.
Local Understanding
Commitment to Innovation
- Other
- 9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Prototype
At the heart of our prototype solution is a groundbreaking design aimed at revolutionizing agricultural practices. Through our inclusive platform, we integrate state-of-the-art technologies like multi-spectral cameras and drones, gathering crucial agricultural insights.
But our vision extends beyond data analysis; we're dedicated to driving economic prosperity for farming communities. Harnessing AI powered by Python models in the cloud, we empower small-scale farmers, leveling the playing field in the agricultural sector.
Crucially, our approach is still in its prototype phase as we rigorously test with clients. Automatic generation of actionable plans, crafted by our AI algorithms, rectifies issues and prevents setbacks, fostering proactive problem-solving.
In essence, we're not just offering a solution; we're pioneering inclusivity and empowerment. By democratizing access to advanced agricultural tools, we pave the way for sustainable growth, ensuring every farmer has a stake in the competitive landscape.
We are going to win MIT Solve to make our solution known to the world. The resources obtained will be allocated to a strategic investment in state-of-the-art equipment. We are talking about acquiring advanced drones, high-capacity servers, and innovative devices that will not only improve our current offering but also allow us to explore new avenues of service and technological solutions. This technological upgrade is the pillar to keep us at the forefront of a constantly evolving market.
Likewise, the heart of our innovation lies in the talent and creativity of our team. Therefore, a substantial part of the resources will be dedicated to expanding the team. Hiring more personnel will not only increase our operational capacity but will also inject new ideas and perspectives that are essential for the development of disruptive innovations. We are looking for passionate and committed people who share our vision and wish to contribute to our mission.
Last but not least, we plan to use a portion of these resources on a strategic advertising campaign. We want the world to know about our solution, and for that, it is essential to have a presence in different communication channels. From social media to traditional media, our goal is to create a comprehensive campaign that not only highlights the advantages and benefits of our solution but also generates conversation and enthusiasm around our brand.
- Business Model (e.g. product-market fit, strategy & development)
- Public Relations (e.g. branding/marketing strategy, social and global media)
Groovy is on a mission to drive economic prosperity in the agricultural sector through the implementation of advanced technology and the optimization of agricultural practices. Our metrics, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9, aim not only to improve efficiency and sustainability in agricultural production but also to have a significant impact on the economic prosperity of agricultural communities.
By enhancing efficiency in agricultural production through the implementation of insights identification technology, Groovy helps farmers increase productivity and reduce operational costs. This leads to greater profitability and financial stability for farmers, which in turn contributes to the economic prosperity of agricultural communities.
Furthermore, by providing processed, summarized, and consensus-based information in a corrective and predictive plan using generative artificial intelligence, Groovy empowers farmers and operators to make informed and strategic decisions. This allows them to maximize their agricultural performance and adapt quickly to changes in the environment, which can result in higher income and better financial management.
With current vision, we use the Agricultural Water Stress Index, which considers variables such as soil moisture, air temperature, and wind speed. This tool enables us to instantly understand the conditions affecting crop growth, thus optimizing water and resource usage.
In the short term, we monitor the Agricultural Sustainability Index, which evaluates water consumption, fertilizer doses, crop growth, presence of pests and diseases, and yield per unit area. This approach allows us to quickly identify areas for improvement and take corrective actions to ensure crop health and productivity.
In the long term, Groovy's focus on agricultural sustainability not only helps protect the environment and natural resources but also contributes to the economic stability of agricultural communities. The adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and the improvement of climate resilience help mitigate risks associated with extreme weather events and market volatility, providing a solid foundation for long-term economic growth.
In summary, Groovy will drive economic prosperity in the agricultural sector by improving efficiency, productivity, and sustainability through the implementation of innovative technology and the optimization of agricultural practices. Our efforts are in line with the goal of promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, as well as fostering innovation in the agricultural sector for prosperous and sustainable economic growth.
We are committed to prioritizing open-source technologies whenever possible. The core of our technological solution consists of a lightweight server that runs Python scripts, responsible for interpreting the data collected by the drone (simulated remotely in the client's environment using Webots and OpenStreetMap) and processing it into integrated visualizations on a platform developed with Versel and TypeScript. Additionally, we implement corrective and predictive action plans using Bionic GPT. This architecture allows us to leverage the benefits of the open-source community, ensuring flexibility, transparency, and collaboration in the development of our solution.
- A new application of an existing technology
- Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
- Big Data
- Imaging and Sensor Technology
- Internet of Things
- Robotics and Drones
- Software and Mobile Applications
- Colombia
- United States
8 full-time Staff workers.
Since the beggining of this proyect, we, as a team, have been encouraging to develop a tech-based-agro solution to a latent problem in the agro market. Four months ago, we began to work on a (Minimun Viable Product) MVP, always thinking about the user. Different challenges overcame during the development, the team were always reaching the best solution possible.
At Terrati, we prioritize skills and cultural fit over traditional markers of experience, opening doors to talented individuals from non-conventional backgrounds. In addition, we encourage open communication and feedback through regular surveys and team discussions. This allows us to identify and address any potential barriers faced by team members. Lastly, we actively build an inclusive culture by empowering employees from diverse backgrounds to contribute their ideas and perspectives.
Groovy uses a freemium model. A basic version with core functionalities (likely problem identification) would be free for farmers. Advanced features, like detailed action plans and resource optimization, could be offered as premium subscriptions or pay-per-use services. Additionally, Groovy could explore partnerships with agribusiness companies who could sponsor premium plans for farmers or offer their own data-driven services built on top of Groovy's platform (B2B model).
- Organizations (B2B)
Financial Sustainability Plan: Currently in the prototyping stage, Groovy plans to achieve financial sustainability through several strategies:
- Winning MIT Solve: The competition prize money would be invested in acquiring advanced hardware (drones, servers) and expanding the development team. This would enhance their service offerings and explore new revenue streams.
- Freemium Model: As mentioned above, the freemium model with premium subscriptions and pay-per-use features could generate recurring revenue from farmers.
- Strategic Advertising: Reaching a wider audience through targeted advertising campaigns could attract more paying customers and potential B2B partnerships.
- Funding Rounds: Groovy will seek venture capital from angel investors, venture capital funds and agribusiness companies interested in agricultural innovation.
- Crowdfunding: Crowdfunding will be considered as an alternative to raise funds from a broad investor base.
While still in the prototyping stage, Groovy has taken initial steps towards financial viability:
- Market Validation: Positive feedback from the agricultural community during pilot testing indicates strong user interest in the solution.
- Strategic Partnerships: Discussions with potential B2B partners in the agribusiness sector demonstrate early traction in establishing revenue-generating collaborations.
- Industry Recognition: Participation in a prestigious competition like MIT Solve highlights the potential of Groovy's solution and demonstrates its alignment with industry trends.
- Data-Driven Projections: Financial models based on industry benchmarks for similar freemium SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) platforms in agriculture project a clear path to profitability with user growth.

Ing- Felipe Barreto Patiño