From Farm to Startup: How eAgronom Sprouted from One Farmer’s Challenge

eAgronom was founded in 2016 by Robin Saluoks and Stenver Jerkku in Tartu, Estonia. Robin, who grew up in a farming family, recognized the challenges farmers face in managing their operations efficiently. To assist his father, he developed a prototype farm management system, which laid the foundation for eAgronom.

Robin’s entrepreneurial journey began early. At 17, he co-founded the science theater “Three Piglets” with classmates, aiming to spark children’s interest in science. This venture earned the title of Best European Student Company in 2014. He briefly studied IT at the University of Tartu and later attended the Estonian Business School, but left academia to focus on eAgronom.

Stenver Jerkku, the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Tartu. Before joining eAgronom, he led a development team at SaleMove Inc. and lectured at the University of Tartu’s Faculty of Software Engineering. His technical expertise was instrumental in transforming Robin’s initial prototype into a comprehensive platform for farmers.

The founding team expanded with the addition of Kristjan-Julius Laak, an IT and psychology graduate, who enhanced the platform’s data handling and user experience. Together, they developed the first version of eAgronom in just 20 days, launching it in October 2016. Within six months, the platform was adopted by 70% of Estonian grain farmers, highlighting its immediate impact and value. In 2019, Kristjan Luha, a former Vice President at Nike, joined eAgronom as a late co-founder to provide the necessary experience for expanding the business.

High-Tech Harvest: The Rapid Rise of Agritech and eAgronom’s Role

The agritech market is experiencing significant growth as technology becomes more integrated into agriculture. In 2022, the global agritech market was valued at approximately $22.14 billion. Projections indicate that by 2032, this value could exceed $75.87 billion, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1% over the decade. (Spherical Insights)

Several factors drive this growth. The increasing adoption of precision farming techniques, which utilize data analytics, GPS, and IoT devices to optimize crop yields and resource use, plays a significant role. Additionally, the rising demand for sustainable agricultural practices and the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into farming operations contribute to the market’s expansion.

Geographically, North America leads the agritech market, accounting for a substantial share due to technological advancements and the early adoption of innovative farming solutions. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience the fastest growth, driven by increasing investments in agricultural technology and supportive government initiatives in countries like China and India.

Greener Pastures: eAgronom’s Mission to Make Sustainability Profitable

eAgronom is dedicated to facilitating a profitable transition to sustainable agriculture for farmers. The company aims to help farmers generate additional revenue, improve soil quality, and access better financing.

The company addresses several critical challenges in modern agriculture. Farmers often struggle with the complexity of implementing sustainable practices while maintaining profitability. eAgronom provides tools and support to monitor and verify these practices, enabling farmers to generate carbon credits and increase agricultural efficiency. Additionally, by adopting sustainable methods, farmers can gain better access to financing options, as financial institutions increasingly favor environmentally responsible operations.

eAgronom’s business model centers on empowering farmers through technology and financial incentives. The company offers a comprehensive farm management software that assists in planning, managing, and analyzing farm activities. This platform integrates data collection, real-time monitoring, and reporting features, allowing farmers to make informed decisions that enhance productivity and sustainability. Through its Carbon Program, eAgronom enables farmers to implement regenerative practices that sequester carbon in the soil, leading to the generation of carbon credits. These credits can be sold, providing farmers with an additional income stream. Furthermore, eAgronom collaborates with financial institutions to offer sustainable loans and leases, giving farmers access to favorable financing terms as they adopt eco-friendly practices.

Tools of the Trade: How eAgronom Gives Farmers a Digital Green Thumb

eAgronom is transforming agriculture by offering smart digital solutions for modern farmers. With a focus on sustainability, efficiency, and profitability, eAgronom provides a complete ecosystem for farm management, carbon farming, and financial support. 

1. Farm Management Software (FMS) – Digitalizing Agriculture

Managing a farm efficiently requires accurate data, streamlined operations, and smart decision-making. eAgronom’s Farm Management Software (FMS) provides farmers with a simple, all-in-one tool to plan, track, and analyze their farming activities.

Key Features:

• Crop Planning & Rotation – Farmers can plan crop rotations, optimize field usage, and increase yields.
• Task Management – Assign and track farm tasks in real time.
• Inventory & Budgeting – Keep track of farm resources and financials.
• Government Reporting – Automates compliance and reporting for agricultural agencies.
• Greenhouse Gas Monitoring – Helps farmers track and reduce their carbon footprint.
• Machine Telematics – Provides insights into vehicle data for better fleet management​.

Farmers can choose between Standard and Premium versions, with the option to customize the software based on their specific needs.

2. Carbon Program – Get Paid for Sustainable Farming

eAgronom’s Carbon Program helps farmers earn money by adopting sustainable practices that capture carbon in the soil. This initiative not only benefits the environment but also improves soil health and increases farm profitability.

How It Works:

1. Carbon Potential Assessment – Experts evaluate the farm’s carbon footprint and suggest improvements.
2. Practice Implementation – Farmers apply sustainable techniques like cover cropping, reduced tillage, and precision fertilization.
3. Carbon Credit Generation – Farms that reduce CO₂ emissions receive carbon credits.
4. Selling Carbon Credits – eAgronom helps farmers sell their credits to corporate buyers​.

This program provides an additional income stream while ensuring long-term soil productivity.

3. Sustainable Farmer Loan & Lease – Financial Support for Green Agriculture

To help farmers transition to sustainable practices, eAgronom offers a Sustainable Farmer Loan and Lease program. Farmers who adopt eco-friendly methods can qualify for better loan and lease terms.

Benefits of the Sustainable Loan Program:

• Lower Interest Rates – Farmers with sustainable practices get better financing terms.
• Access to Farm Management Software – Helps in reporting and tracking farm data.
• Annual Consultation – Ensures continued alignment with sustainability goals​.

Farmers can apply for a Sustainable Farmer Certificate, which proves their commitment to climate-friendly agriculture and unlocks financial benefits.

4. Carbon Farming Education – Learn and Grow

eAgronom is committed to educating farmers about carbon farming and regenerative agriculture. Through its Learn Carbon Farming initiative, it provides:

• Reading materials and expert articles on sustainable farming.
• Field trials across Europe to test different farming practices.
• Workshops and educational events featuring industry leaders​.

By equipping farmers with the right knowledge, eAgronom ensures they stay ahead in the agricultural industry.

5. Support for Food Companies – Sustainable Supply Chains

For food companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint, eAgronom offers tailored solutions to improve supply chain sustainability. The company:

• Designs custom carbon reduction programs aligned with global standards.
• Provides farm assessments to measure emissions.
• Supports farmers in transitioning to sustainable practices​

Byte by Byte: How eAgronom is Digitizing Dirt for a Better Harvest

eAgronom leverages advanced technology to assist farmers in managing their operations efficiently and sustainably. Their platform integrates various innovative tools designed to streamline farm management and promote eco-friendly practices.

The core of eAgronom’s offering is its cloud-based Farm Management Software (FMS). This platform enables farmers to plan, manage, and analyze their daily activities in real-time. Users can delegate tasks to team members, monitor progress, and communicate effectively within the team. The software also provides an interactive field map, offering a visual overview of the farm’s layout, current crops, and historical data for each field. This feature aids in strategic planning and efficient resource allocation.

To enhance equipment management, eAgronom integrates machine telematics into its platform. This integration allows farmers to keep track of their vehicles’ data, monitor usage patterns, and schedule maintenance proactively. By analyzing telematics data, farmers can optimize machinery utilization, reduce downtime, and extend equipment lifespan.

Simplifying compliance and sustainability reporting is another key aspect of eAgronom’s technology. The FMS consolidates data related to farm activities, inputs, and outputs, making it easier to generate reports required by government agencies. Additionally, the platform includes tools for monitoring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, enabling farmers to track their environmental impact and participate in carbon programs.

eAgronom’s Carbon Program is a notable innovation that combines technology with environmental stewardship. The program guides farmers in adopting regenerative practices that sequester carbon in the soil. Through the FMS, farmers can monitor and verify these practices, generating carbon credits as a result. These credits can be sold, providing farmers with an additional revenue stream while contributing to global carbon reduction efforts.

The platform’s mobile application extends its accessibility, allowing farmers to manage operations on the go. The app supports offline functionality, ensuring that data can be entered and accessed even in areas without internet connectivity. This feature is particularly beneficial for fieldwork, where connectivity may be limited.

The Cream of the Crop: How eAgronom is Raking in Recognition

Since its inception in 2016, the company has expanded its reach across multiple countries, including Estonia, Latvia, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania, with testing phases in the U.S. and Canada. Notably, the company was honored with the Gold Medal at the Polagra Premiery 2022 in Poland for its Carbon Program. 

Furthermore, eAgronom’s funding round, in which Soulmates Ventures participated as an investor, was ranked among the top 10 climate-tech deals closed within the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region in the first half of 2023. This recognition highlights the company’s prominence in the climate-tech sector and its appeal to forward-thinking investors. (Soulmates Ventures)

eAgronom received the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU) Youth Entrepreneurship Award, celebrating its innovative solutions and entrepreneurial spirit. Additionally, the company was honored with two prestigious Polish awards: The Golden Crane and The MTP Gold Medal, further validating its impact and success in the agritech industry. (itkey.media)

It Takes a Village: eAgronom’s Powerful Partnerships in Sustainable Farming

In Sweden, eAgronom partnered with Gardskapital, a Stockholm-based alternative lending firm, to encourage regenerative farming among Swedish farmers. This collaboration aims to introduce advanced soil regeneration and agroforestry techniques across 20,000 hectares of arable land in Sweden. The partnership combines eAgronom’s expertise in sustainable agriculture with Gardskapital’s financial solutions tailored to agriculture-related businesses seeking to increase farm-wide sustainability. 

eAgronom also collaborates with Swedbank to offer favorable financing terms to farmers in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Farmers who meet the criteria for eAgronom’s sustainable loan certificate, based on the EU Taxonomy proposal, can access these financing options. This partnership supports farmers in their transition to sustainable practices by providing financial incentives. 

To incentivize low-carbon farming, eAgronom partnered with South Pole, a leading climate solutions provider. This collaboration introduces a program that pre-pays farmers for carbon credits generated through sustainable practices such as cover cropping and reduced tillage. By providing upfront payments, the program supports farmers in adopting regenerative methods that sequester carbon in the soil. 

eAgronom’s partnerships extend to various stakeholders in the agribusiness sector, including resellers, banks, food companies, landowners, and carbon credit buyers. For instance, resellers can become Carbon Program partners, delivering more value to their customers and diversifying their revenue streams. Banks can offer sustainable loans and leases to their customers, reducing the greenhouse gas footprint of their portfolios and mitigating climate regulation risks. Food companies can inset their carbon emissions by enabling farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices, thereby achieving climate commitments and delivering low-emission products to consumers. Landowners can increase the value of their land by introducing sustainable farming practices to their tenants and achieving a better humus balance for their soil. Carbon credit buyers can access high-quality certified carbon credits to offset unavoidable emissions, supporting local farmers in the process. 

Cash Crops: How eAgronom is Harvesting Millions to Fund Sustainability

eAgronom, founded in 2016, has secured substantial funding to advance its mission of promoting sustainable farming practices. As of July 2024, the company has raised a total of approximately $29.8 million across multiple funding rounds. (Tracxn)

In July 2024, eAgronom completed a Series A2 funding round, raising €10 million (approximately $10.7 million). This round was led by Swedbank AB, which invested €4 million, with participation from Icos Capital, Soulmates Ventures, and SmartCap Green Fund. The funds are intended to expand eAgronom’s presence in key markets and scale its sustainable farming programs, particularly in Scope 3 emissions and sustainable financing.

Prior to this, in June 2023, eAgronom secured $5.5 million in a Series A round. Investors in this round included Icos Capital, Soulmates Ventures, and SmartCap Green Fund. The investment aimed to scale eAgronom’s digital tools to support the transition to sustainable farming.

In February 2022, the company raised $7.4 million in a Series A round. This round saw participation from Yolo Investments, ZGI Capital, Trind VC, Iron Wolf Capital, and United Angels VC. The funding was directed towards enhancing eAgronom’s farm management solutions and expanding its market reach.

Earlier, in October 2020, eAgronom raised $1.4 million in a Series A round, with investments from Iron Wolf Capital, Superangel, and Cats, along with angel investors Martin Villig and Taavi Tamkivi. In November 2018, the company secured $1.1 million in a seed round, attracting institutional investors such as Black Pearls, TMT Investments, Trind VC, United Angels VC, Business Angels, Superangel, and Iron Wolf Capital, as well as angel investors including Andrus Purde, Martin Tajur, Ragnar Sass, Andres Kull, Aivar Berzin, and Taavi Tamkivi.

eAgronom’s diverse investor base comprises 23 investors, including 16 institutional investors and 7 angel investors. Notable institutional investors include Icos Capital, Soulmates Ventures, SmartCap, and Swedbank. 

Reaping the Rewards: Why eAgronom is Cultivating a Better Tomorrow

eAgronom is transforming the way farmers manage their land and adopt sustainable practices. The company provides an advanced farm management platform that helps farmers plan tasks, monitor crop growth, track inventory, and manage teams in real time. Through its cloud-based software and mobile application, farmers can make data-driven decisions to increase efficiency and reduce waste. The platform integrates weather data, machine telematics, and financial tools to give farmers a complete digital farming experience. 

Beyond farm management, eAgronom plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable agriculture. Its Carbon Program helps farmers transition to regenerative farming methods that improve soil health and capture carbon from the atmosphere. Farmers earn carbon credits by adopting practices like no-till farming and cover cropping. These credits are then sold to companies looking to offset their carbon emissions, creating a new revenue stream for farmers. This initiative not only reduces greenhouse gases but also ensures long-term soil fertility and sustainability. 

By combining technology, finance, and sustainability, eAgronom is reshaping agriculture for the better. Its solutions give farmers practical tools and financial opportunities to improve productivity while reducing their carbon footprint. Want to read more stories like this? Check out other articles on Venture Kites. We dive deep into the most exciting companies shaping the future.