Hortau specializes in wireless and web-based crop irrigation management systems for high-value crops including tree crops, vines, vegetables and berries. Its patented technology combines real-time soil tension sensor data with a simple-to-use mobile and web platform to enable growers to anticipate crop water needs and schedule irrigation. Managing irrigation based on soil tension is designed to ensure optimal plant-available water, maximize photosynthesis and transpiration, and improve yields and quality while reducing water use, energy consumption, pesticide usage and fertilizer leaching. Hortau reports its real-time field monitoring stations have been contracted on about 270,000 acres in the U.S. and Canada since 2002. The company has headquarters in San Luis Obispo, California, and in Quebec, Canada. A $7.7 million senior secured debt commitment from Lewis & Clark AgriFood is intended to advance Hortau’s work helping producers achieve higher-quality crops and more efficient input use. Hortau, founded in 2002 and based in Levis, Québec, provides precision irrigation management services to help growers detect crop stress and optimize growth. The company’s technology aims to reduce water use, energy consumption and nutrient loss for commercial agriculture. Hortau was founded by Dr. Jean Caron and Jocelyn Boudreau, both specialists in soil physics. The company recently launched a new application that unifies mobile and web views, streamlines real-time irrigation management data, and offers a dashboard and map overview for fields, soil tension, weather and other field data. Hortau closed a $20M equity funding round to support its operations. The company intends to use the proceeds to accelerate product development, growth and continued international expansion. Hortau builds wireless, web-based irrigation management systems that monitor crops in real time and detect plant stress to optimize crop growth while reducing water and energy use. The company’s patented hardware and software deliver mobile software and reporting tools for growers and are designed to eliminate environmental impacts of crop production. Hortau plans to use the new funding to increase field support and add new features to its hardware and software, adding more versatility to the platform. Its technology is positioned as particularly relevant amid drought conditions in California and other U.S. regions. Founded in 2002 by Dr. Jean Caron and Jocelyn Boudreau, Hortau operates U.S. operations from San Luis Obispo, Calif., and maintains offices, representatives and technicians throughout North America. Hortau develops patented, wireless soil monitoring and irrigation management products that provide real-time crop management and are scientifically proven to improve yields, reduce environmental impact and energy costs, and maximize fertilizer and water efficiency. The company operates a SaaS/Ag platform and currently has 5,000 monitoring stations and 25,000 sensors installed across more than 600 farms in the US and Canada, collecting over 100,000 data points per hour. Hortau offers precision irrigation services to growers and plans rapid expansion to service a greater number of customers and increase sustainability and productivity. Management said the recent financing will help fuel the business and focus on providing best-in-class precision irrigation services amid critical water-resource challenges. The company is positioning its technology to help growers cut water consumption and improve resource efficiency. Hortau offers a wireless, web-based irrigation management system combined with desktop and mobile software that lets growers monitor crops in real time. Its solution detects plant stress to help optimize crop growth while reducing water and energy use and limiting environmental impacts. The company serves growers of strawberries, almonds, grapes, cranberries and other crops. Hortau was founded in 2002 by Dr. Jean Caron and CEO Jocelyn Boudreau; the founders have backgrounds in soil physics and agricultural engineering. The company is based in San Luis Obispo, California, and also maintains headquarters in Quebec, Canada. It plans to use new funding to grow its technical support and sales teams to expand throughout North America.

Total raised

$49M

Funding rounds

6

Latest round

Debt Financing

Latest activity

Nov 2020