Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has announced its decision to cease operations at Mineral, an AI-driven ag intelligence startup, just over a year after its public debut. The company is currently shifting towards a licensing model for its technology.
Developed in Alphabet’s moonshot technology lab X, Mineral was officially launched in January 2023 with the objective of offering fundamental technologies to assist other companies in the agricultural industry. This involved the amalgamation of data from unmanned rovers equipped with cameras moving through farmland with extensive sets of agricultural data from satellite images, farm equipment, and public databases. Initial partners included Driscoll’s, Syngenta, and CGIAR.
In an interview with AgFunderNews, CEO Elliott Grant highlighted the firm’s machine-learning models designed to aid agribusinesses in predicting crop yields, increasing production, targeting pests and weeds, reducing waste, minimizing chemical and water use, and lessening the impact of agriculture on the planet.
In a recent statement on the Mineral website, Grant announced the company’s new business model, stating that they would be licensing their technology to partners such as Driscoll’s. He emphasized the company’s commitment to finding new and innovative partnerships and evolving their approach to have a positive impact on a larger number of farmers.
Grant also mentioned that Mineral had closely collaborated with Driscoll’s to develop AI tools for crop phenotyping, yield forecasting, quality inspections, and food waste reduction in the supply chain. Some of these technologies have now been transferred to Driscoll’s and will be integrated into their systems to help them achieve their sustainability goals.
According to Bloomberg, Mineral employees had been attempting to find a way to continue their work after it became apparent that the company did not have a future within Alphabet. Despite forming partnerships with key players in the food and agricultural industries, the company struggled to translate these deals into sustainable revenue streams.
Megan Fallon, head of marketing at Mineral, revealed that there will be additional announcements about partnerships with leading innovators. She clarified that the technology available for licensing is software and AI technology, and that the unmanned rovers will not be transferred to Driscoll’s but have proven valuable for data collection.
While Fallon did not confirm the number of layoffs at Mineral, she expressed the company’s dedication to finding new positions for those affected, either within the Alphabet system or in agribusinesses. She added that the team is thrilled about where their technologies are being used and believes they are achieving their mission of making a maximum impact for farmers.
As Mineral moves forward with its new licensing model, it remains to be seen how this transition will impact the agricultural industry and the technological advancements that were previously spearheaded by the startup.