StrongBó Agritech, a Dublin-based agricultural technology company, has successfully secured €750K in Seed funding to accelerate the commercialization of its innovative hardware-enabled software solution. The funding round was led by Gallagher, a prominent investor in the agriculture sector, and received support from several entities including Enterprise Ireland via the High Potential Start-up (HPSU) program, the 519 Growth Fund, and the Grand River Agricultural Society, all based in Canada.
Sarah Adams, general manager of strategy and new ventures for Gallagher Animal Management, said the partnership would address “core pain points farmers face while also enabling innovative technology to come through.”
Under the leadership of CEO Micheál McInerney and co-founder and CTO Ivan Wahlrab, StrongBó has developed the Automatic Animal Weighing device, a cutting-edge solution that combines hardware and software to automate the collection of Frequent Animal Weights. These weight measurements are then analyzed to provide farmers with a comprehensive business intelligence platform and a valuable decision support tool.
“Our latest innovation allows farmers to gain new insights into how their animals are actually progressing. You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” said Micheál McInerney, co-founder and CEO of StrongBó.
“We’re really proud to be aligning with Gallagher in this way, it’s a partnership that has already been hugely beneficial for us as we’ve gained enormous insight into the global agribusiness sector and what is involved in taking an innovative, technology-driven idea into the prototype phase, and ultimately out to the wider market,” he added.
The initial phase of development for the Automatic Animal Weighing device involved extensive testing and refinement on Irish farms. The positive outcomes and promising results encouraged StrongBó to expand its operations beyond Ireland, with a primary focus on penetrating the Canadian market. In pursuit of this goal, the company welcomed Marty Metzger, a renowned expert in veterinary services from Metzger Veterinary Services, as an additional co-founder.
At present, StrongBó is headquartered at NovaUCD in Dublin, benefitting from the dynamic innovation ecosystem fostered within the prestigious university setting. The company has also established a subsidiary in Hamilton, Ontario, allowing it to establish a local presence and forge strategic partnerships within the Canadian agricultural industry.
By leveraging its hardware-enabled software solution, the company aims to revolutionize livestock management, improve farm productivity, and empower farmers worldwide with actionable insights that contribute to their long-term success. As StrongBó expands its global footprint, it remains committed to delivering innovative and impactful solutions that address the evolving needs of the agriculture industry.
