Meropy ceases operations of robot SentiV due to lack of funding

SentiV can cover up to 20 hectares per day. It specialises in monitoring cereal crops, such as barley and wheat. - Photo: Meropy

Meropy, a French start-up that aimed to revolutionize the field of agriculture with its advanced robot SentiV, has announced the discontinuation of its operations. This decision comes after years of development and efforts to bring real-time monitoring and precision to farming practices.

Unfortunately, the company faced insurmountable challenges related to financing and a lack of significant interest from the farming community. SentiV, designed to monitor cereal crops such as barley and wheat, was conceived in 2016 as a groundbreaking solution to provide farmers with nearly real-time surveillance of their fields. Unlike many other agricultural robots that primarily focused on crop cultivation, SentiV aimed to address the need for precise monitoring and threat detection in agricultural plots.

Daily field monitoring

William Guitton, co-founder and COO of Meropy, emphasized in 2022 the uniqueness of SentiV at the international agricultural robot event FIRA in Toulouse. He stated that while most agricultural robots concentrated on working on crops, SentiV could offer daily field monitoring, thereby providing farmers with invaluable insights into their crops’ conditions.

The robot’s capabilities included the use of two standard RGB cameras, one positioned above the canopy and another beneath it, to capture critical information. This enabled SentiV to assess images directly under the leaves, where pests and other threats often lurk.

Questions about the future

Despite its innovative features and potential benefits, Meropy struggled to secure the necessary funding for long-term development. The company faced the challenge of managing financing that arrived in small increments, a significant hurdle for a startup focused on agricultural hardware with annual crop cycles.

Regrettably, Meropy found itself unable to sustain its operations, leading to the decision to cease its activities. The closure of the company has left questions about the future of the technology it developed and the fate of its dedicated team of employees.

However, there is a glimmer of hope, as CARDEM PYRO, a division of VINCI Bouw, has taken up the reins and resumed the company’s activities. While SentiV may no longer roam the fields of agriculture, it has found a new purpose in construction site pyrotechnic disinfection.