Agricultural Intelligence Company Taranis Raises $20 Million

Tel Aviv-based agricultural intelligence company Taranis-Visual Ltd. has raised $20 million in a series B funding round led by Viola Ventures, the former announced Tuesday. The latest round brings Taranis’ total funding raised to $30 million.

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Founded in 2014, Taranis operates an agriculture intelligence system that aggregates data from satellite images, sensors, and smart irrigation systems, to detect early signs of crop diseases, insect infestations, nutrient deficiencies, water damage, and other crop risk factors.

Taranis’ image processing engine uses artificial intelligence and deep learning algorithms to function as an automatic digital agronomist that replaces more expensive and less efficient on-field sensors, Ofir Shalem, co-founder and CEO of Taranis, said in a phone interview with Calcalist Tuesday.  

Toronto-listed crop nutrients company Nutrien Ltd., San Francisco based agricultural chemicals company Wilbur-Ellis Company Inc., through its venture arm Cavallo Ventures, and London-based investment firm Sumitomo Corporation Europe Ltd. also participated in the round, alongside existing investors San Diego-based Finistere Ventures, Vertex Ventures, Jerusalem-based equity crowdfunding company OurCrowd Ltd., and Israeli tech entrepreneur Eyal Gura.

Taranis intends to use the funding for research and development and for global expansion.

Taranis and its subsidiaries have over 50 employees in Israel, the U.S., Brazil, and Argentina.