Sentinel raise US$2.5million from farmer-focused investment groups

Sentinel will utilise the funding to expand its market presence and strengthen its team by adding key innovators and highly skilled leaders. The funding will also give Sentinel the capacity to enhance N-Time's capabilities across agricultural production systems to help more farmers achieve optimal nutrient management.

"Sentinel is committed to building digital solutions that help farmers balance fertilizer inputs with natural processes to optimize crop productivity, farm profitability, and environmental stewardship," Sentinel CEO & Founder Jackson Stansell said. “With the seed funding from our aligned investors, we will advance N-Time’s capabilities, grow our Sentry Network of agronomic advisors, and ensure that more farmers can benefit from N-Time.”

Sentinel’s N-Time software analyses crop canopy imagery to provide agronomic recommendations that help farmers make efficient nitrogen management decisions. N-Time is used primarily on fertigated corn, but Sentinel is partnering with farmers and researchers to explore its capabilities on a wide range of crops.

Based in Lincoln, NE, Sentinel Fertigation emphasised raising funds from farmer-focused investment groups based largely in the Midwest.

In addition to co-leads Homegrown Capital of Sioux Falls, SD, Grit Road Partners of Omaha, NE, and Invest Nebraska of Lincoln, NE, Sentinel received funding from Proven Ventures, Nebraska Angels, AgVentures Alliance, Black Hills Regional Angel Fund, Breakthrough 307, AgLaunch Farmers Innovation Fund I, and Agri-Inject.

Several funds participating in this round doubled down on investments made in Sentinel’s pre-seed funding round that raised US$1.2 million in 2022.

“Our pre-seed investors have been instrumental in Sentinel’s success so far,” Stansell continued. “We are excited that several of these investors have decided to deepen their relationship with Sentinel and double down on their initial investment.”

Tim Weelborg, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Homegrown Capital, said the group is excited about partnering with Sentinel to maximise N-Time's capabilities to ultimately help America’s growers reap the benefits of efficient nitrogen use.

“We’re impressed with Sentinel’s N-Time solution that helps farmers manage nitrogen to increase profits and improve soil health,” Weelborg said. “This is a great example of cutting-edge technology developed in America’s heartland that can solve world-wide problems.”

After several years of on-farm research trials, Sentinel launched N-Time commercially in 2022 through a paid-pilot program. Growers who utilised N-Time saved an average of US$40 on nitrogen per acre and saw a 23% increase in yield per pound of applied nitrogen.

By saving on nitrogen and increasing or maintaining yield, 83% of growers utilising N-Time during the 2022 season increased their profitability compared to their historical practices.

“As a leading farmer-owned seed investor, we see Sentinel Fertigation’s potential to increase farm profitability,” said Spencer Stensrude, CEO of Sentinel investor AgVentures Alliance. “Enhanced yield leads to revenue and smarter nutrient application decreases expense.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/environment/27092023/sentinel-raise-us25million-from-farmer-focused-investment-groups/