Electric Plant builds AI model to read plant electrical signals
The startup says its Bombadil model can interpret signals from about 125 plant species.
Curious#08
$11.2M
Seed round raised by Electric Plant
Image: TechCrunch
$11.2MSeed round raised by Electric Plant
The short version
- Electric Plant has spent three years collecting data to build Bombadil, a large language model.
- The model interprets electrical signals in a plant's stem and relays details about the plant's needs to growers.
- The startup recently raised an $11.2 million seed round led by Onto Ventures and Climactic.
- Its sensors are attached with stainless steel screws and cost tens of dollars, far less than existing tools.
Why it matters
The project applies large language model methods to biological signals outside of human language. For developers, it shows how AI models can be trained on new sensor data. The company claims its system can boost yields while reducing water use by 20% or more.
““This is the most diverse model ever created on biological electrical signals,””