Spensa Technologies

40.4647°N 86.9273°W / 40.4647; -86.9273

Spensa Technologies
TypePrivate
IndustryPrecision agriculture
FoundedJanuary 16, 2009 (2009-01-16) in West Lafayette, Indiana
FounderJohnny Park
HeadquartersWest Lafayette, Indiana
Key people
Johnny Park, CEO
ProductsSpensa AP, Z-Trap
OwnerDTN
Number of employees
30 (2018)
Websitespensatech.com

Spensa Technologies was a private company based in the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, Indiana that specialized in precision agriculture. The company, founded in 2009, was known for its ag-related technology,[1][2] including automated pest sensors and software. It was acquired in April 2018 by DTN.[3]

History

Spensa was founded on 16 January 2009 by Johnny Park, a computer engineering professor at Purdue University, whose research into robotics and computer vision in farming (supported by a $6.4M USDA grant) led to the creation of the company. With support from the National Science Foundation[4] and private investment,[5][6] Spensa expanded its operations[7] and developed agriculture-related hardware and software products.

Spensa's principal hardware product was the Z-Trap, an automated electronic device that detects insects in a field and wirelessly reports its data. Its software consisted of both web-based and mobile applications, centered on the Spensa Agronomic Platform (AP), a subscription-based software.[8][9]

Spensa was acquired in April 2018 by Minneapolis-based DTN,[10][11] a company owned by TBG AG.

References
  1. Sorvino, Chloe (18 June 2017). "The 25 Most Innovative Ag Tech Startups". Forbes. New York City. Retrieved 2018-05-02. They manufacture the 'Z-Trap,' a device that replaces the painstaking work of estimating pest populations by hand with real-time data. The Z-trap is capable of not only collecting bugs, but it zaps them with electricity in a way that allows the species of bug to be identified, making it much more efficient for farmers to control pests in their fields.
  2. Scoggins, Gary (3 April 2018). "DTN acquires Spensa Technologies to offer customers a comprehensive solution". Biofuels Digest. Retrieved 2018-05-02. Spensa has built a reputation for its eco-friendly, innovative technologies to manage agronomic pests such as insects, weeds and disease. The company was named one of the top 25 innovative ag-tech startups by Forbes in 2017.
  3. "DTN Acquired Spensa Technologies" (Press release). Minneapolis: DTN. 4 April 2018. Spensa's...
  4. "Federal grants awarded to strengthen agriculture pest monitoring technology". Purdue University News. West Lafayette, Indiana. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  5. Burwood-Taylor, Louisa (9 November 2015). "Pest Detection Technology Company Spensa Tech Raises $2.5m Series A". AgFunder News. AgFunder. Retrieved 2018-05-02. Spensa Tech's core hardware product is the Z-Trap, an insect sensor which has been on the market for three years already.
  6. Stevenson, Sarah Schmid (3 January 2017). "Spensa's Cloud-Based Technology Helps Farmers Automate Pest Control". Xconomy. Retrieved 2018-05-02. Spensa, which has about 45 employees working out of its headquarters in West Lafayette, IN, raised $2.5 million in a Series A round last year; investors include Elevate Ventures, Village Capital, and the Purdue Foundry.
  7. "Agricultural Pest Management Company Expands in West Lafayette" (Press release). Indianapolis: Indiana Economic Development Corporation. 19 May 2015.
  8. Knapp, Alex (26 July 2016). "Technology Is Making Huge Changes In The World Of Agriculture". Forbes. New York City. Retrieved 2018-05-02. Its software lets farmers record, upload and track observations about their fields; its Z-Trap hardware allows farmers to track pests in the fields by trapping and identifying bug species. Ag Cred: Developed hardware with a National Science Foundation grant; has raised over $5 million in outside funding to date.
  9. Sorvino, Chloe (1 February 2017). "Model predicts insect patterns". Agri-View. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  10. Parker, Reed (2 April 2018). "DTN Completes Spensa Acquisition". Inside Indiana Business. Indianapolis. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  11. Vinluan, Frank (13 March 2018). "DTN Set to Acquire Spensa, Continuing Trend of Farm Software Deals". Xconomy. Retrieved 2018-05-02. Spensa Technologies, a startup that has developed sensors, software, and other products that give farmers insights about their operations, is now set to become part of global digital services company DTN.
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