Sollum Technologies, based in Montréal, is partnering with Leaficient, a Pittsburgh company specializing in precision plant measurement and lighting control technologies. The collaboration aims to advance lighting strategies and recipes by integrating precise plant growth data in Sollum’s advanced algorithms in order to learn, adapt, and optimize cultivation in real time.

Leaficient, an innovative biotech sensing and controls company, is at the forefront of computer vision technology performing detailed leaf-level tracking of plant stress and photosynthetic capability. This unique approach enables precise customization of lighting profiles, optimizing plant growth conditions while minimizing operational costs. The focus is on increasing growth efficiency to produce higher yields while reducing energy consumption.

François R-Moisan, CTO and co-founder of Sollum Technologies shared his excitement about the partnership, stating: “Integrating Leaficient’s detailed plant metrics with our SUN as a Service (SUNaaS) cloud platform enhances our capability to provide incredibly tailored lighting strategies that adapt, more than ever, to the specific needs of each crop and cultivar, at every stage of growth. This partnership sets a new standard in precision agriculture.”

Brian Stancil, Leaficient co-founder & CEO, added: “We are using plant performance and health knowledge to determine lighting strategies, basically using every photon to generate biomass and avoid waste. Sollum’s dynamic lighting systems, combined with our advanced measurement capabilities, offer growers unprecedented control and efficiency in their operations.”

Brian Stancil has more than two decades of experience in commercializing technology in a wide range of industries. He works alongside co-founder Andy Rope, PhD, a lifelong farmer with extensive experience in optics and image processing. He has published articles in Nature Communications, Biomaterials, ACS Nano, The Journal of Functional Biomaterials, The Journal of Cell Biology, and The Journal of Cell Science. 

Source:  Sollum Technologies June 11, 2024 news release