St. Louis startups Impossible Sensing and Susterco may not seem likely partners.
Impossible Sensing is developing technology systems to explore the depths of space and the ocean. Susterco wants to create new technologies for agriculture use.
But the startups have found common cause, teaming to develop technology designed to help farmers measure carbon sequestration on their land in real time. Carbon sequestration involves farming practices to take carbon dioxide out of the air and store it in soil to mitigate its effects on the climate.
Earlier this year, Susterco, launched by startup creator and investor BioGenerator, inked a licensing deal that gives it the exclusive ability to use Impossible Sensing’s technology for use in agriculture, forestry and food production. Financial terms of the licensing deal were not disclosed.
As part of the deal, Susterco and Impossible Sensing, headquartered at 2700 Cherokee St. in the city’s Gravois Park neighborhood, are working together to develop a device that would help growers more quickly and accurately gather carbon sequestration data used for seeking carbon credits, which can help farmers benefit financially from storing carbon on their fields. Credits are based on the amount of carbon captured.
Matt Helms, senior director of BioGenerator Ventures, said Susterco's technology seeks to make measuring carbon less onerous for farmers while also providing quick access to data about capture by using sensing technology to measure it on the field. He said current farming practices involve sampling one of every five acres every five years and sending the sample to lab for measurement.
“Our goal is to enable measurement that allows farmers to understand how changing different production and management practices on their farms can support capturing additional carbon,” Helms said.
Helms said that three of Susterco’s four team members are working with Impossible Sensing as it creates its device, which is several years away from commercialization. The research and development efforts have been aided by $1.9 million in grant funding awarded to Impossible Sensing by the U.S. Department of Energy.
As it works on developing its technology, Susterco has already caught the attention of one major player in the agriculture industry: equipment manufacturer John Deere.
In September, the St. Louis startup was runner-up in a pitch competition hosted by John Deere in Austin, Texas. The pitch contest was held as part of John Deere’s Startup Collaborator program, which seeks to “deepen its interaction with startup companies whose technology could add value for customers.” The program involves John Deere mentoring startups and testing their products.
For Impossible Sensing, its licensing partnership with Susterco is part of its ongoing strategy to have its technology impact more than just exploration of space. It has created an affiliate company, Impossible Sensing Energy, for use of its technology for the oil and gas industry. Impossible Sensing founder Pablo Sobron said licensing its technology to Susterco lets the company focus on its “core expertise” of space exploration. At the same time, he said the licensing deal provides the opportunity for Impossible Sensing’s technology to have an impact on Earth and generate revenue for the startup.
“What this company is best at, what we’re passionate about, what drives our work is space,” Soborn said.
