EarthOptics, an Arlington startup that provides sensor technology to monitor the health and structure of soil for farmers and others, has merged with Pattern Ag, a lab-analysis firm based in Oakland, California.
The deal, announced earlier this week, brings together two startups founded in 2018 to help agricultural growers improve output. The companies did not disclose the terms of their merger but said that the combined entity will operate under the EarthOptics name and be headed by Lars Dyrud, EarthOptics' CEO.
According to Dyrud, EarthOptics' proprietary sensor technology and Pattern Ag's lab-based analysis tech will combine to yield deeper insights into the pests and pathogens that might inhabit soil as well as details on soil nutrients, compaction, carbon levels, moisture and other key metrics.
"This merger will give farmers and ranchers the most comprehensive snapshot of the soil under their feet," Dyrud said in a statement. "Historically, soil measurement insights have been limited in scope and imprecise. We now have the technology to tell farmers what’s in their soil with a high level of precision, and with the addition of Pattern analytics, we can offer them insights into what to plant and how to manage their most impactful decisions throughout the growing season."
Per employment figures from LinkedIn, Pattern Ag employs about 60 workers — almost all of whom reside in the Bay Area — and EarthOptics has about 80 people on its payroll. The company has its headquarters in Crystal City and has offices in Blacksburg, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Mankato, Minnesota. EarthOptics moved its headquarters from North Carolina to the D.C. region in 2021.
EarthOptics closed on a $27.6 million funding round in January 2023 led by Conti Ventures, the venture investment arm of international agriculture giant Continental Grain Co. At the time, the company had 70 employees.
