BrioAgro Technologies, established in September 2015, is an AgTech firm specializing in intelligent irrigation solutions. The company originated from the efforts of founders José Luis Bustos, Antonio Santos, and Fran Guillén to combat the red palm weevil plague using sound-based sensor technology. This initial project pivoted towards a broader agricultural application, leveraging the developed sensor expertise to address irrigation challenges. Headquartered in Tudela, Navarra, after participating in the Orizont agri-food innovation accelerator, BrioAgro develops both its hardware and software in-house.
The core of BrioAgro’s B2B is a system that optimizes agricultural irrigation by determining the precise water needs of crops. It integrates data from proprietary soil sensors, localized weather forecasts, and satellite imagery. This data is processed by an algorithm that advises on when and how much to irrigate, enabling water savings of 20% to 50%, depending on the crop and soil type. The platform can also connect directly with a farm’s existing irrigation equipment to automate the process entirely.
This leads to significant reductions in water, energy, fertilizer, and labor costs, thereby increasing farm profitability and environmental sustainability. The service is primarily offered through a monthly rental model with no long-term commitment, a strategy designed to lower the adoption barrier for farmers. For example, a basic system rental averages around €135 per month for the first year. BrioAgro serves a diverse client base, from individual farmers to large cooperatives and major food producers like Florette and Bonduell.
Its technology is adaptable to over 40 different crops, including avocados, almonds, potatoes, and tomatoes, and is used in both open fields and greenhouses. The company has expanded its operations internationally into markets such as Italy and Mexico and serves clients in Portugal. Beyond agriculture, BrioAgro has adapted its solution for smart city applications, managing irrigation for parks and gardens in cities like Seville and Pamplona. The company’s impact has been recognized through various awards, including from the EU’s EIT Food and the FAO.
Keywords: intelligent irrigation, AgTech, precision agriculture, water management, soil sensors, crop monitoring, automated irrigation, farm technology, IoT in agriculture, water conservation, sustainable farming, remote farm management, digital agriculture, smart farming, irrigation scheduling, cost reduction in farming, crop yield improvement, smart cities irrigation, agricultural hardware, agricultural software