Traditionally, farmers make decisions based on weather forecasts, soil moisture measurements, visual observations, and their own experience in the field. These are valuable sources of information, but they only provide part of the picture. Italian startup PlantVoice, however, believes that the plant is the most reliable indicator of its own needs. PlantVoice has developed an agronomic platform specifically designed for food production, integrating real-time plant physiological data with weather and soil data. It aims to make "plant intelligence", a standard layer within modern agriculture — a future where every important agronomic decision is supported not only by environmental data, but by direct feedback from the plant itself.
I spoke to the COO, Giorgia Ferrari, to learn more.
Listening to the plant, not just the environment
PlantVoice was founded in 2023 by Matteo Beccatellia, a chemist who studied biosensors in Parma and the US, and Tommaso Beccatellia, who has a background in manufacturing and 3D-printed objects.
PlantVoice has developed a biocompatible sensor head made from a specific wood fibre to match the plant's components.
