Panacea.Ag
Smart Greenhouse Automation for a Sustainable Future

Three years ago, Stefan Vantchev, a software architect by profession, built a greenhouse from the ground up and realized that operating one was in no way an easy job. He sought for the latest technologies like sensors and controls that could automate the processes and spent months researching the market for viable options. It was then that he deduced two things: on one hand, industrial automation was something, which small farmers couldn’t afford; on the other, sensors with cognitive capabilities were unable of surviving the 140-degree Fahrenheit temperature inside a greenhouse environment. These sensors along with AI-enabled cameras could monitor temperature, humidity, airflow, and water-supply among other conditions. There was also a lack of trained laborers who are known as “master growers” in the agricultural industry. Through his research, he summarized that there existed a distinct gap in the market between the “buy-and-do-it-yourself” and the super-expensive industrial automation systems, and this is where Vantchev created his unique value proposition for the market by founding Panacea.Ag.

As a technology-driven services company, Panacea.Ag offers ruggedized but affordable sensors, automated controls, and smart software platforms for the greenhouse industry. Panacea.Ag integrates state-of-the-art technologies like machine learning, blockchain, and predictive analytics to offer smart greenhouse automation for customers.

“Farmers or greenhouse owners can achieve a significant reduction in their labor and utility costs that ultimately helps them to expand their business without the need to expand their workforce,” says Stefan Vantchev, president and CTO of Panacea.Ag. “Small farmers can deploy our technology to reduce labor, energy consumption, and lost crops resulting in higher revenues with traceability and transparency.”

The company provides a package of technologies comprising cameras, sensors, and robotics that model and collect greenhouse data to allow farmers to grow more with less. Panacea.Ag’s greenhouse system acts as a “safety net” and leverages robotics to perform active plant-level monitoring 24/7. They observe each plant multiple times per day, and the system sends a text message automatically, to the owner whenever the sensors identify a spike in temperature, or if the water stops, or when the leaves change color. Whenever there is a problem that can’t be solved, the owner can connect with a “master grower” remotely and show the pictures and data for an effective solution. Panacea.Ag collects the user’s data and appends it into their AI engine so that the next time any other greenhouse owner has a similar problem, the appropriate solution from the system can be recommended. What’s more, they use the data collected from multiple installations and recreate the favorable plant growing conditions in other greenhouses as well.

The sensors can also track the growth rate of every plant and look for pests and diseases. The local AI engine not only analyzes all the data to make the right decisions but also predicts and reacts at the greenhouse level. At the macro level, the data is exported to the cloud and used for optimizing the greenhouse on a much-advanced level.

Panacea.Ag has devised a financing plan that allows farmers to buy the solution packages in a low monthly fee. This helps farmers to buy the technology and start using, which has a quick impact on their ROI. Panacea.Ag is enhancing its hardware and software package continually, to offer the best value possible for its customers. Through its affordable smart automation technology for greenhouses and small farm owners, Panacea.Ag is poised to help farmers grow more with less.