A UK-based start-up has raised $1.6 million in pre-seed investments to scale its AI technology that it says can convert high-resolution landscape imagery to actionable insights.
Gentian’s fundraising efforts ended up being oversubscribed, with water, hygiene, and infection prevention firm Ecolab the biggest investor, the company said in an announcement.
Techstars, Blue Venture Investors, Gener8tor, Pax Momentum, and Undivided Ventures also participated.
“With the support of our investors, we are poised to make a significant contribution to global sustainability efforts,” Gentian CEO Dan White said in the statement Thursday.
“Our remote sensing AI delivers environmental intelligence that accelerates ecosystem restoration and resilience. As COP28 comes to an end, we are reminded of the urgency of our mission and the potential of our technology to make a real difference.”
By using advanced machine learning and AI, Gentian’s technology makes it possible to use the high-resolution imagery of urban and rural landscapes to make detailed assessments of habitat types, urban vegetation areas, and potential enhancement areas, the company said.
In England, the approach is particularly relevant to the monitoring of online habitat creation and offsite monitoring of biodiversity credits under the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) scheme, according to the Gentian website.
“Beyond the UK, this is and will be increasingly relevant across the biodiversity, landscape, and urban sectors,” the website says.
“We’ve sought scalable solutions that align with Undivided’s vision of a resilient urban future in the face of climate adversity. Gentian embodies this vision, and we’re committed to championing their growth,” said Alexander Bent, managing partner at investor Undivided Ventures.
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