Ecoation

This interview details Ecoation, a Canada-based commercial yield and IPM forecasting solution for modern indoor growers. The interview is with Gavin Schneider, VP of Agronomy and Customer Success.

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What is the origin story of Ecoation?

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Ecoation is the industry’s leading forecasting platform for greenhouses. After 10 years in business, our goal is still in finding solutions for greenhouse horticulture IPM. 

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Our IPM and Yield Forecast serve growers with actionable intel extracted from a mountain of data to increase operational visibility, assist growers, enhance their decisions, and help to scale their success.

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Ecoation is a combination of ecology and equation and it has been 4 years since launching our eco product. 

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What are some of the biggest challenges facing Ecoation in the future?

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We are leading the path in a brand new business category, robotics as a service, as well as AI as a service. A new model that we’ve brought into the market, offering equipment on a subscription service, which results in less capital expenditure, and improved quality.

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The biggest challenge we face going forward is knowing how to deploy the platform to greenhouses around the world looking to make our eco product a global solution. We currently have feet on the ground in nine countries including Canada, the USA, Mexico, Japan, Czech, and Belgium. Croatia, Germany, Netherlands, and plans for expansion to China and Australia. 

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Our home office is based in Vancouver, with satellite offices in Mexico and Belgium 

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What is unique about Ecoation compared to competitors? How do you measure the impact of your company so far? (Revenue, Employees, Customer Quantity, Production Volume) etc?

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Ecoation is the only forecasting platform for modern greenhouses providing a fully digitalized yield forecasting platform, using AI tech, and digitally integrated pest management to help identify issues in the greenhouse, and reduce pesticide use on the crops they are growing,

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Most of our robots are deployed across greenhouses around the world. A large connected fleet of robotics helps to cut down on pesticide use while also increasing yield accuracy by 10-15%. The definition of success is repeat customers who enjoy the solution and want to expand. 

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What have you learned that you wish you had known when you joined or started the company?

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I have been fortunate to learn about issues that greenhouse growers face. I have been able to communicate with farmers across the world about ways to improve the application of technology, introducing new ways to continue benefiting the operation and task management techniques being used to help better develop greenhouses around the world.

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Ecoation is now responsible for 5,000 acres of total greenhouse canopy. Managing complex facilities and integrated software to create the ideal growth environment for our clients. 

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We are also building out a platform and mobile app solution for helping scout and analytics directly on mobile devices and phones. Going global with the platform is our biggest goal. 

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How can people connect with you or learn more about Ecoation? 

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LinkedIN - Ecoation Academy 

www.Ecoation.com

Finally, come check out our offices in Vancouver and Ontario! 

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