Arboair saves our forests for future generations – by data

Arboair was started at a rund table discussion at Linköpings university, where the two founders Markus Drugge and Jacob Hjalmarsson found each other on an idea to ”storm agriculture with drones” . When the idea later was presented to a farmer in Linköping, he suggested that drones would be a much better tool to scan his forests. As a long time partner to Sweden Sustaintech Venture Day, the Östergötland incubator LEAD nominated Arboair to pitch their company that is now a growing success story.

Forests seemed to be the business opportunity here, and as I had worked with the pulp industry, we set out to develop the business targeting them. When we were invited to an event with HM Prince Daniel, and his Fellowship Foundation, the Prince loved the idea - and here we are now”, says Jacob Hjalmarsson.

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Arboair is a Source Agnostics data platform for forests with endless applications. Arboair uses AI-driven image analysis to produce sharp decision-making data for forest companies and forest owners. A huge problem for forest owners is that of pests, a calculated 6-7 Billion cubic of wood is annually lost in Sweden only due to the spruce bark beetle. Scanning as well as measures are drastically much more possible with the Arboair system. Other damages on trees is another area, as well as plans for thinning, and population data for example to scan biological diversity and tree spices distribution. So far 352 forests and 46 550 hectares have been analysed.

What forest owners calls a Precision Forestry Plan will be much easier to set up and follow with our system. We can pinpoint the trees to be felled, and this means that Arboair is the perfect system from the new forest climate certificate market locking in CO2 presently unfolding”, says Jacob.

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The system can handle a variety of data sources like images, lidar and other data which makes it unique. Arboair is mostly working with the forestry industry and larger forest owners. A future possibility is that by sharing, the system could be made available also to the large number of private forest owners of Sweden. And of course, because the platform is source agnostic, the potential is huge in other forest nations, Arboair is aiming to become and international player in the digitalization of the forestry industry and have been running tests in Poland, Scotland and Brazil.

Normally you move around with your rubber boots taking random tests in the forest - the possibility now is to scan and watch all of your area thoroughly. We are an impact company who creates a better future for the next generation, as our technology helps the world to safeguard our natural resources for many generations ahead, says Jacob.

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The company has already been through their angel round and is now moving into their seed round. On Sweden Sustaintech venture Day the 31st of May, the seed round is about to be closed so timing is quite good.

Jacob Hjalmarsson