Role: 1206
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Our client is building a data entry and AI based analytics system for agricultural supply chains. They have already built and deployed 5 custom analytics systems for large paying clients in the poultry industry, including well-known names like Japfa and Avara. They have acquired datasets from over 1 billion chickens, which has helped to refine their processes and models. This also uncovered that forecasting performance is limited by poor quality control of farm data across the industry sector!
Their solution is to launch a data entry automation system for agriculture companies. This system replaces intermediary data administration staff and reduces data errors by 200% (based on trials with customers). They have partnered with the UK's largest poultry producer and won a £1m Innovate UK grant to develop their solution (requiring circa £250k of matched funding, and up to £140k of working capital which will qualify for EIS tax relief). Currently an early-stage company they are generating revenue and expect to be profitable by Q3 2025.
The business has an excellent Advisory Board and has received Angel investment of over £200,000 in the last two years.
We are seeking 3 Investing NEDs or Advisors (candidates may chose not to be NED’s and prefer to be Advisors based on their personal circumstances) to join their Board alongside their CEO and CTO with the following areas of expertise:
Sales and Marketing UK NED:
- Experienced in the agricultural industry, ideally selling solutions that improve efficiency or performance. Poultry sector knowledge would be a bonus.
- Knowledge of SaaS models and how to sell them.
Export Sales and Marketing NED:
- Knowledge of overseas agricultural markets.
- Has experience of selling sophisticated enterprise software solutions that demonstrably save money and time for farmers.
Data & B2B SaaS NED
- A highly experienced technical advisor with a deep understanding of enterprise software, Machine Learning and AI.
- A proven track record in advising on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, especially in areas relevant to the Agricultural industry.
- To bring a wealth of technical knowledge to support the company’s technological growth and innovation initiatives.
All candidates are likely to have business strategy / growth experience and to have been involved in fast growing early-stage businesses or divisions.
The incoming Non-Executive Directors will be encouraged to become shareholders in the Company with an investment of a minimum of £25k to £50k to align their interests with that of the existing Board Members and Angel investors.
A copy of the pitch deck will be provided to candidates who meet the criteria and on signing an NDA.
It is expected that the role will require approximately 2 or 3 days per month – potentially more in the early stages.
Market & Opportunity:
Our client is an Imperial College London spin-out focused on providing the agricultural industry with a range of accessible artificial intelligence audit tools, combined with an automatic data entry platform. This will enabling a new understanding of flock productivity and welfare compliance with Red Tractor standards. The founders have spent +2 years building and selling AI systems for the poultry sector, during which they conducted initial research into a proof-of-concept AI co-pilot system that automates and analyses supply chain data (i.e., feed nutrient data). In addition, they have started to develop an auto-entry system for data on farms eliminating errors and leading to improved forecasting.
Following the award of a £1m grant from Innovate UK our client will build and test a scalable AI co-pilot product, with predictive capabilities, that provides valuable supply chain insights to poultry planners. This will be deployed over a 5-month trial in a live commercial situation.
Our client harnesses Natural Language Processing (NLP), Multi-Modal Machine Learning (ML), and Cloud Computing to amalgamate and analyse data instantly. The IUK project will lead to three key innovations in the UK market and beyond:
- Centralised Data Pool: At the heart of this project is the creation of a centralised data pool that captures and consolidates paper and digital data across the entire supply chain. Leveraging live data from IoT devices and existing digital records, our clients AI co-pilot will facilitate instantaneous data processing, transforming decision-making from reactive to predictive. The singular repository enables the aggregation of diverse data sets from various stages of the poultry lifecycle, facilitating a holistic view that is unprecedented in the sector.
- Using Large Language Model (LLM) technology, our client introduces an AI Co-pilot that allows for intuitive querying of the database. This advanced interface interprets natural language inquiries, enabling stakeholders to access complex data insights effortlessly. It acts as an intelligent assistant, offering nuanced responses and recommendations that drive informed decision-making.
- Machine Learning Predictive Analytics: Our client will integrate state-of-the-art ML algorithms to forecast key metrics within the poultry supply chain. This predictive analytics capability not only anticipates future trends and outcomes with high accuracy but also uncovers patterns and anomalies that can lead to proactive interventions. This level of predictive insight empowers farmers and suppliers to make strategic decisions that streamline operations and enhance productivity.
Whilst starting in the Poultry sector, our clients’ technology will have broad applications across the entire agricultural sector, and they have already received enquiries to support similar developments in several other sectors.
Closing Date for Applications: Tuesday, 2nd April 2024
