J. Frank Sigerson, Innovation Enterprise

Climate change is a global phenomenon requiring solutions from around the world. Although tech startups are typically geared toward earning, many are actually addressing serious issues like climate change. One approach to finding solutions is called Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). While CSA's initial development has focused on developing nations, its principles are applicable across various industries around the world.

The CSA movement is a focus of many aid associations working in developing nations. However, this focus is applicable to all nations and "may be defined as an approach for transforming and reorienting agricultural development under the new realities of climate change".

Tech startups addressing climate change can be said to be developing climate-smart technologies including approaches that reduce energy use while increasing crop yield. Today, startups can be found around the world in many forms developing climate-smart technology.

Here, we present a selection of startups working with climate-smart technologies that are relevant to this approach.

Climate-smart tech in India

A roundup of climate-smart technology startups in India can give one a sense of the diverse approaches. AgSmartic Technologies, for example, is "founded with the mission to help farmers increase their farm yield using a data-driven approach".

Atom Solar, on the other hand, is "making affordable solar-powered water pumping solutions for rural and urban areas", while Edible Routes "helps to find ways for people to grow food and eat seasonally". FarmerUncle is similar agri-tech firm with a "platform which enables consumers to buy directly from growers of their produce".

From these examples, one can see that climate-smart technologies are being designed to address local needs through the increase of production and reduction of energy usage in ways that also limit pollution.

Smart tech in the US

Although initially envisioned in developing nations, climate-smart technology is also applicable to nations where advanced technologies are the norm. In the US, tech startups are applying a variety of technologies that take a smart technology approach. The appropriately named Smart Cannabis Corp.is an example of a relevant agri-tech startup.

Through its subsidiary Next Generation Farming, Smart Cannabis is developing smart greenhouse technology with a high-efficiency system which is manageable by a smart app. Its greenhouses have been designed to use the least amount of space, allowing for maximum use of land. They also conserve energy and water use.

Smart greenhouses maximize energy from the sun, while additional hardware such as the Smart Multi-Spectrum Grow Light provide only the needed additional light with energy-efficient LEDs.