Purdue-born Spensa recently detailed how its live insect phenology model could help farmers predict how insect populations develop.
Spensa Technologies, a US-based farm evaluation technology spinout from Purdue University, was acquired on Monday by business intelligence provider DTN for an undisclosed sum in a deal which allowed a university-backed vehicle to exit.
Founded in 2009, Spensa Technologies markets a suite of sensor-based agricultural analysis tools designed to help farmers assess factors like soil nutrition and the effectiveness of pesticides or traps.
The company unveiled an insect phenology model in January 2017 that is capable of pinpointing how insect formations develop in near real-time by processing data collected from insect traps.
DTN will use Spensa’s products to augment its business intelligence offering for agriculture. The company also plans to help Spensa win custom in non-core segments including Californian fruit and tree farming.
Spensa Technologies previously raised approximately $5m in funding, according to Purdue press releases.
Foundry Investment Fund, managed by the Purdue Foundry startup accelerator, backed a $1.3m round for Spensa in 2014 that included Elevate Ventures, mTerra Ventures, Zionsville Precision Ag Venture and assorted angel investors.
The spinout subsequently closed a $2.5m series A round with investors including Foundry Investment Fund, MTerra, Elevate, VilCap and angel investor John Smith.
Spensa was founded by Johnny Park, a former professor in Purdue’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering whose research focus included sensor networks, computer vision and robotics. It still operates from Purdue Research Park, an incubation complex affiliated with the university.
