AgriTech member
YAGRO
YAGRO Founders Gareth Davies, Dan Jolly and Richard Sears talk to us about their AgriTech business.
Tell us about your business.
YAGRO are a dedicated team of farmers, entrepreneurs and technologists committed to helping farmers make better business decisions to increase their profitability. We do this through a suite of industry-leading data and technology solutions. Since launch in 2016, we have built tools including our online Marketplace for farm inputs, price comparison service Price Check, and digitally-enabled YAGRO Insurance.
We launched YAGRO Analytics in September 2020, which effortlessly gathers critical data from across the farm business and gives farmers the insight needed to understand, compare and collaborate their data to drive improvements and increase profitability. Product development at YAGRO is guided by our National Steering Group, which comprises 13 high profile farms from across the UK, who ensure our products deliver value to the farmer. This group has tasked YAGRO with delivering value equivalent to the loss of BPS.
We are proudly independent, deeply data-driven and think farmer-first, meaning we work exclusively for farmers and never sell data to third parties. We believe that honesty and a can-do attitude will benefit the most important people in this industry: farmers themselves.
When did you start your business?
2016.
What's been your biggest highlight?
The launch of our new Analytics system after nearly 2 years of R&D, to very strong welcome in the industry. And of course, building the team required to reach such an achievement.
What's been your biggest challenge?
Nailing down product market fit in such a complex and risk-averse industry. It takes a long time and a lot of learning but it's fantastic when it happens.
Advice for entrepreneurs starting out
Spend time talking to people and really, really listening. Follow your own belief and vision - but listen carefully to the subtle pointers on how to make it work, practically.