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AgriBIT · Project

AI-Powered Satellite Farming Platform That Cuts Input Costs for Small Farms

foodPilotedTRL 8
h2020-agribit.eu

Imagine your tractor knowing exactly where to spray fertilizer and where to skip — down to the centimeter. AgriBIT built a system that combines satellite positioning (like GPS, but far more precise) with AI and on-field sensors to tell farmers exactly what each patch of their field needs. It also created an affordable European-made receiver so smaller farms can access the same precision tools that only big agribusinesses could afford before. The whole package was tested for 20 months on real farms across Europe.

By the numbers
70%
European farmers in small to medium operations targeted by affordable receiver
11,250
Cooperative members in pilot partner organizations
20 months
Field piloting duration across 3 locations
11
Operational services delivered (3 GNSS-enabler + 8 GNSS-enabled)
EUR 2,155,715
EU funding received
8
Consortium partners across 4 countries
TRL-8
Target technology readiness level
The business problem

What needed solving

Most European farms are small to medium operations — 70% according to AgriBIT's own data — yet precision agriculture tools remain expensive and complex, locking these farmers out of the efficiency gains that large agribusinesses enjoy. Without precise guidance, farmers over-apply water, fertilizer, and pesticides, wasting money and damaging the environment. There is a gap in the market for affordable, AI-driven precision tools built on European satellite infrastructure.

The solution

What was built

AgriBIT delivered 11 operational services (3 GNSS-enabler and 8 GNSS-enabled), covering monitoring, field application, and automated machinery guidance. It also produced an affordable European-sourced high-precision GNSS receiver, a community platform with 3 iterative releases supporting farmers, advisors, and third-party developers, and GNSS customization options for common agricultural scenarios.

Audience

Who needs this

Farm equipment manufacturers wanting to add affordable precision guidanceAgricultural cooperatives seeking digital advisory tools for membersAgTech software companies needing satellite-based precision APIsAgronomic advisory firms looking to automate field recommendationsAgricultural input suppliers wanting data-driven application services
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Precision Agriculture Equipment
mid-size
Target: Farm machinery manufacturers or dealers looking to add GPS-guided automation

If you are a farm equipment manufacturer struggling to offer affordable precision guidance — this project developed a European-sourced high precision GNSS receiver and 8 integrated services covering monitoring, application, and automated machinery guidance. With 70% of European farmers running small to medium operations, there is a massive underserved market for affordable precision tools. The system reached TRL-8 after 20 months of piloting at 3 locations.

Agricultural Cooperatives & Advisory Services
any
Target: Farmer cooperatives and agronomic advisory firms serving hundreds of members

If you are an agricultural cooperative trying to help your members reduce fertilizer, water, and pesticide costs — AgriBIT built a community platform with open interfaces that lets service advisors deliver AI-driven recommendations to farmers. The project tested collaboration services for 12 months and worked with 2 cooperatives representing 11,250 members. Third-party developers can integrate AgriBIT services into existing advisory tools.

AgTech Software & Data Analytics
SME
Target: AgTech startups and data companies building farm management platforms

If you are an AgTech company looking to add satellite-based precision services to your platform — AgriBIT provides open interfaces for 3rd party integration, combining augmented GNSS and Earth Observation data with advanced AI and Big Data Analytics. The platform went through 3 development releases and was designed specifically for third-party developers to plug into their own solutions.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this system actually cost compared to existing precision agriculture tools?

AgriBIT specifically targeted affordability — the project developed a European-sourced high precision GNSS receiver designed to be affordable for small and medium farms. Exact pricing is not published in the project data, but the entire design goal was to undercut current high-precision receivers that price out 70% of European farmers.

Can this scale beyond the pilot farms to thousands of users?

The system was architected for scale from the start. It includes a community platform with open APIs for third-party integration, and was tested with cooperatives representing 11,250 members. The 20-month pilot across 3 locations in 4 countries demonstrated cross-border operability.

Who owns the IP and can I license this technology?

The consortium is led by Engineering Ingegneria Informatica SPA (Italy), a major IT company, alongside 4 SMEs and 2 farmer cooperatives. The GNSS customization options deliverable explicitly mentions a results-based exploitation strategy for rapid commercialization. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the consortium partners.

Is this compatible with existing farm machinery and software?

AgriBIT was designed with open interfaces at both the service level and for Big Data Analytics integration. The community platform provides channels for 3rd party developers to connect their own solutions. The system combines on-field sensors, on-machine actuators, and satellite data, suggesting compatibility with standard farm equipment.

What regulations does this comply with for EU farming?

The project was funded under the EU Space/EGNSS topic, meaning it uses European satellite navigation infrastructure (Galileo/EGNOS). Based on available project data, specific regulatory certifications are not detailed, but TRL-8 classification implies near-commercial compliance readiness.

How long before this could be deployed on my farms?

The project reached TRL-8 (system complete and qualified) by its close in June 2024. With 20 months of field piloting completed and an explicit commercialization strategy in the deliverables, deployment readiness is high. Contact the consortium for current availability of specific services and the GNSS receiver.

Consortium

Who built it

The AgriBIT consortium of 8 partners across Italy, Greece, Ireland, and Portugal is strongly industry-driven at 62% industry participation, with 4 of the 5 industrial partners being SMEs. The coordinator, Engineering Ingegneria Informatica SPA, is a major Italian IT services company — not an SME — which provides enterprise-grade project management and commercialization muscle. The inclusion of 2 farmer cooperatives with 11,250 members gave the project direct access to end users during its 20-month pilot phase. Notably, there are zero universities in the consortium — all research came from 3 dedicated research organizations — which signals a strong bias toward applied, market-ready outputs rather than academic publications.

How to reach the team

Engineering Ingegneria Informatica SPA (Italy) — a major IT services company leading the consortium. Contact through SciTransfer for a warm introduction.

Order a report on this consortiumSee ENGINEERING - INGEGNERIA INFORMATICA SPA profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to integrate AgriBIT precision farming services into your product or cooperative? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right consortium partner for licensing, integration, or deployment discussions.

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