A new company joined the diverse portfolio of The Launch Place. Chapel Hill-based mesur.io, an internet of things (IoT) company that focuses on providing ag-based businesses with automated data tracking and analytics, received a $200,000 seed investment. This partnership makes mesur.io The Launch Place’s thirteenth venture since 2014.
The Launch Place, a nonprofit investment group supporting startups in the Dan River Region of Virginia and North Carolina, selected mesur.io due to the position their technology holds in the market and mesur.io’s persistence in developing early stage partnerships.
mesur.io combines environmental measurements with advanced analytics, using in-ground sensors along with the cloud-based data hub Cloudera to make it easier for clients to collect data on ground conditions and needs. This data enables clients to manage their turf or crop, reduce labor costs, and maximize output. With insights collected, users can receive recommendations in real time on water consumption, fertilization, and potential threats.
“Our core focus is to help the small to mid-size farmer,” says CEO Tom Rump, mentioning how their technology has helped one of their earlier clients, a mushroom farmer, regulate the humidity, light, and temperature in his greenhouse.
As part of their partnership with The Launch Place, mesur.io has opened an office in Danville, VA, which will create several new jobs and generate economic growth within the region.
Rump believes that Danville will provide an ideal environment for the company’s continued development. “We look forward to using the entrepreneurial infrastructure that The Launch Place provides, as well as their space and business development experience to grow and give back to the region,” says Rump.