Agroop is a multi-platform technology for the agricultural sector with a process management tool which allows users to monitor and access real-time data.

It also has a social network where users can communicate with each other, contact suppliers, advertise products and consult technical video information.

The application, which is available for phones, tablets and computers, “helps farmers identify production costs, monitor the water needs of their crops, improve production factors and compare their information to the information we collect from other Agroop users,” says founder Bruno Fonseca.

Bruno, who is Portuguese and a graphic designer, came up with the idea for this product when he was helping a large farmer rebrand his company.

“We were just speaking one day and it came up naturally in conversation that there was a need for this type of application for farmers, so I thought I would put the idea into action,” he says.

Bruno completed a BA in Audiovisual and Multimedia from Escola Superior de Artes Aplicades in Castelo Branco, Portugal, from 2005 to 2009.

From there, he went on to work in a print and design centre: “I worked there for two years and four months, but then I thought I wanted to do something better with my life so I decided to go back to university and study a masters.”

Bruno went back to Escola Superior de Artes Aplicades where he completed an MA in graphic design from 2010 to 2013.

With no background in agriculture, he decided to start his business, designing this app in August 2014.

“I had no idea of farming, but I got a lot of help and input from farmers. I learned a lot and I know I made many mistakes, but the end product has certainly been great,”says Bruno.

In order to fund the project, he talked with private investors and then turned to Cedars, a crowd-funding platform in the UK.

The company was the first Portuguese start-up to successfully complete its crowd-funding campaign and has completed its second campaign since.

There are more than 500 people in Portugal who use the Agroop application and the company’s eyes are now set on the international market.

“The biggest advice I can give to anyone who wants to set up an agri-tech company is that you have to be very passionate about your project and your start-up because I think passion sells,” Bruno says.

Read more

Special focus: agri careers