FloraPulse
FloraPulse commercializes a Cornell-developed MEMS microtensiometer embedded in tree trunks to continuously measure stem water potential, enabling precision irrigation for commercial orchards and vineyards. The sensor-as-a-service system is deployed across 23+ countries and 15+ crop types.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersDavis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What FloraPulse does
FloraPulse is a precision agriculture technology company that has commercialized a MEMS-based microtensiometer developed over more than a decade at Cornell University. The core product is a nanoporous ceramic-tipped sensor embedded directly in tree trunks to continuously measure stem water potential (SWP), the gold-standard physiological indicator of plant water stress, with readings taken every 20 minutes and synced to a cellular cloud platform. Validated through 34+ peer-reviewed scientific publications and deployed across 15+ crops, the system targets commercial orchards (almonds, prunes, apples, olives, peaches, pears, walnuts) and vineyards (wine and table grapes), with a secondary researcher channel via standalone SDI-12 and analog probes.
The company operates a hardware-as-a-service subscription model priced at approximately $1,800 per sensor per year, bundling two probes, a solar-powered 4G cellular datalogger, the cloud dashboard, weekly reports, warranty, and probe replacements. FloraPulse retains ownership of the field hardware and leases it to subscribers. Go-to-market mixes direct enterprise sales with custom ROI quotes for North American operations, an international distributor network covering 23+ countries, and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee that supports lower-friction adoption. The dashboard includes color-coded stress levels, growth-stage-aware irrigation triggers, weather-adjusted baselines, and automated alerts, positioning the product against pressure chambers, soil sensors, and ET scheduling.
FloraPulse is founder-led and Cornell-anchored. Dr. Michael Santiago (Cornell PhD, mechanical engineering) serves as CEO, joined by co-founders Dr. Alan Lakso (Plant Science, Grower Advisor, 40+ years of grower advisory) and Dr. Abraham Stroock (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Director of NSF Center CROPPS). Since 2016 the company has been funded primarily by non-dilutive SBIR and prize awards from NSF and USDA rather than institutional venture capital, with cumulative disclosed grant funding of roughly $2 million. Operations are headquartered in Davis, California, with international reach delivered through channel partners.
FloraPulse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FloraPulse
- Legal name
- FloraPulse
- Website
- https://florapulse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- FloraPulse commercializes a Cornell-developed MEMS microtensiometer embedded in tree trunks to continuously measure stem water potential, enabling precision irrigation for commercial orchards and vineyards. The sensor-as-a-service system is deployed across 23+ countries and 15+ crop types.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FloraPulse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Agriculture Sensors
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Irrigation Monitoring & Sensors (Flow/Pressure Meters, Soil Moisture, Water Quality Sensors) (AFABAHAJ)
Keywords
Where FloraPulse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Davis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FloraPulse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Annual Subscription: All-inclusive annual subscription covering two microtensiometer probes, cellular datalogger with solar panel, cellular data, cloud visualization platform, warranty, and probe replacements. Hardware owned by FloraPulse and leased to customer.
- SDI-12 and Analog Probes: Standalone sensor probes for researchers with existing dataloggers. Analog version outputs millivolt signal; SDI-12 version includes converter for standard datalogger protocols.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | All-inclusive annual subscription per sensor |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | SDI-12 probe for scientific dataloggers |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Analog probe for precision dataloggers |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
FloraPulse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FloraPulse designs, manufactures, and sells MEMS-based microtensiometer sensors that are embedded directly into the trunks of trees and vines to continuously measure stem water potential (SWP) every 20 minutes. The core offering is an all-inclusive annual subscription that bundles two microtensiometer probes, a solar-powered 4G cellular datalogger, cloud-based dashboard access, cellular data, warranty, and probe replacements for commercial orchard and vineyard operators. Standalone SDI-12 and analog probes are also sold directly to academic researchers with their own datalogger infrastructure.
Product overview
FloraPulse is a precision agriculture technology company offering a microtensiometer-based plant water stress monitoring system for orchards and vineyards. The product portfolio consists of the FloraPulse Microtensiometer (core sensor) available in three hardware versions: the All-Inclusive Annual Subscription (recommended for commercial growers), the SDI-12 Probe (for researchers with existing dataloggers), and the Analog Probe (for scientists with precision datalogger systems). All versions work with the FloraPulse Dashboard (cloud platform) for data visualization and irrigation guidance. The 4G Solar-Powered Datalogger provides cellular connectivity for automated data transmission. The system measures stem water potential directly from plant xylem, delivering readings every 20 minutes to help growers save 15-40% on water while increasing yields.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Save 15-40% on water costs while increasing yields and improving fruit quality
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use FloraPulse
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FloraPulse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability4 records
Feature4 records
FloraPulse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and foundational.
- UbidotscoreIoT cloud platform used for data transmission from FloraPulse dataloggers. Data flows through Ubidots platform before syncing to FloraPulse database for visualization.
- Cornell UniversityfoundationalDeveloped microtensiometer technology through research by Dr. Alan Lakso (Plant Science) and Dr. Abraham Stroock (Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering). Dr. Stroock leads NSF Center CROPPS at Cornell. Ongoing academic validation and research partnership.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
FloraPulse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CropX: Precision agriculture platform combining soil sensors, satellite imagery, and analytics to optimize irrigation. Targets the same growers as FloraPulse but uses soil-moisture and weather data rather than direct plant-based SWP measurement, positioning as a 'good enough' lower-cost alternative.
- Tule Technologies: California-based precision irrigation company serving vineyards and orchards with canopy-atmosphere based ET measurement and irrigation recommendations. Competes for the same irrigation-trigger decision in specialty crops, though using a different sensing modality than FloraPulse's in-plant microtensiometer.
- Saturas: Israel-based developer of a stem water potential (SWP) sensor for precision irrigation in orchards and vineyards. Saturas is the closest direct competitor to FloraPulse, measuring the same plant-based water stress signal to drive irrigation decisions in permanent crops.
Emerging players
- AquaCheck: Provider of soil moisture probes and telemetry for irrigation management in agriculture. Competes indirectly with FloraPulse for the same precision irrigation budget in orchards, vineyards, and specialty crops, with a soil-centric rather than plant-centric measurement model.
- Sentek: Australian developer of soil moisture probes used for irrigation scheduling in vineyards and orchards. Competes in the same specialty-crop irrigation market with a soil-based rather than plant-based measurement approach.
Broad incumbents
- METER Group: Manufacturer of environmental and soil moisture sensors (formerly Decagon Devices) widely used in agricultural research and irrigation management. Competes indirectly by offering soil-based and weather-based alternatives to FloraPulse's direct plant water status measurement.
- Semios: Large precision agriculture platform for orchards and vineyards, offering irrigation, pest, and frost management with in-canopy sensors and a software suite. Competes for the irrigation analytics budget in the same almond, wine grape, and tree nut customer base FloraPulse targets.
- Irrometer: Long-established manufacturer of soil moisture tension meters widely used in irrigation scheduling. Offers a low-cost, low-tech alternative to FloraPulse's continuous, in-plant SWP monitoring in orchards and vineyards.
- Davis Instruments: Manufacturer of weather stations and ag sensors used to drive ET-based irrigation scheduling. Provides a lower-cost, less specialized alternative for growers who make irrigation decisions from weather data rather than direct plant measurement.
- Pessl Instruments (METOS): Global provider of weather stations, soil moisture sensors, and IoT ag decision-support platforms. Competes for the precision irrigation budget with a broader, multi-sensor portfolio rather than a plant-based water stress signal.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FloraPulse social profiles
Digital presenceFloraPulse compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
FloraPulse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FloraPulse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
FloraPulse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FloraPulse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FloraPulse
What does FloraPulse do?
FloraPulse designs, manufactures, and sells MEMS-based microtensiometer sensors that are embedded directly into the trunks of trees and vines to continuously measure stem water potential (SWP) every 20 minutes. The core offering is an all-inclusive annual subscription that bundles two microtensiometer probes, a solar-powered 4G cellular datalogger, cloud-based dashboard access, cellular data, warranty, and probe replacements for commercial orchard and vineyard operators. Standalone SDI-12 and analog probes are also sold directly to academic researchers with their own datalogger infrastructure.
Is FloraPulse a public or private company?
FloraPulse is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FloraPulse founded?
FloraPulse was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is FloraPulse based?
FloraPulse is headquartered in Davis, United States, in the North America region.
How does FloraPulse make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Annual Subscription is the primary driver. The others are SDI-12 and Analog Probes.
Who are FloraPulse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CropX, Tule Technologies and Saturas. Emerging players are AquaCheck and Sentek. Broad incumbents are METER Group, Semios, Irrometer, Davis Instruments and Pessl Instruments (METOS).
Does FloraPulse have an API?
Yes. FloraPulse data in the cloud can be accessed through API for large-enough clients. Specific API details (protocol type, auth method, rate limits, versioning) are not specified in the available source material.
What industry is FloraPulse in?
FloraPulse's product category is Precision Agriculture Sensors. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABAHAJ, Irrigation Monitoring & Sensors (Flow/Pressure Meters, Soil Moisture, Water Quality Sensors). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3823.