Our Sci
Our Sci is a bootstrapped, open-source agricultural technology company building SurveyStack (data collection), SoilStack (soil sampling optimization), and a handheld Reflectometer (spectroscopy) for farms, NGOs, and agricultural research institutions in the US, Zambia, and Jamaica.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Our Sci does
Our Sci is a privately-held, bootstrapped LLC founded in 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by Dan TerAvest and Greg Austic. It builds open-source agricultural technology for community-driven research, serving small and mid-sized farms, farm organizations, NGOs, and agricultural research institutions in the US and internationally (Zambia, Jamaica). Its core product suite consists of three integrated tools: SurveyStack, a progressive web app for flexible survey-based data collection with offline capability and question-level privacy controls; SoilStack, a cross-platform app that generates design-based soil sampling plans using digital soil maps, elevation data, and satellite-derived vegetative indices, priced at $10 per smart sampling plan; and the Our Sci Reflectometer, a low-cost handheld 10-wavelength spectrometer for measuring spectral reflectance of soils, plants, and liquids. The stack is differentiated by interoperability with open-source platforms (farmOS, Open Food Network, Hylo) and emerging data standards (AgGateway Modus Soil Nomenclature).
The company's business model combines unit-priced software (SoilStack), hardware sales (Reflectometer), professional services for farm technology setup and data pipeline development, and grant/cost-share-funded programs that subsidize adoption by farms and agricultural organizations. It monetizes through a mix of one-time fees, professional services engagements, and grant-supported deployment, with no external venture or equity funding rounds disclosed. Notable customers include Green Things Farm Collective, Renewing the Countryside, Bionutrient Food Association, Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers, CIMMYT, Michigan State University, Yale's QuickCarbon, and the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute. Our Sci's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored in the OpenTEAM ecosystem and supplemented by conferences (Ecofarm, a2TECH360) and direct website distribution. AI/ML capabilities include a proprietary Random Forest model for soil organic carbon prediction (r2 = 0.68-0.73) and exploratory use of OpenAI's GPT o1 in Structured Output mode for converting interview transcripts to structured data.
Our Sci firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Our Sci
- Legal name
- Our Sci LLC
- Website
- https://our-sci.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Our Sci is a bootstrapped, open-source agricultural technology company building SurveyStack (data collection), SoilStack (soil sampling optimization), and a handheld Reflectometer (spectroscopy) for farms, NGOs, and agricultural research institutions in the US, Zambia, and Jamaica.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Our Sci industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Technology Software
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Farm Data Management & Decision Support Services (FMIS Setup, Data Integration, Analytics) (AFACACAC)
Keywords
Where Our Sci is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Our Sci business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Subscriptions and Licenses: SurveyStack and SoilStack are offered as software tools. SoilStack charges a one-time fee of $10 per 'smart' sampling plan created. Once created, the plan persists indefinitely with no additional costs for access to front-end app and metadata.
- Technology Services: Professional services including technology setup appropriate for farm operations, data pipeline development for farm organizations, grant reporting, incentive programs, and research and education project support.
- Hardware Sales: Sale of the Our Sci Reflectometer, a 10-wavelength spectral reflectance measurement device designed for measuring soil, plant tissue, and food nutrient density.
- Technology Services Cost Share Programs: The company has received funds to provide free and cost-share technology and data support to farms and agricultural organizations, helping reduce costs and avoid vendor lock-in.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | One-time fee per smart sampling plan |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Our Sci product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Our Sci develops and distributes open-source agricultural technology tools comprising three core offerings: SurveyStack (a progressive web app for flexible, offline-capable data collection and community management), SoilStack (an app that generates design-based, cost-optimized soil sampling plans using publicly available soil, elevation, and satellite-derived data), and the Our Sci Reflectometer (a low-cost, handheld 10-wavelength spectral reflectance device for measuring soil, plant, and food properties). The company also provides professional services to farms and farm organizations for technology setup, data pipeline development, grant reporting, and cost-share technology support.
Product overview
Our Sci offers a suite of open-source agricultural technology tools centered around three core products: SurveyStack (data collection platform), SoilStack (soil sampling optimization), and the Our Sci Reflectometer (handheld spectroscopy device). These tools work together to enable community-driven farm research - SurveyStack handles data collection via surveys, SoilStack optimizes soil sampling locations using publicly available geographic and soil data, and the Reflectometer measures spectral properties for soil carbon and nutrient predictions. The company also provides professional services including technology setup, cost-share programs, and data management support for farm organizations. The platform emphasizes interoperability with tools like farmOS, Hylo, and Airtable, and uses AI/ML for predictive analytics (soil carbon modeling) and generative AI (structured data extraction from transcripts).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SurveyStack: A flexible data collection and management platform designed to empower shared community knowledge using intuitive features for data collection, community management, flexible data processing, and visualizations and scripts.
- SoilStack
Products and services
- SurveyStack A flexible, open-source data collection and management platform delivered as a Progressive Web App. It supports offline data collection with automatic sync, question-by-question privacy settings, survey logic, and hardware integration (including the Our Sci Reflectometer). Built for farms, farm organizations, NGOs, and research institutions running participatory research and community data programs.
- SoilStack An open-source, cross-platform app that creates design-based, cost-optimized soil sampling plans using digital soil maps (clay and organic matter), digital elevation maps, and satellite-derived vegetative indices (NDVI). Guides users to ideal soil-sampling points balancing high confidence with low sampling cost, and exposes a stratification API for integration with MRV systems.
- Our Sci Reflectometer A general-purpose, robust 10-wavelength handheld device for measuring spectral reflectance from liquids (e.g., milk), flat objects (e.g., leaves), or solids (e.g., soils, produce). Designed as a low-cost, field-portable spectroscopy tool that pairs with SurveyStack for prediction and reporting workflows.
- Farm Services
Companies that use Our Sci
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Our Sci technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability5 records
Feature7 records
Our Sci partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National Agricultural Data Producers Cooperative (NAPDC)coreFunded the AI translation project through the University of Lincoln Nebraska, working to test AI's ability to convert interview transcripts into structured data for agricultural applications.
- CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)coreOur Sci is supporting CIMMYT research efforts in Zambia into delivery of extension services to smallholder farmers. The collaboration tests SurveyStack and the Reflectometer in difficult field environments, using technology to deliver site-specific agricultural advice based on soil health measurements.
- Zambia Agriculture Research InstitutecorePartner with CIMMYT to train local extension agents on extension advice delivery methods, including general extension and site-specific recommendations based on Reflectometer soil health measurements.
- QuickCarbon (Yale University)coreQuickCarbon, out of Yale University, is developing field methods for landscape scale soil carbon assessment and has been a key partner in field testing the Reflectometer and co-developing software.
- Michigan State UniversitycorePartnered with Dr. Sieglinde Snapp and James DeDecker at MSU for proof-of-concept testing on the Reflectometer and predicting soil organic carbon on soybean fields across Michigan regions.
- PasaminorPartner in AI translation research project testing AI's ability to convert interview transcripts into structured data.
- FibershedminorPartner in AI translation research project testing AI's ability to convert interview transcripts into structured data.
- OpenTEAMcoreOpenTEAM is a core community partner. The company has received funding through OpenTEAM for SurveyStack development and participates in the Fellows program. OpenTEAM hub farms have been testing SoilStack calibrations and integrations.
- Mad AgricultureminorPartner in AI translation research project testing AI's ability to convert interview transcripts into structured data.
- AgGatewaycoreCollaborating on Modus Soil Nomenclature project to create standardized soil and tissue lab test method library. Our Sci inventoried 24 labs and linked their methods to AgGateway's V2 Modus IDs, enabling data translation between laboratories, decision support tools, and USDA programs.
- Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC)coreSoilStack developed in conjunction with ESMC data portal. ESMC is interested in quantifying soil carbon stocks with direct in-field measurements for their ecosystem services marketplace. ESMC funding supported initial SoilStack development.
- OpenTeam Hub FarmsminorCollaborative testing of SoilStack calibrations and integrations through OpenTeam hub farms network, working to make SoilStack work for their growers and research partners.
- FarmOScoreFarmOS is an open source farm management platform that Our Sci's tools integrate with. SurveyStack can sync with FarmOS instances for privacy-minded long-term data storage. Working on FarmOS Conservation Planner module and convention schemas.
- Quivira CoalitionminorQuivira Coalition is part of the OpenTEAM Fellows program. OpenTEAM Fellow Genna Fudin worked with Quivira Coalition and Point Blue, identifying needs and providing feedback for tool improvements.
- Point BlueminorPoint Blue is part of the OpenTEAM Fellows program. OpenTEAM Fellow Genna Fudin worked with Quivira Coalition and Point Blue, identifying needs and providing feedback for tool improvements.
- Seacoast Eat LocalminorContributed questions for Farmers Market enrollment profiles to SurveyStack's Common Profile module and worked with Our Sci to test and troubleshoot the feature.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Our Sci competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- farmOS: Open-source farm management, planning, and record-keeping web application built on Drupal. farmOS is a direct peer — Our Sci's SurveyStack and SoilStack integrate with farmOS and serve an overlapping open-source farmer-researcher community.
- AgWorld: Collaborative farm management platform connecting growers, agronomists, and service providers around agronomic and operational data. Direct peer in the farm data collection, record-keeping, and decision support space, with a SaaS commercial model.
- Conservis: Farm management software focused on planning, records, and profitability tracking for row crop operations. Direct peer competing in farm data management and decision support, primarily serving larger commercial farms.
Broad incumbents
- Climate Fieldview (Bayer): The dominant digital agriculture platform from Bayer/Climate Corporation, offering data collection, agronomic insights, and integration with farm machinery. Broad incumbent operating at scale in the same agricultural data management space Our Sci targets, but with a proprietary, enterprise-scale model.
- Granular (Corteva): Acquired by Corteva, Granular provides farm business management and agronomy software. Broad incumbent competitor in the same agricultural data management and decision support category, targeting larger commercial operations rather than Our Sci's open-source / smallholder niche.
- Trimble Agriculture: Established provider of precision agriculture hardware and software (including soil sampling, mapping, and farm management). Broad incumbent overlapping with Our Sci's soil sampling (SoilStack) and Reflectometer hardware businesses, but at a much larger scale and via a different commercial model.
- Indigo Ag: Large agtech platform with a carbon farming and ecosystem services marketplace that intersects with Our Sci's ESMC-aligned soil carbon work. Broad incumbent in agricultural data and carbon MRV, competing for the same emerging soil-carbon verification opportunity.
Emerging players
- Teralytic: Provider of in-field soil sensor probes for measuring soil conditions (moisture, nutrients, etc.). Emerging player with partial overlap — both companies bring novel hardware-based soil insights to farmers, though Teralytic focuses on in-ground IoT probes versus Our Sci's handheld Reflectometer.
- Arable: Combines in-field sensing devices with agronomic analytics and a software platform. Emerging player with meaningful overlap in spectral/environmental sensing and farm data software, but operating with venture capital and a different commercial model.
Others
- AgGateway: Non-profit industry consortium for agricultural eBusiness standards, including the Modus Soil Nomenclature initiative Our Sci has helped operationalize. Ecosystem/standards partner rather than a competitor, but is materially related to Our Sci's interoperability positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Our Sci social profiles
Digital presenceOur Sci financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Our Sci leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Our Sci funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Our Sci 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 Our Sci
What does Our Sci do?
Our Sci develops and distributes open-source agricultural technology tools comprising three core offerings: SurveyStack (a progressive web app for flexible, offline-capable data collection and community management), SoilStack (an app that generates design-based, cost-optimized soil sampling plans using publicly available soil, elevation, and satellite-derived data), and the Our Sci Reflectometer (a low-cost, handheld 10-wavelength spectral reflectance device for measuring soil, plant, and food properties). The company also provides professional services to farms and farm organizations for technology setup, data pipeline development, grant reporting, and cost-share technology support.
Is Our Sci a public or private company?
Our Sci is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Our Sci founded?
Our Sci was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Our Sci based?
Our Sci is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does Our Sci make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Subscriptions and Licenses are the primary driver. The others are technology Services, hardware Sales and technology Services Cost Share Programs.
Who are Our Sci's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are farmOS, AgWorld and Conservis. Broad incumbents are Climate Fieldview (Bayer), Granular (Corteva), Trimble Agriculture and Indigo Ag. Emerging players are Teralytic and Arable. AgGateway is listed as an others.
Does Our Sci have an API?
Yes. SoilStack API allows users to push field boundaries and sampling locations into SoilStack via API, make stratification requests, and receive sampling locations back within 1-2 business days. The stratification service enables integration into Carbon and Ecosystem Service MRV processes. Users can grant field access to soil samplers, guide samplers to each location, and export sample inventory as CSV. Developer documentation is at api.soilstack.io/api-docs.
What industry is Our Sci in?
Our Sci's product category is Agricultural Technology Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACACAC, Farm Data Management & Decision Support Services (FMIS Setup, Data Integration, Analytics). Its NAICS code is 11511 and its SIC code is 700.