SFCOLAB

Name

SFCOLAB

Legal name

Associação SFCOLAB – Laboratório Colaborativo para a Inovação Digital na Agricultura

Website

https://sfcolab.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Agriculture Technology

NAICS

Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm Management & Decision Support Software (FMIS, ERP, Recordkeeping) (AFAGALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Decision Support & Agronomic Modeling (Yield, Irrigation, Pest/Disease Forecasting) (AFAAAFAF), Irrigation Monitoring & Sensors (Flow/Pressure Meters, Soil Moisture, Water Quality Sensors) (AFABAHAJ), Remote Sensing & Imagery Analytics (Satellite, Drone, Aerial) (AFABAMAB), Remote Sensing & Crop Scouting Services (Satellite, Drone Imagery, In‑Field Sensing) (AFACACAA)

Keywords

• Precision agriculture
• Agricultural monitoring
• Smart farming solutions
• Digital agriculture
• Agriculture 4.0

Headquarters

HQ city

Dois Portos

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SFCOLAB develops and delivers low-cost digital solutions for precision agriculture and Agriculture 4.0, anchored by its SOFIS (Smart Orchard Fertigation System) sensor-and-AI monitoring platform for orchards, vineyards, and other crops. The organization combines this technology platform with complementary professional services — sustainability assessment, laboratory analysis, custom IT development, digital transformation consulting, and training — to help agricultural producers, cooperatives, and public institutions improve productivity, water-use efficiency, and sustainability.

Product overview

SFCOLAB is a collaborative laboratory (CoLAB) for digital innovation in agriculture based in Torres Vedras, Portugal. Founded in 2019 as a private non-profit association, it operates a platform-plus-services model centered on its SOFIS (Smart Orchard Fertigation System) technology for precision agriculture. The core SOFIS product is complemented by remote monitoring (EyesOnSOFIS), microclimatic services (meteoSOFIS), and supported by professional services including sustainability assessments, laboratory services, custom IT development, digital transformation consulting, and training programs. SFCOLAB coordinates multiple collaborative projects including DigiFarm2All, HIBA/HIBA+, Smart Farm 4.0, SustainGrowth, and TID4Agro to drive Agriculture 4.0 adoption across Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOFIS: Smart Orchard Fertigation System - low-cost sensor-based system for intelligent management of production factors in orchards and vineyards.
• EyesOnSOFIS
• meteoSOFIS
• VII Fórum Agricultura 4.0

Products and services

• SOFIS (Smart Orchard Fertigation System) Low-cost intelligent sensor-based system for smart irrigation and fertigation management in orchards and vineyards. Combines hardware sensors (soil water content, evaporation, salinity, temperature, plant sap flow, atmospheric temperature/humidity and an mLy automated weighing lysimeter using Peltier cells) with AI-powered software for real-time decision-making on irrigation, frost, disease, and pest events. Targets agricultural producers and cooperatives seeking cost-efficient precision irrigation.
• EyesOnSOFIS Remote monitoring solution for agricultural plots that complements the SOFIS proximal sensing system, providing additional remote-sensed data on agricultural plots and remote accessibility to sensor information and analytics for farmers and field managers.
• Monitorização SOFIS (combined proximal and remote monitoring service) Combined proximal (SOFIS) and remote (EyesOnSOFIS) monitoring offering for agricultural precision management, tracking soil conditions, plant health, and environmental factors for farmers and agricultural producers.
• Avaliação da Sustentabilidade (Sustainability Assessment) Service to evaluate and improve environmental performance of agricultural operations, supporting farmers, cooperatives, and food-sector clients in measuring sustainability and implementing improvements.
• Serviços Laboratoriais (Laboratory Services) Laboratory analysis services supporting agricultural research, soil and crop analysis, and quality control for farmers, cooperatives, and research partners.
• IT Custom Development Bespoke software and digital tool development services tailored to specific agricultural digitalization needs, delivered to agricultural enterprises, cooperatives, and consortium project partners.
• Transformação Digital (Digital Transformation Consulting) Digital transformation consulting services that help agricultural businesses adopt Industry 4.0 / Agriculture 4.0 technologies, processes, and data practices.
• Formação e Capacitação (Training and Capacity Building) Training programs and capacity-building initiatives that educate farmers, agricultural technicians, and professionals on digital technologies and Agriculture 4.0 practices.
• Scouting de Projetos (Project Scouting) Service that identifies funding opportunities and collaborative research partnerships, and connects agricultural stakeholders with relevant national and European project calls and consortium opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Digital solutions for precision irrigation that improve water use efficiency in agriculture
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ANI - Agência Nacional de InovaçãocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023SFCOLAB operates under the Missão Interface program certified by ANI, which provides base financing of €1.1M over 3 years. ANI is the national agency for innovation that recognizes and supports collaborative laboratories (CoLABs) in Portugal.
• European Union / PRRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFCOLAB receives funding through Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) and various EU programs including INTERREG. Multiple projects are co-financed by EU funds including FEDER.
• Republic of Portugal / Portuguese GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Portuguese government, through various ministries and programs, supports SFCOLAB as part of its strategy to promote digital transition and innovation in agriculture.
• INIAV - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e VeterináriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINIAV is a key research partner, particularly for the SustainGrowth project and for the requalification of the Dois Portos polo where INIAV's facilities are located.
• Confagri -Confederation of Agricultural CooperativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfagri is a key partner in the DigiFarm2all project, representing agricultural cooperatives and farmers. They participated in presenting at the European Parliament regarding the project.
• INIAV / ADVID - Associação para o Desenvolvimento da Viticultura Duriense / Colab Vines & WinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the DigiFarm2all project consortium; ADVID hosted the II Annual Meeting of the project at its headquarters in the Douro region.
• MIT Portugal ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFCOLAB participates in the MIT Portugal Program through the APICCLCSIT project, with collaboration between Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) and MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering on low-cost precision irrigation sensors.
• SENAIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration protocol established between SFCOLAB and SENAI for joint activities in support of agricultural innovation.
• Centro Agrotech - Municipality of FundãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFCOLAB partners with Centro Agrotech for events including DIGIVIT in Spain and World FIRA 2025. The Centro Agrotech is a key location for SFCOLAB's activities in the Beira Interior region.
• AIR Centre - Atlantic International Research CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with AIR Centre and Municipality of Angra do Heroísmo for the Vinhas da Terceira project in the Azores.
• Junta de AndalucíacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIBA and HIBA+ projects are led by Junta de Andalucía as Interreg Spain-Portugal initiatives promoting digital innovation hubs for agrifood sector transformation.
• ImpactwaveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the DigiFarm2all consortium contributing to digital agriculture innovation.
• Instituto Superior TécnicominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the consortium representing Portuguese technology institutions at international events like World FIRA 2025.
• InovTechAgrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Portuguese pavilion at World FIRA 2025, representing the innovation ecosystem in agricultural technology.
• Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIBA project created a network of Digital Innovation Hubs across Spain and Portugal to foster initiative, competitiveness and enterprise sustainability in the agrifood sector.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CropX: Soil sensor and analytics platform for irrigation, fertigation, and crop management. Directly comparable to SFCOLAB's soil moisture, salinity, and fertigation monitoring capabilities.
• Semios: Precision agriculture platform for crops including tree fruits, nuts, and vines using IoT sensors, predictive analytics, and AI for pest, disease, and irrigation management. Closely comparable to SOFIS scope.
• xFarm Technologies: European farm management platform providing digital tools, IoT sensors, and analytics for farmers. Comparable to SFCOLAB's SOFIS-plus-services model serving Mediterranean and Iberian specialty crop growers.
• Taranis: Aerial imaging and AI-driven agronomic analytics for precision agriculture. Comparable to EyesOnSOFIS remote sensing and OBServa AI observatory capabilities.
• Aurea Imaging: Precision agriculture company using sensor and imaging technology for specialty crops (orchards, vineyards). Directly comparable to SFCOLAB's orchard/vineyard focus and proximal sensing approach.
• Aerobotics: Specializes in precision agriculture for tree crops and orchards using drone imagery, satellite data, and AI. Comparable to SFCOLAB's orchard/vineyard focus and remote sensing offerings.
• Gamaya: Hyperspectral imaging and AI for specialty crops including vineyards. Comparable to SFCOLAB's remote sensing and crop analytics capabilities for Iberian/Mediterranean crops.

Broad incumbents

• Climate FieldView (Bayer): Industry-leading farm management platform from Bayer offering satellite imagery, agronomic modeling, and data integration. Larger-scale competitor with overlapping FMIS and decision-support capabilities.
• Trimble Agriculture: Established precision agriculture solutions provider offering hardware, software, and analytics. Wide portfolio overlaps with SFCOLAB's farm management and sensor offerings at a much larger scale.

Others

• INIAV - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária: Portuguese state laboratory for agronomic research and SFCOLAB's primary research partner. Functions as a supplier/colleague of R&D infrastructure rather than a commercial competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sfcolab
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SFCOLAB-SmartFarmCoLab
• Facebookfacebook.com/SFCOLAB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sfcolab
• Instagraminstagram.com/sfcolab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SFCOLAB