Beewise

Solution Pitch

The Problem

Around 30 percent of the global food supply is pollinated by bees, but 40 percent of bee colonies die every year as a result of climate change, pesticides, diseases, pests, and other risk factors. Without help, the honeybee species is at risk of going extinct. Saving this population is essential to the global food system. 

The Solution

Beewise is the Earth’s first robotic beehive. Beewise applies the same treatments that a beekeeper would using computer vision, precision robotics, and artificial intelligence. Beewise constantly monitors the bees in its device using proprietary AI to identify and address their needs in real-time and without any human intervention. Beewise can feed and water bees, treat illnesses and pests, address climate-related issues with an active climate control system, harvest honey within the device, and prevent 100 percent swarming. Beewise also conducts frame manipulation—95 percent of what beekeepers do to their hives today— including splitting hives, combining hives, adding queen excluders, and more. 

Stats 

Beewise devices lower the bee mortality rate by at least 75 percent.

Market Opportunity

Beewise’s current market includes large commercial apiaries in the United States, European Union, and Israel, with a combined estimated annual value of $20 billion. There are 100 million beehives in the world, and the real unmet demand is for more than 200 million, based on the unmet needs of pollination-dependent crops. Beekeepers around the world currently use an 150-year-old system of white wooden boxes that need to be manually inspected and treated. Beewise’s robotic alternative has experienced a less than 8 percent colony collapse, compared to a control of over 35 percent, and seen a significant increase in yield of both honey production and pollination.

Organization Highlights

• 2020 Extreme Tech Challenge Global Finalist

• MassChallenge Israel 2019 Prize Recipient 

• Horizon2020 winner of a $2.5 million grant

Partnership Goals

Beewise currently seeks:

• Experts on manufacturing for scale with an emphasis on manufacturing expertise in the United States 

• Introductions to enterprise growers such as Wonderful, Olam, and Driscol’s

• Partnerships with beekeepers and apiaries in the United States interested in increasing beekeeping efficiency

• Mentors on creating market by market playbook to grow Beewise’s sales sustainably