Founders: Glen Slade
Sector: Chemical free Insecticide - Sterile Insect Technique
HQ: Reading, UK
About: BigSis helps growers stop their chemical insecticide spraying through novel ‘sterile insect technique’ (SIT) technology. Their first target is the common fruit fly. BigSis has reinvented ‘SIT’ by automating the individualized production of sterile male insects. This requires integrating biology, engineering, and artificial intelligence capabilities to deliver a highly automated production process.
Why we love it: This technology will be a real step change in the fight to reduce chemical insecticides in the grown produce industry as well as reducing crop loss. Not only will the reduction in chemicals help to reduce carbon emissions but more importantly it will stop the decimation of the local biodiversity.