ImpactVision, a startup that uses hyperspectral imaging to assess food quality, has raised $1.3 million, according to VentureBeat. The round was led by logistics and transportation company Maersk, and brings the total amount raised by ImpactVision to $2.9 million.
As we wrote last year about ImpactVision:
Using a combination of digital imaging, spectroscopy and machine learning, Impact Vision’s technology allows food companies to take a picture of food, analyze the unique spectral reflections of the light, and determine nutritional content, fat and protein content and freshness level.
With this automated and non-invasive technique, ImpactVision hopes to help make the food chain more transparent, improve the quality and freshness of food available, and reduce food waste.
But what’s just as interesting as the fundraise itself is who led the round. Maersk, which is mostly known for shipping, has made a number of investments in supply chain-related startups throughout the year:
- April – Co-launched FoodTrack, an accelerator for startups fighting food waste
- August – Participated in a $6.5M Series A in TeleSense, an IoT agtech company that uses sensors to monitor grain storage and transport
- September – Led a $2.4M seed round in Ripe.io, which uses blockchain to improve the food supply transparency
- October – Made a strategic investment in Spoiler Alert, a software company that helps large food distributors move food more efficiently and navigate unexpected surpluses
Given that Maersk moves good and services around the world, investing in startups that can make those movements more efficient makes a lot of sense.
ImpactVision is among a number of companies leveraging computer vision and light to improve the quality of food that reaches our plate and reduce waste. Others include AgShift, which uses computer vision platform assesses food quality as it moves from buyer to seller, and SomaDetect, which uses light scattering to determine milk quality on dairy farms.
ImpactVision says that the company will use the new funds for product development and to hire up sales and engineering staff.
