FarmOS

FarmOS: AI-powered farming platform that optimises crop yields, maximises government subsidies, and connects farmers to insurance, finance, and buyers through real-time data intelligence.

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FarmOS: Agricultural Intelligence Platform

Inspiration

The inspiration came from a shocking statistic: 42% of farms in England are unprofitable without government subsidies. We met Sarah, a Yorkshire farmer, who said: "I'm not just farming anymore - I'm a data analyst, accountant, and fortune teller all at once." With farmers missing £853/hectare subsidy opportunities while navigating four different post-Brexit schemes, we saw an urgent need for AI-powered agricultural intelligence.

What it does

FarmOS is a three-platform ecosystem that transforms farming through data:

  • 🌾 Farmer App: Voice-controlled crop optimisation with real-time subsidy recommendations
  • 📊 B2B Risk Platform: Portfolio intelligence for insurers and lenders using live farm data
  • 🛒 Agricultural Marketplace: Precision matching between farms and buyers (e.g., Lay's sourcing sustainable potatoes)

The platform combines soil health monitoring, weather intelligence, government subsidy tracking, and market data to maximise both crop yields and farm income.

How we built it

Built on a three-layer architecture:

  • Data Foundation: IoT sensors, government APIs (RPA/RPW/DAERA), satellite imagery, commodity futures
  • AI Intelligence: Voice interface, optimisation algorithms, predictive modeling, NLP
  • Multi-Platform Apps: Mobile-first farmer interface, desktop B2B dashboards, marketplace integration

Key innovation: field-visit onboarding protocol ensuring high-quality data from day one through manual soil testing and GPS mapping.

Challenges we ran into

  • Jurisdictional complexity: Four different national subsidy systems with constantly changing rules
  • Rural UX constraints: Farmers work outdoors with muddy gloves and poor connectivity - required voice-first design
  • Data integration: Connecting government APIs, IoT sensors, satellite feeds, and market data in real-time
  • Market validation: Initial focus on yields shifted to financial optimisation after farmer feedback

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Comprehensive UK subsidy database: Mapped all four national schemes with real-time payment rates
  • Voice-optimised interface: Hands-free farm management that works in the field
  • Multi-constraint optimisation: Solving complex problems like England's "25% limited area rule"
  • Proven onboarding model: 2-3 hour field visit protocol delivering immediate value to farmers

What we learned

  • Financial optimisation matters more than yield optimisation - farmers need integrated business intelligence
  • Voice interface is essential for field-based agricultural work
  • Government data is fragmented but accessible - APIs exist but require careful integration
  • B2B market is underserved - insurers and lenders desperately need agricultural risk data

What's next for FarmOS

Phase 1: Scale to 1,000 farms through direct field visits (£10.7M ARR potential)

Phase 2: Launch B2B partnerships with insurance companies for crop risk underwriting

Phase 3: Expand marketplace connecting sustainable farms to food manufacturers

Vision: Every farming decision in the UK powered by FarmOS intelligence - transforming agriculture through data-driven optimisation.

Built With

  • bolt
  • elevenlabs
  • omi
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