Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HIVE-TECH (Artificial Intelligence revolution in beekeeping sector: the “Internet of Bees”)
Reporting period: 2020-08-01 to 2021-07-31
3Bee was founded in 2016 to develop IoT-AI based monitoring and management systems for the beekeeping sector, with the main objective of optimizing the health status of bee colonies and solve the mortality issue representing a global challenge to environment health and food production.
To reach these goals, the company developed Hive-Tech, an innovative data-driven Decision Support System based on proprietary AI algorithms for optimized beekeeping management.
This allows to monitor the status of the colony also through remote access via smartphone, and provides relevant suggestions on possible optimization interventions and practices to minimize the risk of adverse events: 1) it prevents swarming phenomena, Colony Collapse Disorders and decline through constant monitoring of the queen’s status and the colony’s activity, 2) it optimizes the need for veterinary treatments through the early detection of abnormal hive biometric parameters, 3) it helps beekeepers optimize nomadism depending on real time information of the flowering status of the areas, to improve nutrition and productivity.
Technical, demonstration and business goals have been set for the SME2 project:
- Optimization of production cost and increase in production capacity;
- The integration of DSS functionalities on the platform integrating satellite images and data analytics to correlate the health of the colonies with the use of treatments and pesticides
- The full-scale validation on field thanks to the 1,000 units to be installed in field
- The promotion of 3Bee’s product and initiatives, the increase in visibility and strengthening of the brand through dissemination and communication activities
While running the project, customer validation activities have allowed 3Bee to engage discussions with beekeepers, farmers and Agri-biotech companies and to scout additional opportunities deriving from the use of the developed predictive algorithms, taking as input the large amount of data from the hive monitoring systems. In particular, 3Bee focused on the possibility to interconnect beekeepers and farmers to provide and manage a certified and locally optimized sustainable pollination service.
This will be possible through to the creation of the “Hive-Tech Pollinator” platform, a broker of pollination services, matching the growers’ demand with beekeepers’ supply, which will further integrate the Hive-Tech technology and complement it generating additional revenue streams and creating additional benefits for new customers.
To reach these goals, the company developed Hive-Tech, an innovative data-driven Decision Support System based on proprietary AI algorithms for optimized beekeeping management.
This allows to monitor the status of the colony also through remote access via smartphone, and provides relevant suggestions on possible optimization interventions and practices to minimize the risk of adverse events: 1) it prevents swarming phenomena, Colony Collapse Disorders and decline through constant monitoring of the queen’s status and the colony’s activity, 2) it optimizes the need for veterinary treatments through the early detection of abnormal hive biometric parameters, 3) it helps beekeepers optimize nomadism depending on real time information of the flowering status of the areas, to improve nutrition and productivity.
Technical, demonstration and business goals have been set for the SME2 project:
- Optimization of production cost and increase in production capacity;
- The integration of DSS functionalities on the platform integrating satellite images and data analytics to correlate the health of the colonies with the use of treatments and pesticides
- The full-scale validation on field thanks to the 1,000 units to be installed in field
- The promotion of 3Bee’s product and initiatives, the increase in visibility and strengthening of the brand through dissemination and communication activities
While running the project, customer validation activities have allowed 3Bee to engage discussions with beekeepers, farmers and Agri-biotech companies and to scout additional opportunities deriving from the use of the developed predictive algorithms, taking as input the large amount of data from the hive monitoring systems. In particular, 3Bee focused on the possibility to interconnect beekeepers and farmers to provide and manage a certified and locally optimized sustainable pollination service.
This will be possible through to the creation of the “Hive-Tech Pollinator” platform, a broker of pollination services, matching the growers’ demand with beekeepers’ supply, which will further integrate the Hive-Tech technology and complement it generating additional revenue streams and creating additional benefits for new customers.
The work planned under Hive-Tech project has included both technical/demonstration and business and promotion activities. The project workplan consisted of the following stages:
- Stage 1 – Hive-Tech optimizations and service platform development – Technical;
- Stage 2 – Devices production and assembly, installation and field testing – Demonstration;
- Stage 3 – Go-to-market activities, IPR protection and communication – Commercial
In particular, 3Bee successfully completed all the following activities in the course of the 24 months:
- WP1: the Hive-Tech device redesigned in the first year of the Action was further refined to reach a Full Pro V2 release with both optimized components and optional ones; the electronics was redesigned and a reduction of production costs was reached in the view of starting industrial production; the units’ final assembly as for mechanical components, casing and materials, engineered PCBs and safety/EMI certifications/FCC mark was implemented, and firmware development and testing carried out.
- WP2: enhancement and refinement of the service platform for beekeepers, improved UI and user experience, integration of images from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 from Copernicus programme, start of Internet of Bees development through the use of Data Analytics algorithms, support from subcontractor Uqido for the design of scalable software platforms.
- WP3: manufacturing and installations of Hive-Tech devices for demonstration purposes. During the second year of the Action, a total of 2,580 units were installed in field, of which approx. 1,000 already delivered before the start date of the project itself. Validation with beekeepers was crucial in understanding the benefits introduced for these customers and the main parameters of interest for their daily work, as well as for collecting relevant data to prepare for the validation phase with pharma and agri-biotech companies.
- WP4: business plan and a new go-to-market strategy outlining, strategic partners for the supply chain and customers involvement, IPR-related activities, dissemination and communication through a dedicated plan and media channels involving all the company initiatives.
- Management and coordination activities (WP5) were carried out continuously during the whole Action.
- Stage 1 – Hive-Tech optimizations and service platform development – Technical;
- Stage 2 – Devices production and assembly, installation and field testing – Demonstration;
- Stage 3 – Go-to-market activities, IPR protection and communication – Commercial
In particular, 3Bee successfully completed all the following activities in the course of the 24 months:
- WP1: the Hive-Tech device redesigned in the first year of the Action was further refined to reach a Full Pro V2 release with both optimized components and optional ones; the electronics was redesigned and a reduction of production costs was reached in the view of starting industrial production; the units’ final assembly as for mechanical components, casing and materials, engineered PCBs and safety/EMI certifications/FCC mark was implemented, and firmware development and testing carried out.
- WP2: enhancement and refinement of the service platform for beekeepers, improved UI and user experience, integration of images from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 from Copernicus programme, start of Internet of Bees development through the use of Data Analytics algorithms, support from subcontractor Uqido for the design of scalable software platforms.
- WP3: manufacturing and installations of Hive-Tech devices for demonstration purposes. During the second year of the Action, a total of 2,580 units were installed in field, of which approx. 1,000 already delivered before the start date of the project itself. Validation with beekeepers was crucial in understanding the benefits introduced for these customers and the main parameters of interest for their daily work, as well as for collecting relevant data to prepare for the validation phase with pharma and agri-biotech companies.
- WP4: business plan and a new go-to-market strategy outlining, strategic partners for the supply chain and customers involvement, IPR-related activities, dissemination and communication through a dedicated plan and media channels involving all the company initiatives.
- Management and coordination activities (WP5) were carried out continuously during the whole Action.
Hive-Tech is an innovative device capable to improve the physiological and activity status of the colony and provides easy-to-understand suggestions on how to optimize the use of medical treatments and nourishment, manage the nomadism of hives and the beekeeping practices.
In addition, the pollinator add-on will help to achieve the objectives proposed in the European Green Deal:
- Preserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity, and
- Reducing the impact of farming while feeding a fast-growing world population
Environmental impact:
Bees are essential for food production and preserving environmental biodiversity. Their decay is a serious threat for the ecosystem since different plant species risk to disappear without insect pollination. Expected project results, when complemented by the pollination platform – will expectedly lead to:
1- About 111,000 beehives protected, increase in bee population by estimated 1 billion, mortality decreased by 20%.
2- Promotion of organic-farming practices: the product will help pollinate 1.6 trillion flowers,
3- Increase in pollination of roughly 212,000 hectares fostering growth of numerous plant species and absorption of more CO2 from the atmosphere.
4- 30% increase in fruit-and- vegetable production (+1.9 million tons of production over 5 years).
5- Sustainable pollination and pesticide-free farming, providing an incentive for farmers to reserve 10,000 hectares as pesticide-free zones.
Economic impact:
DSS functionalities and algorithms enable beekeepers to increase productivity by enhancing honey yield curtailing losses due to bee mortality and wasted trips. Farmers benefit of a higher crop productivity achieved through sustainable pollination:
1- Increasing beekeepers’ yearly revenues by at least 350 € per hive.
2- The total value of additional food production enabled by our sustainable pollination service in the EU is estimated in € 24 billion.
Societal impact: The initiative creates new jobs in the beekeeping, IT, electronics, farming, financial, and sales & marketing sectors. Moreover, natural pollination leads to an improvement in food supply security and crop quality.
1- Estimated 1,000 new jobs in the value chain, due to the increase of profitability of the EU beekeeping sector.
2- Empowerment of local beekeeping communities (14,000 beekeepers) ensuring them additional revenue stream.
In addition, the pollinator add-on will help to achieve the objectives proposed in the European Green Deal:
- Preserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity, and
- Reducing the impact of farming while feeding a fast-growing world population
Environmental impact:
Bees are essential for food production and preserving environmental biodiversity. Their decay is a serious threat for the ecosystem since different plant species risk to disappear without insect pollination. Expected project results, when complemented by the pollination platform – will expectedly lead to:
1- About 111,000 beehives protected, increase in bee population by estimated 1 billion, mortality decreased by 20%.
2- Promotion of organic-farming practices: the product will help pollinate 1.6 trillion flowers,
3- Increase in pollination of roughly 212,000 hectares fostering growth of numerous plant species and absorption of more CO2 from the atmosphere.
4- 30% increase in fruit-and- vegetable production (+1.9 million tons of production over 5 years).
5- Sustainable pollination and pesticide-free farming, providing an incentive for farmers to reserve 10,000 hectares as pesticide-free zones.
Economic impact:
DSS functionalities and algorithms enable beekeepers to increase productivity by enhancing honey yield curtailing losses due to bee mortality and wasted trips. Farmers benefit of a higher crop productivity achieved through sustainable pollination:
1- Increasing beekeepers’ yearly revenues by at least 350 € per hive.
2- The total value of additional food production enabled by our sustainable pollination service in the EU is estimated in € 24 billion.
Societal impact: The initiative creates new jobs in the beekeeping, IT, electronics, farming, financial, and sales & marketing sectors. Moreover, natural pollination leads to an improvement in food supply security and crop quality.
1- Estimated 1,000 new jobs in the value chain, due to the increase of profitability of the EU beekeeping sector.
2- Empowerment of local beekeeping communities (14,000 beekeepers) ensuring them additional revenue stream.