A worker collects palm oil fruit inside a palm oil factory in Salak Tinggi, outside Kuala Lumpur August 4, 2014.
 
Reuters
Big-data analytics firm aWhere Inc. has raised $7 million in new Series A funding to help farmers cope with erratic weather and climate change.
The company combines public and proprietary data about weather, rainfall, soil quality, the pricing of a given crop or commodity and more. Its software-as-a-service then analyzes that data with proprietary algorithms to give users forecasts and reports to guide their business decisions.
“We can help farmers face challenges where their old practices aren’t a fit anymore,” said Chief Executive John Corbett. “Rainy season may be coming at a different time this year, and we can help them decide whether to plant millet instead of maize, for example. Whatever it takes to stay in business, and to use resources in a sustainable way.”
AWhere has also helped nongovernment organizations and charities figure out where to direct food relief or public health efforts, he said.
While many businesses, including “Big Ag” giants like Cargill and DuPont DD +0.98%and rapidly growing startups like FarmLogs or Farmeron, have created software to help farmers manage their operations, one of aWhere’s key differentiators is the quality of its data. Its data-collection efforts have covered “almost all the arable land around the globe,” said Elixir Capital Managing Director Abrar Hussain, whose firm led the funding.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Elixir Capital invests in rapidly growing companies bringing technology to emerging markets, especially in Southeast Asia. Aravaipa Ventures also joined the round.
Mr. Hussain said his firm backed aWhere (pronounced “aware”) to help the company grow and bring its high-quality climate data to agricultural businesses around the world.
For example, the company is expanding in Malaysia and Indonesia, where palm oil plantations are under pressure to use their land more efficiently while delivering high yields.
AWhere helps agricultural businesses make important decisions about “how to get where they’re going” in much the way a navigation system in a car helps drivers get around, the investor said. “Of course, the directions are only as good as the quality of the map data.”
The company plans to use its funding to hire staff and expand into new markets.
Among other companies, AWhere competes with Climate Corp., acquired by MonsantoCo.MON +0.80% for about $930 million, and FarmLink, backed by OpenAir Equity Partners.
Mr. Corbett said aWhere has raised $11.6 million in total seed and Series A funding since 2008.
Source:
http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/09/10/awhere-raises-7-million-to-help-farmers-cope-with-climate-change/