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Farms lack technology to manage pests sustainably and efficiently
Horticulture and greenhouse farms face major challenges in pest control. Many rely on buying beneficial insects from large suppliers, but this approach is costly, slow, and often unreliable. By the time insects arrive, pests may have already caused damage, leading to lost yield. Additionally, beneficial insects are too expensive to use in large enough quantities for effective pest control, creating a gap in sustainable farming. Without on-site technology to rear these insects, farmers are left with few options beyond costly suppliers or chemical pesticides.
While beneficial insects are gaining popularity as 50% of pesticides are phased out in the EU and UK, high costs and supply chain issues have prevented them from being a full solution.
Meet Omma: an AI-Powered, beneficial insect rearing system for greenhouse farms
Omma is transforming pest control in greenhouse farming by developing an AI-powered, modular system that automates the on-farm rearing of beneficial insects. This machine-learning technology enables growers to produce a steady supply of generalist insects on-site, allowing for continuous and preventative pest control based on automated pest detection. By removing the need for specific insect expertise on-site, Omma offers a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides, meeting the increasing demand for eco-friendly agricultural solutions.
Great founder-market fit: deep expertise in insect science and AI
The Omma team brings together unparalleled expertise in AI, computer vision, and insect science, bringing a powerful blend of technology and agricultural knowledge to the table; and are passionate about eliminating the use of dangerous pesticides.
James (CEO) is a VC-backed founder and bioengineering researcher with experience collaborating with scientists to bring their technologies to real-world impact. He has spent the last five years working at the intersection of research and industry, specialising in insect science. His background includes pioneering a pesticide detoxification treatment for beneficial insects, which was published in Nature, and founding a VC-backed company focused on insect protein.
Roman (CTPO) Roman Khakhalev, Omma's CTPO, is a seasoned tech entrepreneur and product leader. He has successfully scaled AI and computer vision technologies in hardware environments, driving $7 million in turnover with a team of over 180 people in previous ventures. His expertise in scaling EdgeAI technologies for analysing the physical objects and their interactions is essential to the success of Omma’s insect-rearing solution.
Together, Roman and James are leveraging their deep industry knowledge to bring a disruptive solution to the greenhouse farming sector.
Antler’s investment thesis
Our decision to invest in Omma is deeply rooted in our confidence in the team behind the vision. James Webb, an experienced biotech founder, combines scientific expertise with entrepreneurial drive. His groundbreaking work in pesticide detoxification, published in *Nature Food*, shows his strong grasp of sustainable agriculture, and his leadership has driven the company's progress. Roman Khakhalev, a two-time co-founder and product visionary, is the perfect complement to James. With 15 years of experience turning limited resources into successful products and building strong teams, his expertise in computer vision and AI is crucial to Omma's technology.
Together, their leadership, passion, and resilience have driven strong progress, helping them secure important partnerships with farms and advisors. Their strong teamwork and mutual respect make them well-equipped to lead the future of sustainable insect rearing.
In the months following Antler’s investment, Omma has made significant strides, securing two pilot trials with UK-based farms that operate in the UK, Europe and Africa, providing strong early validation for their solution. Additionally, more rearing systems have been fabricated for trials, set to be deployed in the UK and other international sites by the end of the year, with further hardware improvements. The UK systems are expected to convert to commercial use after two months of meeting rearing targets, and Omma is already demonstrating an operational device on farms. These developments come at a time when the market for pest management in greenhouse farming is growing rapidly, driven by the increasing demand for high-quality, year-round crop production and sustainable practices.
By combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry knowledge, Omma is on track to become a leader in sustainable pest management solutions, and we are very excited to be their partner on this journey.
