Databaum: The Venture Leader Mobile developing data intelligence for regenerative agriculture

21.02.2025 09:30, Rita Longobardi

Meet Saurabh Pandey, CEO of databaum. The foodtech startup helps farmers protect their crops and increase their yield through advanced technology. In March, Saurabh will join nine other innovators on a business development and investor roadshow in Barcelona.

Name: Saurabh Pandey
Location: Lausanne
Nationality: Indian
Graduated from: CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad, India
Job title: CEO
Number of employees: 4  
Money raised: EUR 500,000

Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
Databaum is a leading disease prediction and management tool to promote successful and healthy farming. It is a digital platform whereby farmers can assess their farming practices and optimize resource utilization. By combining databaum or third-party IoT sensor technology, software platforms, and predictive analytics, databaum enables smarter, more sustainable farming. The primary focus of databaum is high-value crop farmers and decision-makers who need data-backed actionable insights for farm management. Additionally, the information output generated can also be useful for researchers/academicians, stakeholders involved in optimization of supply chain and production as well as insurance companies.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
Databaum began in vineyards, where we identified the need for an easy-to-use disease prediction and management tool. We currently serve over 3% of Swiss vineyards, helping them manage environmental and soil conditions for optimal yield and quality. Our sensors and weather data, combined with disease prediction models, help identify conditions for disease outbreaks, enabling timely pesticide application to reduce crop loss and chemical use. We are expanding to France, Italy, Spain, and Germany in 2025, and adding apple and potato crops to our platform.

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
My startup, databaum, stems from my experience as a plant scientist and my family's seven-generation farming background. I often received queries from farmers facing common issues, which led me to create a digital tool connecting farmers with researchers. After witnessing crop failures due to misinformation, I aimed to reduce farm distress. Visits to vineyards highlighted yield losses from diseases and pesticide overuse, motivating me to create databaum—an AI-driven solution to help farmers make informed, sustainable decisions.

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders roadshow, and how do you think it will help you achieve your vision?
The Venture Leaders roadshow presents a crucial opportunity for us to elevate databaum's profile as a pioneering force in agricultural innovation. Our primary goals include:

1.    Securing funding: We aim to connect with venture capitalists and angel investors who can provide the necessary funding to scale our operations and expand our R&D efforts.
2.    Networking: Engaging with firms that share similar synergies will allow us to exchange ideas, learn about global market trends, and explore opportunities in precision agriculture.
3.    Scaling solutions: By leveraging the insights and resources gained, we can enhance our solutions, expand our network, and drive greater impact for farmers.
4.    Empowering farmers: With increased resources and knowledge, we can help more farmers adopt precision farming techniques, thereby improving their efficiency, profitability, and environmental stewardship.
5.    Accelerating innovation: Collaborating with experts and peers will inspire new ideas and help refine our existing solutions, fostering continuous improvement.

Overall, the roadshow will be crucial in advancing our vision of transforming agriculture through data-driven insights and sustainable practices.

What are your team’s key achievements to date?
> Serving over 3% Swiss grapevine area.

> Disease data collection from over 80 farms with support from our project partners set the basis for AI model development.

> Building a successful community-driven data infrastructure grid. Local farmers share their weather station data and other relevant information among the community and the whole community benefits

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
At databaum, we work with farmers and industry stakeholders to create sustainable solutions. Using technology and data, we provide actionable insights that improve efficiency, crop quality, and profitability. Our mission is to reduce resource waste, promote climate resilience, and support eco-friendly farming practices for long-term productivity.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder?
In my journey as a co-founder of databaum, the key lesson I’ve learned is to always remain consistent and solution-focused, rather than dwelling on problems. The entrepreneurial path is challenging, and things often don’t turn out as expected. It’s essential to stay fast, and adaptable, keep moving forward, and embrace change as part of the process. 

What is your favorite productivity hack or tool and why?
My favorite productivity tool is the Pomodoro Technique where you give 25 minutes to each task with 5 minutes break in between. I feel it is also very important to review your plans daily with a planner and have short daily team meet-ups to keep everyone on the same page. This will keep everyone motivated and oriented towards a progressive path which is very important for a new venture to move smoothly.

What was your dream job when you were a child?
To learn and do research.