In the 21st century, a third of world production is made of Eat According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), it is lost or wasted without being consumed. This happens throughout the entire production chain: from harvesting, storage and transport (at this stage we talk about loss) to the marketing and consumption phases in households (where waste is generated). Solving this problem is one of the greatest global challenges (identified in the UN Sustainable Development Goals). technology plays a central role.
This was the premise of Martin Cordasco and Ulises MickelsenSo Engineering students at UADEwho presented himself 2018, As the last project of his career, he developed a sensor system to assess the quality of soybeans stored in silo bags.
The idea was technically refined and converted into a business plan. Then they joined the project Santiago Badran and Ariel Ismirlian, and in 2019 was constituted Wiagro, a technology startup that aims to reduce waste and make food production more sustainableas defined by its creators.
The system was initially based on sensors placed in the silo bags to measure parameters such as temperature, humidity and the presence of carbon dioxide and transmit the data to producers via satellite internet.
So the company started offering three services: Monitoring silo bags, grain transported on barges and advising producers.
“For two years we bootstrapped (self-financing by reinvesting company profits) while conducting concept tests with a few producers,” says Ariel Ismirlian iProfessional and highlights that in this way they had customers with fields from Tartagal (Salta) to Junín (Buenos Aires province).
Wiagro uses nanosensors, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things that inform producers about the status of the silo bags
Finally in 2021 They started an investment round with Kamay Ventures, the fund consisting of Coca Cola and Arcor. More followed with Murchison Ventures, with local capital and then with money from Australia and the UK. A total of $1.3 million was invested.
Intelligent silo bags
In 2022, based on an agreement with the Argentine Nanotechnology Foundation (FAN) and the silo bag manufacturer IPESA with a factory in Tierra del Fuego, developed “nanosensors” (less than a millimeter in size), which are incorporated into the silo bags. In this way, the manufacturer accesses a complete monitoring panel, alerts, reports and related services such as insurance, credit and sustainability certifications from anywhere in the world with just a QR code from the Wiagro app.
Thanks to its satellite connectivity, the system works in areas with little or no coverage (as is common in rural farms) and provides real-time information on the status of the grain.
In development Various technologies such as nanosensors, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence were combined for data analysis. Another tool used is blockchain technology. This offers greater security because information can be encrypted and stored decentrally on different computers.
For its innovative contribution to a global problem such as food losses, the company received various national and international recognitions such as the Israel Innovation Award in 2024, organized by the Argentine-Israeli Chamber of Commerce (CCAI), and the Innovation with Impact Award 2025, sponsored by Endeavor and Banco Nación, among others.
Towards sustainable food production
Generally, this solution is used by medium and large producers, but is also practical for small producers. “The investment pays for itself with one or two harvests in which we avoid losing more than 10% of the quantity produced,” says Ismirlian.
Thanks to its satellite connectivity, the system works in areas with little or no coverage
The startup currently has customers in Argentina, Brazil and Australia, Paraguay and the United States, and plans to expand to additional markets in Europe and Asia to reduce food losses during and after harvest.
One of the innovations they have recently introduced is the measurement of the carbon footprint, which is calculated based on avoided crop losses. This is used by many companies to certify the products they export.
There is also the possibility of traceability of products in order to comply with European regulations that, from December 2020, ban the import of foods such as soy and beef produced on deforested land.
According to FAO estimates Every year 1.2 billion tonnes of food is lost during and after harvest. both due to transportation errors, poor storage conditions and adverse weather conditions. The services offered by Wiagro aim to reduce these quantities and avoid losses for producers and environmental damage caused by organic waste pollution.
“We focus on preventing food losses in the production and transportation link. There are other startups focused on eliminating waste in companies and households, and we complement each other. This is an urgent global problem that requires several innovative solutions,” says the co-founder of Wiagro.
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