Agri-tech isn’t short on data, but turning that data into something farmers can effectively use is where the real challenge lies.
Messium’s journey shows how that shift happens.
The challenge
Hot, dry conditions like we’re seeing now make key decisions harder in the field.
Soil moisture is low, crops can come under stress faster and fertiliser doesn’t always work as expected. If it’s applied at the wrong time, it may not be taken up by the crop or is lost to the atmosphere before it can be used.
Traditionally, these decisions rely on field walks and a limited number of samples. That works but it doesn’t always give the full picture when conditions change quickly.
Moving from samples to full-field insight
Messium’s technology uses hyperspectral satellite data and AI to track what’s happening across a field in near real time. Integrated weather data ensure that fertiliser is applied at the optimum time, improving efficiency and reducing losses. This is particularly important under unusually hot and dry weather, when there are limited application opportunities.
Messium helps farmers decide when and how much fertiliser to apply, based on what’s happening across the whole field—not just a few sample points.
Making it work in real conditions
“We had strong science, but needed to prove it worked reliably across real farms.”
Spencer Terry, Go-To-Market Director, Messium
Working with Messium, the UK Agri-Tech Centre helped test and improve the technology under real farm conditions by:
– Providing access to farm networks across multiple sites
– Collecting real-world field data to compare with satellite data
– Bringing in farmer feedback to shape the platform
This helped move the technology from early development into something farmers can use on farm.
What changed?
With real-world data and validation, Messium’s technology progressed quickly. Models reached around 80–85% accuracy compared to lab samples, and a platform shaped by farmers was developed. As a result, the system moved from trials into use on working farms.
“Working closely with farmers helped us build something that fits how decisions are made on farm.”
Amy Worrall, Grant and Product Manger, Messium
From trials to traction
This progress helped Messium:
– Secure £3.3m investment
– Expand to 84 farm pilots globally
– Build partnerships with organisations including Frontier and Hutchinsons
– Begin working with dozens of additional farmers
“Working with the UK Agri-Tech Centre helped us move faster, especially in accessing the data and real-world validation we needed to develop the platform and move it towards wider on-farm use.”
George Marangos-Gilks, CEO, Messium.
Looking ahead
Messium is now focused on scaling the platform. This includes expanding trials across the UK and internationally, improving model accuracy and satellite coverage, and developing a more flexible system that supports different farming priorities.
With growing demand and a strong pipeline, the focus is now on scaling adoption and integrating with wider agronomy and supply chain systems.
