Semios, the B.C. agtech company that achieved unicorn status in 2021 and expanded through a number of acquisitions, is rebranding.
The company and its subsidiaries, including Agworld, is now under the umbrella Almanac.
The new name is a nod to the Farmer’s Almanac, the annual periodical that farmers in North America have relied on since 1818 for advice on crops and weather predictions.
“Almanac isn’t just about the latest software, data, AI, or hardware—although we offer those in abundance,” said Sumer Johal, who was appointed Semios CEO last year.
“Almanac respects, values, and provides wisdom in a field where wisdom is key: the wisdom of farmers, the wisdom of the land, and the wisdom we gather through our technology.”
Founded in 2010 by Michael Gilbert as SemiosBio Technologies Inc., the company started with high-tech pest control using synthetic pheromones – chemicals released by insects for communication and attracting mates – to interrupt mating and control their populations.
Over the years, the company implemented other emerging technologies like sensors, the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI to expand into other areas of crop management for fruit and nut orchards, including climate, water, frost and plant stress monitoring.
The company achieved unicorn status in 2021 – i.e. valuations of $1 billion -- after it raised $100 million in venture capital, which had brought its total venture capital raise to $225 million.
The company expanded through a number of acquisitions, including the farm management system companies Agworld and Altrac. Globally, the company employs 300 people in B.C., Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.
