Dr. Michael Castellano recalls the start of the entrepreneurial journey in 2018. “I had to look myself in the mirror and be clear that the odds of failure with a startup business commercializing a new technology were close to 99 percent. But I also asked myself if there was an opportunity to learn. And I thought there was much to learn. So, that outweighed the risks.”

Thus began Dr. Castellano’s work with agricultural technology startup, EnGeniousAg. The startup aimed to commercialize nitrogen sensing technology to enable precision nitrogen fertilizer management. 

Nitrogen fertilizer represents one of the largest crop input costs in agriculture worldwide. Inefficient nitrogen usage costs farmers billions of dollars each year while substantially increasing greenhouse gas emissions and nitrate loading to watersheds and aquifers. Dr. Castellano co-founded the startup with Dr. Pat Schnable (Iowa State University), Dr. Liang Dong (Iowa State University), and Dr. James Schnable (University of Nebraska).

“The technology we developed aimed to provide users with near-instantaneous, in-field nitrogen measurements,” comments Dr. Castellano. “This data can inform nitrogen fertilizer applications to ensure plants have the proper levels for maximizing profitability, sustainability and crop performance during various growth phases. 

EnGeniousAg's technical breakthroughs greatly extended the range of ion-specific electrode sensing in precision agriculture. “We developed patented technology that enables monitoring of nitrogen in plant tissue, drainage and irrigation waters, and soil,” explained Dr. Castellano. “The sensors enable farmers and agribusinesses new capabilities to manage what they measure, with potential significant cost-savings and improved operational efficiencies.”

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants were pivotal for EnGeniousAg. “We received over $1 million in funding through SBIR grants,” explains Dr. Castellano. “Three of four SBIR grant proposals were successful. Without those funds, EnGeniousAg would have needed to seek dilutive equity investment.”

Other partnerships were important. “We worked with Soil View, an Iowa-based soil sampling and agronomy service company,” recalls Dr. Castellano. “They took in a risk in working with us, but using grant funding we were able to collect credible data that the EnGeniousAg sensors worked.”

The credible data proved critical in 2024 to enable CropX to conduct due diligence on EnGeniousAg. CropX is a business with an agronomic farm management system that uses AI and machine learning to connect farm data, real-time conditions and agronomic knowledge.

“The technology was still pre-commercial,” said Dr. Castellano. “But CropX could review a big dataset to assess the commercial potential of integrating it into their solution. Ultimately, they purchased EnGeniousAg, its technology, and licensed its patents.”

In the September 18, 2024 press release announcing the acquisition, Tomer Tzach, CEO of CropX, commented. "Acquiring this nitrogen sensor technology underscores CropX's commitment to providing farmers with one-stop-shop agronomic solutions. Nitrogen management is a critical, unsolved challenge of modern farming. We are eager to provide a solution with such transformative potential. In our global search for synergistic technologies in the nutrient management space, EnGeniousAg stood out with high-potential technology that is ideally suited to our mission."

Reflecting on the entrepreneurial journey, Dr. Castellano wishes it had gone faster but also appreciates that CropX will have the resources to commercialize the technology. “The grant funding provided the resources for research and development, but commercialization would have required separate funding,” he commented.

He also reflects on the importance of people. “Having a great graduate student who could dedicate significant time to the technology and business were instrumental,” said Dr. Castellano. Dr. Xinran Wang completed her PhD in Electrical Engineering at Iowa State University in route to becoming lead engineer with EngeniousAg and now full time with CropX.

And did his initial thought that he would learn new things prove true? “Absolutely,” Dr. Castellano laughs. “Success is all about listening. To co-founders. To business partners. To potential customers. It was a different type of listening from my scientific career, so definitely it took learning.” 

Dr. Castellano placing EnGeniousAg nitrogen sensors.

Dr. Xinran Wang, Dr. Michael Castellano, Dr. Liang Dong