Navarra Capital, the region’s first digital platform specialising in the world of economics and business, features the growth of the Andalusian startup BrioAgro on the front page of its newsletter.
Headline The ‘startup’ Brioagro increases its sales by 300%
The intelligent irrigation company based in Tudela achieved a turnover of more than 300,000 euros last year. Its work has spread throughout the peninsula and has also crossed borders to countries such as Mexico and Italy. The next target? To have a turnover of six million euros in the next three years, as its CEO, José Luis Bustos, explained to Navarra Capital.
In the link you can read the news, but we take the opportunity to clarify some data on our website,
Actually, the growth in sales in the last two years has been even higher, 558%, although the growth in sales in the last year (from 2021 to 2022) has been exactly 195%.
We reproduce here the rest of the content collected by Navarracapital.es
“We are in a magnificent moment of growth”. This is how its CEO, José Luis Bustos, defines Brioagro‘s situation. The company has undergone great development since it was founded. They have doubled their staff from seven to sixteen. They have also multiplied sales “by 300%” from 2021 to 2022, and have exceeded 500 installations. In total, they have had a turnover of around 300,000 euros in the last year.
This smart irrigation company was born in 2015 in Mairena del Alcor, Seville, and took its first steps hand in hand with farmers from Almeria; but thanks to their entry into the innovation accelerator Orizont, managed by Sodena, they moved their headquarters to Tudela at the end of 2015. This organisation took a 9 % stake in the capital, offering them funding, as well as knowledge and contacts. Last year they ended their relationship with the Government of Navarra’s public company, which made a profit “that tripled their investment”.
José Luis Bustos: “Saving water, energy and fertilisers are the factors that differentiate us from other companies”.
BioAgro’s main product is based on sensors that allow farmers to control their crops. They set up a monitoring system throughout the day, so that the customer can obtain the most complete information about his land. In this way, the farmer makes the necessary decisions to improve and use his irrigation systems “more efficiently”. The company argues that this technique also makes it possible to grow crops in a “more sustainable and environmentally friendly way”.
The company is currently “very active” due to the summer drought. They operate throughout Spain through two lines of work. On the one hand, they work in irrigation for any type of crop. At the same time, they do the same with parks and gardens, such as in the Vuelta del Castillo in Pamplona or in the Parque de los Príncipes in Seville. “Any plant or crop that is irrigated is susceptible for us”, emphasises Bustos.
At the same time, the company has managed to cross national borders. As in Spain, Italy and Portugal are places with a water deficit, making them attractive markets for this startup. It also highlights its work since 2018 in Mexico, where, together with the Government of Navarra, they carried out “a twinning mission” in Chihuahua and Puebla, which have continued with the monitoring of farmers and crops in Mexico.
BORN FROM TELEWORKING
This company is not characterised by presence. Teleworking is the way of life of its employees. The company is divided into three parts: technology, agronomy and customer service. “We have been working like this since before the pandemic. We are in precision agriculture. When there is no irrigation, someone has to install it, and we then optimise it,” says Bustos. “We start with a previous installation. What we do is to manage it as effectively as possible”.
In the face of competition, Bustos “loves to reach a customer and compete on a level playing field”. Saving water, energy and fertiliser is the data that sets them apart from other companies. Another novel aspect of the company is its business model. The company does not sell its product, but rents it, so that it can adjust to each of the agricultural campaigns. “This allows us to be more competitive and to have a continuous dialogue with the farmer”, adds the manager.
For the CEO, the company’s expectations “are very good”. By winning the WBAF international investor competition in 2020, which allowed them to opt for adequate growth, with the entry of new investment, which helped to complete the exit of SODENA. After participating in the Global Fundraising Stage in Istanbul (Turkey), they managed to be one of the startups that aroused the most interest among the one hundred that presented themselves from 42 different countries. This has led to a “significant” influx of investors for future projects. “We hope to reach a turnover of six million euros in the next three years, a growth driven mainly by internationalisation”, adds Bustos.