Electric Plant, a startup founded by Justin Mast and neuroscientist Lee von Kraus, has raised $11.2 million in seed funding to commercialize an AI model that interprets electrical signals in plants. The round was led by Onto Ventures and Climactic, with participation from Ponderosa, Endeavor Catalyst, Ludlow, Michigan Rise, The Fund, Schox VC, and Dug Song.
The company's model, Bombadil, is trained on data from sensors attached to plant stems via stainless steel screws that penetrate the cambium. It can interpret signals in about 125 species, from ferns and redwoods to tomatoes and dahlias. Mast said it is the most diverse model ever created on biological electrical signals.
Electric Plant says its sensors cost tens of dollars, far less than existing tools that cost thousands. The company claims the system can boost yields while reducing water use by 20% or more. Mast said the technology addresses a gap in current monitoring, which relies on soil probes, spectroscopes, and satellite imagery that lag behind real-time plant needs.
The startup hasn't disclosed its initial customers, but applications could include agriculture and forestry. Mast said the long-term goal is a tool that lets people "speak" to plants, though he emphasized listening comes first.