Blue River Technology

Blue River Technology builds intelligent machinery for agriculture, applying computer vision and machine learning to help farmers manage crops and cut chemical use. Founded in 2011, the company joined John Deere in 2017 while retaining a startup mentality. Its work spans computer vision, deep learning, robotics, machine learning and data science, and its products are designed to have an impact on food growing worldwide.

The company's principal product, See & Spray, uses computer vision and machine learning to distinguish crops from weeds, enabling herbicide to be applied only where it is needed. Blue River Technology states that the technology reduces chemical use by up to 90%, addressing both input costs for farmers and the environmental harm associated with chemical application in crop management.

Teams at Blue River Technology combine expertise across computer vision, deep learning, robotics and data science, working at the level of individual pixels and plants to achieve wider gains in the field. The company describes itself as mission-driven and collaborative, with a stated focus on environmental sustainability through reduced chemical usage.