Blue Radix is celebrating its fifth anniversary. What started as an idea after the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge in 2018 has grown into the independent market leader in autonomous growing for greenhouse horticulture. CEO Ronald Hoek, CPO Rudolf de Vetten and COO Laurens van der Spek look back, share their lessons and look ahead. “Autonomous growing is not a distant dream. It is happening now, worldwide.”
The urgency of the beginning
The three founders have known each other since their time at Eneco and AgroEnergy, where they worked for years on AI solutions for energy management. During the first Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge in Bleiswijk in 2018, it became clear that their knowledge of climate control using AI could fundamentally strengthen greenhouse horticulture. Rudolf: “We received so much response there. Growers immediately realized: this is not something for the future; it can be done right now. And we noticed that our knowledge of AI and algorithms can really help the industry move forward.”
This urgency did not come out of the blue. Ronald: “The shortage of experienced growers is increasing worldwide, while the demand for sustainably produced food continues to rise. This poses a huge challenge. We wanted to provide a solution for that.” After an evening of conversation at a café in Delft, Ronald and Rudolf made their decision. Shortly thereafter, Laurens also joined them, and together they founded Blue Radix.
Off to a strong start
Although Blue Radix officially started as a startup in 2020, it never felt like a classic startup. The founders brought along an experienced team of eight people and started with a clear plan and a solid foundation. Laurens: “We were a new company, but not novices. Our solutions address the core of growers’ business operations: climate and irrigation. That should work reliably and flawlessly from day one. This was not an experiment, but a robust product and a proven service from the start.” Today, Blue Radix has more than 30 employees representing a total of 14 nationalities. This has enabled the company to grow into an international player with a solid reputation.
In the world of AI, many startups fail within a few years. Blue Radix proves that it doesn’t have to be that way. Ronald: “After five years, we are no longer a startup. We are an established player, with a clear vision and solid foundation. We have shown that we are reliable, growing internationally and offering our customers lasting value. This instills confidence, both in ourselves and in the market.”
The foundation: AI as a partner of the grower
In a world full of hype surrounding artificial intelligence, the founders opted for a different approach from day one: practical, reliable and always with the grower at the center. Rudolf: “Many AI companies start from a technology perspective. We start with the challenges the grower faces. Crop Controller is not intended to replace growers, but to empower them. That has always been our philosophy.” That steadfastness was and remains crucial, Ronald emphasizes: “It is tempting to go with the flow, especially in a young market. But we have stuck to one principle: a scalable solution that works in the grower’s day-to-day business. That helped us grow.”
The first customers: courage and confidence
The first customers were innovative tomato and cucumber growers who dared to embrace new technology. Rudolf: “I remember when one of our Data Scientists first turned on our system. ‘It works,’ she exclaimed enthusiastically, when Crop Controller took over control. And it worked even better than expected. Those initial successes gave us and our customers a lot of confidence.” Laurens: “It is comparable to autonomous driving. No one immediately gets in the back of the car and says, ‘good luck’.” It takes time to get used to and gain confidence. That’s why we always link our software to a service model, with experienced Autonomous Greenhouse Managers who speak the grower’s language.”
The service model: more than software
Crop Controller never comes alone. Each customer is assigned a personal Autonomous Greenhouse Manager who supports the grower in the growing process. Ronald: “Autonomous horticulture involves more than just software. Our Autonomous Greenhouse Managers stand alongside the grower, both literally and figuratively. They understand how things work in a greenhouse and make sure that the adoption process runs smoothly and quickly.” Laurens: “You are not calling a help desk number. It is a partner who helps you through the adoption phase and then monitors and advises during the cultivation cycle. That service model is one of our biggest success factors.”
Five lessons in five years
Blue Radix has now been in business for five years, is active on multiple continents and is the winner of the GreenTech Innovation Award 2024, among other accolades. Which lessons stand out?
- Steadfastness pays off.
Ronald: “If you jump on every bandwagon or hype, you won’t have any products left. By sticking to our vision, we have built a stable foundation.” - Collaboration is essential.
Rudolf: “We are not doing this alone. Together with customers, partners, and researchers, you continue to develop and achieve the best results.” - Feet on the ground.
Ronald: “A greenhouse is not optimized from an office. You have to be close to the grower, understand their world and speak their language.” - Adoption is just as important as technology.
Rudolf: “No matter how good the technology is, if growers don’t embrace it, you have nothing. That is why we devote a lot of attention to guidance and trust.” - International cooperation enriches.
Laurens: “Cultures may differ, but the passion for plants connects, regardless of where you are. Whether you are in Mexico, Japan or Canada, when it comes to greenhouse horticulture, we all speak the same language. That is the common denominator on which we always find common ground.”
From the Netherlands to the world
Although firmly rooted in Rotterdam, Blue Radix has had an international focus from the outset. They now work with clients in 17 countries, including the Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, France, Japan and South Korea. Laurens: “Every region has its own dynamics. In the Netherlands, greenhouse horticulture has strong roots and the lessons passed down through the generations have taken us a long way. But because certain routines are so deeply ingrained here, they can sometimes be difficult to break. In countries where greenhouse horticulture is younger and there are fewer references, growers tend to take a much more direct approach: does it work, yes or no? This often speeds up the adoption process.”
Blue Radix’s team is as international as its clientele. Ronald: “Practice what you preach. From the outset, we aspired to be an international organization, and this is evident every day in the workplace.” The international nature of the professional field generates positive energy, Laurens explains: “It is incredibly cool to visit a greenhouse thousands of miles from home that is controlled entirely autonomously by our technology. That is when you really feel how big the impact is.”
Crop Controller: a virtual grower
The core of Blue Radix is Crop Controller, which autonomously controls climate and irrigation in greenhouses. The system takes over up to 80% of daily climate computer work and allows growers to manage four times more hectares. Rudolf: “Our system is not a black box that takes over everything. It is a virtual grower who thinks along and anticipates conditions. The strategy remains with the grower, but they get a smart co-pilot who is alert 24/7 and reacts faster than a human ever could.” Laurens adds: “That is precisely what sets us apart. Crop Controller supports growers in their daily management tasks, but always leaves room for their own choices and strategy. A tomato grower in the Netherlands has a different way of working than a cucumber grower in Mexico. And that shouldn’t be a problem. Our technology supports that unique method of growing, rather than replacing it.”
The impact is significant: higher yields, lower energy costs and greater peace of mind. Ronald: “Customers often tell us that they finally have time to innovate again, or even go on vacation. That sounds insignificant, but it is hugely important when it comes to job satisfaction and workload. It also makes it much more attractive for the new generation to get started as growers.”
The future: understanding the plant even better
In the coming years, Blue Radix wants to gain an even better understanding of the plants in the greenhouse. Rudolf: “We want to get even closer to the plant and understand even better how it responds to climate and irrigation. Crop Controller should continuously anticipate and thus support the grower’s strategy even better.
In addition, there are opportunities in energy management and new crops. We are already achieving significant savings in energy consumption, but see that there is much more potential to optimize this further.” Laurens adds: “Every greenhouse and every country has its own energy situation. By linking climate control and energy management, we can create even more value.”
While the current focus is still on vegetable cultivation, Blue Radix also wants to enter the floriculture market in stages. Ronald: “We made a conscious decision to first master vegetable cultivation completely. That foundation must be solid, because what we do must be reliable from day one. But floriculture offers tremendous opportunities and is certainly on our agenda for the next five years.”
Thanks to customers and partners
Finally, the founders emphasize that Blue Radix would never have gotten this far without its customers and partners. Ronald: “We learned a lot from growers who had the courage to join us. Their feedback and confidence allowed us to refine our solutions. We are grateful for that.” Rudolf: “Our goal is not to replace growers, but to work with them to future-proof the industry. That cooperation is the key.”
