FarmSense, a startup founded at UC Riverside, has been invited to compete in the 2020 UC Startup Pitch Showcase, to be hosted at the fifth annual Global Corporate Venturing & Innovation Summit in Monterey, Calif., from Jan. 29–30, 2020.

FarmSense is one of five finalists that have won the opportunity to pitch their fledgling companies to more than 900 business leaders and venture capitalists. They are also in the running for $10 million in funding and additional pitching opportunities. 

The competition was open to alumni, faculty and students across the 10-campus university system. The UC Office of the President's Innovation and Entrepreneurship team solicited nominations from across UC’s vast startup landscape, including more than 60 different accelerators and incubators.

FarmSense is an agricultural smart trap using optical sensor technology to monitor insects in the fields. FarmSense’s patented algorithm captures flying insect signals from the field and transmits this categorized data, along with environmental information, allowing early detection to reduce pesticide use and increase crop yields.

The company was co-founded by Bourns College of Engineering computer science professor Eamonn Keogh, Shailendra Singh, who received his PhD in computer science from UC Riverside.

UC’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship has partnered on the event with Extreme Tech Challenge, or XTC, a nonprofit devoted to promoting education and science through its global startup competition. The contest is designed to help young entrepreneurs create new technologies and innovations that benefit humankind.

XTC will select one UC finalist for its regional competition, which includes the opportunity to pitch to its global investor community and be eligible for up to $10 million in funding.