Based on our successes over the past two years developing and trialing a Minimum Viable Product and then launching it earlier this year, we have secured our first round of investment.
We have raised a pre-seed round of £700,000 consisting of £300,000 investment from the South West Investment Fund, managed by The FSE Group, alongside support from Oxford Innovation Finance and Cambridge Angels. The investment will enable the creation of 15 new jobs and advance Wilder Sensing’s AI-powered platform for biodiversity data collection and analysis.
The company’s platform uses commercially available bioacoustic recording equipment and AI to analyse wildlife sounds. We have started with birds, and are expanding to bats, insects, small mammals and more. This innovative approach provides accurate, scalable biodiversity insights, surpassing traditional survey methods.
Wilder Sensing’s platform has already attracted a diverse range of customers, including Somerset Wildlife Trust, ecological consultancies and large-scale farming businesses, as well as a project for BBC’s Springwatch. On Springwatch, we deployed 6 recorders for 6 weeks and generated over 500,000 species-level records from 90 species. We even identified a species of bird never recorded at RSPB Arne before, the Wood Warbler.
With potential applications across many sectors including Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Mining, Oil & Gas, Utilities and Construction, we are looking forward to playing a pivotal role in sustainable development and biodiversity conservation efforts.
Following the announcement of our raise, Geoff Carss, CEO and co-founder of Wilder Sensing, said: “The biodiversity collapse is one of the top global risks identified by the World Economic Forum, with over half of the world’s GDP relying on nature. Our technology addresses the urgent need for accurate, scalable, and unbiased biodiversity monitoring around the world. This investment will enable us to enhance our platform and expand our reach, helping industries and government bodies make informed decisions backed by solid data.”
Matt Browning, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, commented: “Wilder Sensing’s innovative approach to biodiversity monitoring aligns perfectly with current market drivers and new legislative requirements. The company’s participation in respected incubator and accelerator programs, along with its strong intellectual property potential, demonstrates its commercial viability and scalability. We are excited to support Wilder Sensing as they lead the way in this growing market.”
As businesses and governments increasingly prioritise sustainability and nature regeneration initiatives, Wilder Sensing offers a robust solution to ensure activities are backed by data, enhancing environmental accountability and reducing the risk of greenwashing.
For more information, visit our website: https://wildersensing.com/ or reach out at info@wildersensing.com
