(English) Best Practices

ApisProtect brings groundbreaking technology to commercial beekeeping. Using a combination of IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies we remotely extract and interpret data from hives. We convert this data into meaningful insight about operations, enabling beekeepers to deploy their labour and resources to maximum effect, creating an extra $100 of value per hive annually. ApisProtect is providing the most accurate, reliable, and beekeeper-friendly technology in this market.

Headquartered in Ireland, capitalising on innovative and award-winning academic research, ApisProtect uses cutting-edge science, engineering, and advanced business processes to bring honey bee-saving technology to every corner of the globe. The global bee population, which is vital for the environment, human health, and global food security, is declining and under continued threats, including climate change, biocide use, pathogens and suboptimal management practices. ApisProtect’s disruptive innovations help combat these threats. Led by a female CEO, it takes pride in its ten employees, having equality and green policies at its core.

This product is innovative and sustainable and is a result of a research project that was spun out into a commercially developed business. It is the research that saw the opportunity to make a difference and be sustainable in both senses of the word. The company was founded in 2017 to design and create ground-breaking hive-management technology in Europe. The company has built an innovative system involving sensors, global communications, and artificial intelligence to proactively improve beekeeping outcomes while increasing productivity and reducing beekeeping costs.

When asked how she thought of the idea for ApisProtect, CEO Dr Fiona Edwards Murphy answered

‘’ I have always been interested in the environment and sustainability, but not specifically in bees. But when I started my PhD in 2013, I actually started learning about bees for the first time. I really wanted to do a PhD in Internet of Things technologies. I also wanted to do something that has a real impact on the real world. I didn’t want to sit in a lab working on a circuit that I would never see what it would eventually be used for. Then there were also many articles about the problems that beekeepers all over the world have. Especially about the colony collapse disorder, a big problem in the US’’

CEO Dr Fiona Edwards Murphy

Environmentally they are helping grow and strengthen Bee populations. Socially they are helping commercially and hobbyist beekeepers have a better working beehive.

They are also providing insight and data that can be used to help monitor and grow the commercial businesses.

We convert this data into meaningful insight about operations, enabling beekeepers to deploy their labour and resources to maximum effect, creating an extra $100 of value per hive annually.

“Europe’s 100 hottest young scaleups of 2021” – we are honoured to be included as one of five Irish Companies shortlisted in this annual #tech5 competition led by TNW.

“The Tech5 talent search is back again. We scoured, measured, and assessed scaleups from all corners of the continent to bring you the top 100 for 2021. Based on performance, growth, and potential, these companies have proven they have what it takes to join the exclusive Tech5 community. ”

CE marked product.

I think one thing that in particular has affected us is the need to communicate about the importance of bees. Everybody is aware that they are important, but I think many do not understand how fundamentally important they are to agriculture.

In the US they need pollinators for their agric ulture. Crops like almonds, apples, blueberries, and cranberries, depend on pollinators. They let beekeepers place beehives on their fields and orchards. That costs them an awful lot of money. An almond farmer pays about $400 per acre for bee pollination. Some of them actually spend more money on pollination than they do on irrigation.

Here in Europe, we have a lot of beehives and lots of wild pollinators. It doesn’t mean we do not have a shortfall of pollution here. We do. It’s just not as dramatic as it is in other countries. And I guess communicating that is something that’s worth investing in, that’s worth protecting is probably the biggest challenge.”

Accessed 30/6/23: https://innovationorigins.com/en/apisprotect-allows-remote-monitoring-of-bee-colonies/

Accessed 30/6/23: https://apisprotect.com/technology/

Accessed 30/6/23: https://thenextweb.com/news/europes-100-hottest-scaleups-2021