Bees are the invaluable helpers that pollinate much of the world’s crops—but 40% of bee colonies collapse every year, putting bee species’ existence and the global food supply at risk. Beewise, a startup headquartered in California, has been tackling the problem since 2018—most recently with the robotics-powered BeeHome 4 hive. The BeeHome has a heat chamber that kills predatory Varroa mites that try to enter the hive. Its sensors also provide beekeepers with vital information on the health of their colonies, and the hive can automatically supply nutrients when the bees’ food chain is compromised. Beewise says its products have lowered bee mortality by 70%, saving more than 150 million bees. Bees that live in its hives now pollinate more than 250,000 acres annually.
Ubees, a regenerative agriculture company, is also working to safeguard harvests—in part by encouraging more small farmers to rely on beehives and pollination to boost their crop yields. (It works with food giants like Dole and Nestlé as well.) The company’s proprietary AI and sensors enable farmers to remotely monitor the health of their bees and the pollination status of their crops—making the beekeeping itself far less labor-intensive. Ubees first launched in the U.S., with clients in South Dakota and California. The company’s services now extend to France, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and to crops that include coffee and avocados, among many others.