Nature mark system - ArborTag
Since the start of the industrial revolution, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased by over 45%, rising from pre-industrial levels of about 280 parts per million (ppm) to over 410 ppm today. This surge in CO2 levels is leading to various consequences, including rising global temperatures, melting ice caps, and more frequent and severe weather events. To mitigate these impacts, a coordinated effort is essential. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to renewable energy sources, and adapting to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. One effective coordinated effort is afforestation, which not only helps reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere but also adds beauty to our surroundings. Trees, often referred to as the earth's lungs, are major natural consumers of CO2. Corporate entities emphasize reclaiming CO2 released into the atmosphere through their activities by engaging in afforestation projects. However, it is crucial to enumerate the gross CO2 captured by these trees to understand the full impact of these projects in bridging the gap between carbon emissions and carbon sequestration. Traditionally, this enumeration involves conducting tree surveys with large groups of volunteers who gather data on trees to assess their carbon sequestration efficiency. However, these surveys are often cumbersome, resource-intensive, and prone to errors.
In one such tree survey program, organized by Dr. Smitha Hegde, Deputy Director of NUCSER, two students realized the challenges of tree surveys. Mohd. Saif Hasmani and Shivakiran Alva, MSc. Biomedical Sciences students at NUCSER, found collecting data on trees difficult and noted the lack of a simple solution to this problem. Motivated by their experience, they decided to develop ArborTag, a device that employs machine learning models to capture crucial floral data and provide critical insights into carbon sequestration. They presented this idea at the Healthcare Innovation Hackathon, organized by Nitte DST-TEC in association with IIC and AIC-Nitte at NMAMIT, Karkala, from May 5-7, 2023. After three days of intensive brainstorming, networking, and learning, Saif and Shiv presented their idea to a panel of experts. Convincing the panel of their idea's feasibility, ArborTag was placed among the top 10 ideas at the hackathon, and the team was selected for a pre-incubation program at AIC-Nitte.
With guidance and support from Dr. Iddya Karunasagar, Advisor for Research & Patents at DST-TEC, they filed a patent application for ArborTag in May 2023. Bolstered by the confidence a patent provided, Team ArborTag attended an eight-session pre-incubation program from June to July 2023. In August, the team had the opportunity to present their idea to panelists from the Wadhwani Foundation, which focuses on early-stage startup incubation and training. Despite impressing the panel with the market potential of ArborTag, the absence of an incorporated entity and a functional prototype meant they were not selected for incubation at the Wadhwani Foundation.
Undeterred, Team ArborTag, encouraged by DST-TEC, IIC, and AIC-Nitte, registered as an incorporated startup under the name NatureMark Systems. Recognized by the DPIIT, GOI as part of its Startup India initiative in August 2023, NatureMark Systems began developing ArborTag's software in September. They reapplied for the Wadhwani Foundation’s Lift Off program and were inducted into its 10th Cohort for a three-month incubation in October. Subsequently, in November, NatureMark Systems was selected for a two-month Agripreneurship program at the NaaViC Agri-Business Incubation Centre, ICAR-Nivedi, Bengaluru. After months of design, development, training, and fundraising, NatureMark Systems had the first ArborTag device ready for assembly and testing in January 2024. Following successful testing, ArborTag was ready for its global debut.
On February 3, 2024, with the support of DST-TEC, IIC, and AIC-Nitte, NatureMark Systems launched ArborTag at the Avishkar Auditorium, ABSMIDS, Deralakkate, supported by NUCSER. Aiming to become a key player in providing solutions for carbon sequestration analysis and carbon credit verification, NatureMark Systems is currently in the final stages of their first seed investment round, facilitated by the Wadhwani Foundation, and is actively seeking ambitious talent for their operations.
