Digit Soil - Swiss regenerative agriculture in your hands!
Our project deploys an on-site soil diagnostic device paired with a predictive app for fast, tailored fertilization. The device measures soil enzyme activity, while the app integrates local weather and satellite data to model future nutrient release. By matching nutrient availability with crop needs, the system provides a dynamic plan for fertilizer amount, type, and timing. This reduces synthetic input costs, supports soil health, and improves resilience of Swiss farming yields. - Hebel 1 -
What issue does your project address, and why do you want to tackle it?
Globally, 40–70% of applied nitrogen fertilizer is wasted, representing an annual loss of approximately €73 billion in direct purchase and labor costs, while driving nutrient runoff into water bodies and greenhouse gas emissions. While this is a massive challenge, it is ultimately an optimization problem that we set out to solve - a solution capable of performing across the versatile conditions of Swiss farming. We have the right tools, and we are ready to deploy.
What is your project about and how does it help nurture tomorrow's Switzerland?
Digit Soil integrates precision agriculture into the daily farming routine. We transform complex laboratory soil analysis into a simple, field-ready procedure. By delivering predictive biological data directly to advisors and farmers, we replace agricultural guesswork with precise, actionable fertilization plans. This daily routine shift prevents over-fertilization, protects soil health, and directly secures Switzerland’s future food supply against climate instability.
How do you measure your project's success?
We measure project success by deploying in Swiss crop fields, onboarding regional agronomic advisors, and equipping five “Swiss lighthouse” farms. We will quantify synthetic fertilizer reductions (kg/ha) and CO₂ equivalent savings against final yield outcomes on up to 100 hectares. Scalability is assessed via direct user feedback and neighboring farms' interest. The system is designed to scale using standardized measurements, an easy-to-use app, and measurement hubs.
Who are the people behind the project and what is your secret to a great collaboration?
Digit Soil’s team combines soil science/agronomy, biochemistry, hardware, and software engineering. Co-founders Hélène (sales/partnerships), Sonia (hardware), and Jasmin (data quality) lead the strategic tracks. They are supported by Paula- managing laboratory testing and Alan - driving rapid software implementation. Our secret is directly converting field feedback into cross-functional engineering solutions, treating technical bottlenecks as shared puzzles.
