Conifer Vision, a tech company from Skellefteå Aweden, has developed an AI method to analyze forests in detail, down to each individual tree. The goal is to help the forestry industry meet future demands.
Using drones, Conifer Vision collects photographs of the forest and creates a digital twin, which is then broken down and analyzed using AI to provide an accurate picture of the condition of each individual tree in the forest holding. This means that companies in the forest industry gain a significantly better understanding of their forest assets, which can then form the basis for decisions regarding both harvesting and forest conservation.
"What we do will impact companies, individuals, the economy, and the climate in the long run. It feels very inspiring. In this way, we are not just a business-driven operation, we also contribute to sustainability. It's of course incredibly important to have a functioning business, but this is truly inspiring," says Roger Öhlund, CEO of Conifer Vision.
Founders Roger Öhlund and Jonas Granström have been working intensively for several years together with a team of experts in forestry and AI to develop AI models for forest analysis. After a successful investment round in spring 2023, the company will now significantly increase the pace of sales and development of analysis services. The company was founded in 2019 and was accepted into the Arctic Business incubator in early 2021.
"At ABI we have met other companies and founders who have been able to share their experiences about the challenges of starting a company. ABI also has other important support functions such as reviewing the company when it comes to IP rights and those types of issues, which has been very good for us," says Roger Öhlund.
Roger Öhlund, who is also a forest owner himself, believes that forestry is currently undergoing a transformation where climate change is the biggest driving factor. Climate change, in turn, has two major consequences. One is that the forest changes as it gets warmer and can lead to different types of damage and growth patterns not seen before. The other is that there is a global initiative to reduce climate change. This, in turn, leads to new regulations and the need for greater biodiversity.
"We have sustainable forestry today, but you can't reach the new goals without having a good understanding of what vegetation actually makes up the forest you're working with. Many of the requirements that will be placed on forestry are about biodiversity, and it will also require having an objective picture of how the forest is constituted. That's where we come into the picture," says Roger Öhlund.
Written by: Roger Öhlund, founder and CSO.
