The Carinthian AgriTech startup avemoy, a spin-off of the University of Klagenfurt (AAU), is revolutionizing the greenhouse industry with its new AI solution Hortiscan. The modular plug-and-play system enables fully automatic monitoring and analysis of tomato crops for the first time – from harvest forecasting to pest detection.The heart of the system is an autonomous drone that captures a sensor stream of the plants at regular intervals. This is converted by avemoy’s AI models into actionable information such as pruning control, harvest timing, or pest infestation – all available via a smart dashboard on smartphone or laptop. This way, avemoy relieves the scarce personnel resources of its customers and elevates process reliability to a new level.
Successful pilot project with Frutura
“With Hortiscan, we enable data-driven and reliable production in greenhouses – worldwide,” explains CEO Michael Gruber. The potential is enormous: Around 250,000 hectares of tomato greenhouse area exist worldwide, with annual growth. The technology was presented for the first time at GreenTech in Amsterdam in June 2025. Sales launch will take place in late fall.The first market-ready function was developed together with partner and pilot customer Frutura, a subsidiary of DOL Group, in the Thermal-Gemüsewelt in Blumau.
“As a pilot partner from the very beginning, we have intensively accompanied the development of Hortiscan in the Thermal-Gemüsewelt. The system convinces through impressive practical relevance – a direct answer to the needs of our gardeners – mature technological standards as well as the committed, diverse team behind it. For us, avemoy is a fundamental pillar on the path to digital and resource-saving agriculture. Therefore, we invest not only from an economic perspective, but out of full conviction in our common future,” says Katrin Hohensinner-Häupl, Managing Director of Frutura and DOL Group.”Hortiscan is a system from practice for practice,” Gruber continues.
The application requires no technical prior knowledge: set up, activate – done. All updates, flight plans, and evaluations are fully automatic. A well-thought-out drone exchange system guarantees uninterrupted operation.
Continued close collaboration with AAU
avemoy is a spin-off of the University of Klagenfurt and before founding, the FFG funding: Fellowship was awarded to a Carinthian project for the first time. Even after founding, collaboration with the university remains active. One of the great successes from this collaboration is the ongoing research project (consortium: AAU – CNS (Control of Networked Systems), avemoy and Frutura) TOMAiTO, which is extensively supported by FFG – AIM funding.
Capital for scaling secured
To accelerate growth, avemoy was able to complete a first financing round in early summer 2025. The Carinthian investors CVF (Carinthian Venture Fonds), StartInvest, and the Lakeside Technology Foundation participate as shareholders. DOL Group, as pilot partner from the first hour, has meanwhile also become an investor. “As lead investor, we are pleased to have accompanied the successful seven-figure financing round of the deep-tech startup avemoy. The company, a promising spin-off of the University of Klagenfurt, has already received significant funding – including the FFG Fellowship as well as AWS Pre-Seed Deep Tech funding – which convinced us alongside the multidisciplinary team and innovative technology. With StartInvest GmbH, Lakeside Technologie Privatstiftung, and DOL Group, we have strong partners at our side to jointly support this innovative company on its further growth path. It is a particular concern of ours to support innovative companies from the Carinthian ecosystem with risk capital and thus sustainably strengthen the location for technology-oriented startups and academic spin-offs. Avemoy impressively shows how ambitious founders from Carinthia tackle global challenges – with focus on technology and entrepreneurial spirit. We are pleased to be part of this success story,” says René Ratz, Investment Manager of the Carinthian Venture Fonds.”These partnerships give us the opportunity to develop new functions faster and drive the global rollout – first in Europe, soon also in North America – with full force,” says Gruber. International expansion starts in 2026 with the first subsidiary in the Netherlands. The headquarters and development remain permanently in Klagenfurt, where expansion to 25 employees is planned by 2027. For more information www.avemoy.com
