{"id":394169,"date":"2025-08-25T10:14:32","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T13:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/?p=394169"},"modified":"2025-08-25T10:36:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T13:36:11","slug":"test-in-saudi-desert-boosts-brazilian-startup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/test-in-saudi-desert-boosts-brazilian-startup\/","title":{"rendered":"Test in Saudi desert boosts Brazilian startup"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

S\u00e3o Paulo \u2013 With a degree in Environmental Engineering and a master\u2019s in Impact Assessment, Juliana Polizel combined her concern for sustainability with technology to create Pitaya<\/a> in 2019. The startup, founded with the goal of optimizing water use in crops and automating irrigation management, developed sensors for systems that irrigate coffee, strawberry, and tomato fields, and carried out its first international test in Saudi Arabia<\/strong> in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Engineer
Engineer founded company to combine technology and sustainability<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The connection with the Arab market came through a referral from a Brazilian client. The test, which lasted two months and used three of the company\u2019s sensors, was carried out remotely in an experimental coffee plantation in the desert of the Arab country<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a test because, for the first time, we managed a plantation in the desert, using desalinated water. For us, it was a challenge,\u201d said Polizel. \u201cEven so, communication worked very well, despite us being in Brazil and them over there. They asked questions, we explained, and the communication flowed smoothly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though the plantation itself did not perform well due to factors such as the environment and water quality, the experience helped prove the effectiveness of the Brazilian technology, which operated in a hostile environment with remote monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Pitaya\u2019s
Pitaya\u2019s irrigation sensors<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cEven with the differences in soil and water, our product there performed with the same standards it does here in Brazil. We were able to identify the water\u2019s path through the soil, moving from one point to another, and the irrigation taking place. It was a good experience,\u201d said the entrepreneur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the founder, the exchange between the two countries was also important because it opened doors for contacts in other nations, such as Chile, Singapore, China, and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter this experience, we\u2019ve received requests for tests in Chile and Singapore. We haven\u2019t done anything there yet, because this type of business takes time\u2014we need to earn people\u2019s trust first. We also held a meeting to discuss our product at the UK Embassy and attended a conference in our field in China,\u201d says the CEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Brazil, Pitaya already operates in the states of S\u00e3o Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paran\u00e1. In the coming months, plans include consolidating its presence in the southern part of Esp\u00edrito Santo and expanding into new regions of Paran\u00e1. \u201cI believe local support is necessary. We go to other states with this type of partnership,\u201d explained Polizel regarding the growth strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Company history and technology<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Founded in S\u00e3o Carlos, S\u00e3o Paulo state, the company relies on a technology based on a ceramic soil sensor with a porous structure. According to Polizel, the equipment stands out because it can measure soil moisture without requiring constant calibration for different soil types or temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis reliability allows the farmer not only to automate irrigation but also to identify anomalies in the crops. We can detect root diseases because the entire farm has an average water consumption, and if a certain sector isn\u2019t consuming water, then what is happening? It means it\u2019s a root problem,\u201d explains Polizel. The system\u2019s simplicity and reliability earned it the nickname \u201cAgro\u2019s Little Clock.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The product focuses on automating the irrigation process. Moisture measurements are used to automatically start or stop irrigation, aiming to use the exact amount of water needed by the plant. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a sensor made for measurement but for automation. Our connection is very direct with decision-making, with what needs to be done,\u201d Polizel explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pitaya also provides a strategic sensor installation service. The company\u2019s team analyzes the planting area to determine the most representative points for installation, allowing a few sensors to monitor a large area. \u201cIt\u2019s not enough to have a highly accurate sensor if it\u2019s not placed in the right spot. We specialized in that,\u201d the founder concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more<\/em>:
Bahrain puts its startups on the podium<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translated by Guilherme Miranda<\/strong><\/p>\n

Supplied<\/div>
Supplied<\/div>
Supplied<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pitaya tested in Saudi Arabia the irrigation sensors it developed, an experience that generated new contacts for going international.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2342,"featured_media":394128,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95],"tags":[10274,29707,11910,9534,3399,38824,9987,9595,594,28712],"class_list":{"0":"post-394169","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-innovation","8":"tag-agriculture-en","9":"tag-agro-en-2","10":"tag-arabia-saudita-en","11":"tag-brazil-en","12":"tag-brazilian-company","13":"tag-irrigacao-en-2","14":"tag-irrigation","15":"tag-saudi-arabia-en","16":"tag-technology","17":"tag-tecnologia-en-2"},"wps_subtitle":"Pitaya tested in Saudi Arabia the irrigation sensors it developed, an experience that generated new contacts for going international.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2342"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=394169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394169\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/394128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=394169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=394169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anba.com.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=394169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}