Gamaya: Taking farming into the 21st century
Yosef Akhtman, CEO and cofounder of Gamaya, and Igor Ivanov, Gamaya’s business development manager were elated at the latest news coming from Brazil. After a year of field tests, things were finally falling into place and Gamaya was now able to demonstrate credibly the contributions its drone-born miniaturized hyperspectral cameras could bring to local sugar cane farmers. It was not only the hardware that made Gamaya so special, but also the data analytics that converted the rich data images into valuable crop management information that could immediately be converted into field actions. The client in this case was also an investor in the venture and, as one of the most visible and acclaimed Swiss entrepreneurs, his validation was worth a lot to the company, and that could be a turning point for the company. Even though it had won prizes in venture competitions and research grants from the University lab, this was the first significant investment from a professional investor, and Yosef knew it would open doors for further funding rounds. Questions abounded though: Should they continue to focus on sugar cane farmers or should they move to other crops and geographies? Was the business model appropriate for their activities? How long would it take for the delivery medium, various drones at this point, to be replaced by mini-satellites offering almost real-time monitoring on a larger scale?
- Technology management
- Taking technology to market
- Growth management
- Innovation management
- Funding new ventures
- Managing a spin-off
- Team building
Gamaya, AGTech, Food Production, Agriculture
2014-2016
Cranfield University
Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]
Harvard Business School Publishing
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]
NUCB Business School
1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]
IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Assortment optimization presents a complex challenge for retailers, as it depends on numerous decision factors. Changes in assortment can result in demand redistribution with multi-layered consequences. This complexity is even more pronounced for ...
Understanding conflict in family businesses is a complex but essential study area for practitioners and academics. To enhance theoretical precision and provide practical insights, this article presents a comprehensive framework of family business ...
This note presents a comprehensive framework for improving decision-making capabilities in high-pressure, high-stakes environments. It introduces six evidence-based strategies that help leaders maintain clarity, focus and effectiveness when facing...
The case describes Legendary Foods Africa, a food-tech company founded in 2020 in Ghana by Canadian entrepreneur Shobhita Soor. Legendary Foods Africa is focused on farming, processing and selling palm weevil larvae products for human consumption....
in European Journal of Operational Research August 2025, vol. 324, no. 3, pp. 799-813, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2025.01.035
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in Journal of Family Business Strategy June 2025, vol. 16, no. 2, 100660, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2025.100660
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications