Category: Key Employees

SpexAI announces Steve Graves as a new member of the board, strengthening its leadership position in controlled environment agriculture technology. 

Dresden, Germany – [Date], 2024 – SpexAI, a pioneer in the agricultural technology sector, is pleased to welcome Steve Graves to its Board of Directors. Steve’s appointment marks a significant milestone in SpexAI’s journey as the company continues to innovate and lead in the field of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). 

Renowned for his decades of leadership at Fluence and his expertise in CEA technology, Steve Graves brings a legacy of excellence and a track record of success to SpexAI. His insights and strategic vision have been instrumental in advancing technology integration in agriculture on a global scale. 

“SpexAI’s groundbreaking technology provides breakthrough value in crop quality assurance and yield optimization that will revolutionize crop management in controlled environment agriculture,” said Steve Graves. His commitment to innovation and deep industry knowledge will enhance SpexAI’s mission to deliver cutting-edge solutions to the agricultural sector.”

Ben and Nadine, co-founders of SpexAI, expressed their excitement at Steve’s addition to the board.

“Steve’s expertise is unparalleled and his guidance has been instrumental in shaping the future of CEA. We are delighted to have him on board as we embark on this next phase of growth,” said Ben. Nadine added: “Steve’s exceptional skills and international perspective in bringing technology to CEA are invaluable. His leadership has been at the forefront of the industry for over a decade and we are confident that his involvement will further SpexAI’s vision”. 

SpexAI is dedicated to improving crop management through innovative technology. With Steve Graves joining the team, the company reaffirms its commitment to excellence and its role as a pioneer in the agricultural technology industry. 

About SpexAI SpexAI is a leading agricultural technology company specialising in crop quality assurance and yield optimisation. With a focus on controlled environment agriculture, SpexAI is committed to revolutionising the industry through innovative solutions and expert leadership. 

For further information please contact Nadine Walther Managing Director, SpexAI Email: [email protected] Phone: +491777075570 

SpexAI enters a new chapter with Steve Graves joining the Board of Directors  

Today is a landmark day for SpexAI as we announce the appointment of Steve Graves to our Board of Directors. With a rich history in LED lighting for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), Steve’s influence has been instrumental in moving the industry forward. His role at Fluence has shown his expertise and commitment to innovation and excellence.  

Steve’s addition to our board is a significant step for SpexAI and aligns with our mission to provide innovative solutions for crop quality and yield optimisation. His extensive experience and shared vision for our mission make his appointment a momentous occasion for our team. Having been a supportive presence since the early days of SpexAI, Steve’s ongoing contribution has been integral to our growth and success.  

“SpexAI’s groundbreaking technology provides breakthrough value in crop quality assurance and yield optimization that will revolutionize crop management in controlled environment agriculture,” said Steve Graves. 

As we welcome Steve, we are reminded of the potential that lies ahead. His insights and strategic vision will further SpexAI’s commitment to revolutionising the agricultural technology industry. We are excited about the collaboration ahead and the bright future that Steve’s presence on our board promises.  

Join us in celebrating this new chapter as we continue to drive innovation and sustainability at CEA with Steve Graves now among our esteemed board members. 

Dresden, Germany — December 12, 2020 — Cannabis-Net is an international network which develops innovative technologies along the entire Cannabis value chain. The network is funded by Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi) and the National Research Council (NRC) Canada. Companies within the network can apply for fundings of Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM). Simone Graeff-Hönninger and her team from Universität Hohenheim manage the network and support all German companies with their projects. 

Initially, the network started at the beginning of 2019 and applied for the second phase in summer 2020. The application was granted in December 2020 for the next years. Currently, 23 companies are participating in and boosting Cannabis production with their joint projects. 

“A few months after we started the company, we have been asked to join the network. It was a great pleasure for such a young company being part of such an amazing group. Since then, we continuously work on the potential of our network in science and economy,” says Nadine Walther, Managing Director of SpexAI GmbH.

Cannabis-Net focuses on projects with high research potential, provable medical impacts, and relevant market power. The projects lead to global solutions through synergies between companies and countries. Desired results will be in Cannabis genetics, cultivation, harvesting and treatment technologies, extraction and analysis procedures plus final products. 

About SpexAI GmbH
SpexAI GmbH is a German AgTech company, established in August 2018 by Ben Niehaus and Nadine Walther. SpexAI’s unique technology will allow for controlled, consistent and predictable growth of cannabis plants. The carefully orchestrated deep neural networks and smart multispectral sensors will disrupt the indoor cultivation of cannabis.

Contact about this news
SpexAI GmbH
press(at)spexai.com
+49 351 89672613

Dresden, Germany — January 12, 2021 — Today Vestee announced the Stage 2 finalists of the AWS AI Challenge. SpexAI GmbH is valued as a company that offers the best AI projects in technical infrastructure and business support. The finalists receive 100,000 Dollar in Amazon Web Services Credits to boost their AI projects.

The challenge started in September 2020 with a kick-off, followed by the development of AI solutions running on AWS. From October to December, the 44 Stage 1 participants were using AWS for their use cases. Vestbee’s experts valued the projects due to innovation, business support, sellability, complexity and an overall positive impact. From all applicants, 17 companies were chosen as a Stage 2 finalist.

Already at the beginning of 2020, the technology team of SpexAI decided to use AWS as the provider for its data. AWS offers a broad spectrum and high standards to enhance machine learning models and data analysis. With the combination of spectral data and AI SpexAI will drastically improve the growth of medicinal cannabis around the globe.

“We are humbled by the recognition of Vestbee and AWS and proud to be chosen as a Stage 2 finalist. AWS enables us to offer our data flexibly for our international clients. In the next months we will use the credits to develop our models further,” says Ben Niehaus, Managing Director of SpexAI GmbH.

About SpexAI GmbH
SpexAI GmbH is a German AgTech company, established in August 2018 by Ben Niehaus and Nadine Walther. SpexAI’s unique technology will allow for controlled, consistent and predictable growth of cannabis plants. The carefully orchestrated deep neural networks and smart multispectral sensors will disrupt the indoor cultivation of cannabis.

Contact about this news
SpexAI GmbH
press(at)spexai.com
+49 351 89672613

Dresden, Germany — September 7, 2021 — It is official! SpexAI is part of the Techstars AI Accelerator in Montreal, Canada. The program starts on September 7th and ends with a fulminant live Demo Day on December 8th. The event will take place at L’Olympia in the heart of Montreal. 

Techstars is one of the world’s most renowned startup accelerator programs and delivers access to capital, mentorship, talent and infrastructure. Thousands of applicants try to get one of the program’s rare spots, which has an acceptance rate of 1 percent. As of today, the 1.700 companies in the program have a combined market capitalization of 18.5 billion US dollars.  

The Techstars Montreal AI Accelerator boosts the development of artificial intelligence across industries and markets. 

“A few decades from now, people will wonder how we ever lived without the changes AI is bringing.” Bruno Morency, Managing Director Techstars Montreal

SpexAI is humbled to be a part of that elite group of startups, mentors and investors.

“We chose the Montreal program due to its focus on AI and its leading mentors from Deepmind, AWS and Google. It delivers ultimate know-how and mentorship with leading experts in the field,” says Ben Niehaus, Managing Director of SpexAI GmbH.

The three months are intense, challenging and transformative for each individual and the whole company. At SpexAI we are ready to start that journey and cannot wait to exploit all the possibilities Techstars offers.

“It is an honour to have one of the world’s largest investors in early-stage business on our side. Building companies is still a peoples business. That is something we strongly believe in and live every day at SpexAI. Techstars also invests in people first. We felt that since the first interaction, and it is like that until today. The network we can build here and the people who support our journey are the most significant treasure.” Nadine Walther, Managing Director of SpexAI GmbH.

Are you in the results of our journey? Join us on December 8th: https://lnkd.in/eYSnAw7B

About SpexAI GmbH
SpexAI GmbH is a German AgTech company, established in August 2018 by Ben Niehaus and Nadine Walther. SpexAI’s unique technology will allow for controlled, consistent and predictable growth of cannabis plants. The carefully orchestrated deep neural networks and smart multispectral sensors will disrupt the indoor cultivation of cannabis.

Contact about this news
SpexAI GmbH
press(at)spexai.com
+49 351 89672613

Dresden, Germany — May 24, 2022 — SpexAI expands its global footprint and is one of the launching partners of NouFrontiers Summit 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 24th.

The next arena for the global cannabis industry opened at NouFrontiers Summit 2022.

Since the medical use of cannabis was officially legalized in early 2020 in Thailand, which made Thailand the first country in Asia to decriminalize marijuana for medical and industrial use, a significant number of local and international players see a huge potential in that new market, including us – SpexAI.

Decriminalization is not only great news for Thailand’s economy but also glad tidings for SpexAI to reinforce our unwavering belief in the future of the cannabis sector.

 “If we have the right awareness, cannabis is like gold, something valuable, and should be promoted,” says Anutin Charnvirakul, Public Health Minister in Thailand.

With our vision of making the world a better place by using our technology to simplify plant production, SpexAI was honoured to share our best practices with other global pioneers of the cannabis industry (from Canada, the Netherlands, and beyond) at the premiere of NouFrontiers Summit, Bangkok on May 24th, 2022. 

The summit has successfully launched with more than 90 CEOs, investors, and entrepreneurs, pioneering global GMP standards for medical plants and herbs. Many thanks to NouFrontiers for such a great event.

About SpexAI GmbH
SpexAI GmbH is a German AgTech company, established in August 2018 by Ben Niehaus and Nadine Walther. SpexAI’s unique technology will allow for controlled, consistent and predictable growth of cannabis plants. The carefully orchestrated deep neural networks and smart multispectral sensors will disrupt the indoor cultivation of cannabis.

Contact about this news
SpexAI GmbH
press(at)spexai.com
+49 351 89672613

Dresden, Germany — June 14, 2022 — We are pleased to announce that SpexAI has been part of GreenTech Amsterdam 2022!

GreenTech Amsterdam is the top-notch worldwide horticulture technology platform where industry professionals all over the world come together to connect, share knowledge and do business. The exhibition is operated on a business-to-business platform by bringing buyers and suppliers together from various regions and countries to promote innovation in the horticulture sector. This year, 10,890 professionals from 121 countries were greeted. 

“GreenTech is the connecting international hub for all stakeholders to act on concrete solutions for local food and flower production, based on, among others, the Dutch ecosystem”, said Mariska Dreschler, Director Horticulture of GreenTech Global.

It was a special conference for us. In 2019, shortly after launching our Website, we visited Greentech for the first time. We then had a proof of concept and did market research at the event. Only one year later, in 2020, our research partner Filip van Noort from Wageningen University, introduced our technology after the first trials. This year, in 2022, we have been on stage and had the opportunity to bring our products – Hugin and Odin – to light. We successfully hosted one of the knowledge sessions at the Medical Cannabis Stage regarding Cannabis ingredients. Also, meeting new partners and exploring their innovations gave us more than valuable lessons.

Thank you, GreenTech, for helping us welcome our little ones – Hugin and Odin – into the world.

About SpexAI GmbH
SpexAI GmbH is a German AgTech company, established in August 2018 by Ben Niehaus and Nadine Walther. SpexAI’s unique technology will allow for controlled, consistent and predictable growth of cannabis plants. The carefully orchestrated deep neural networks and smart multispectral sensors will disrupt the indoor cultivation of cannabis.

Contact about this news
SpexAI GmbH
press(at)spexai.com
+49 351 89672613