John Deere named six companies to its 2024 Startup Collaborator program: Constellr, Geminos, SB Quantum, Fermata Energy, goFlux and Cloudscape Labs. Announced on January 24, 2024, the cohort spans satellite sensing, causal AI, navigation, bidirectional charging, freight logistics and construction software. Deere described an exploratory collaboration—not six acquisitions, investments or confirmed product integrations.
The six startups at a glance
| Company | Technology | Potential relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Constellr | Satellite measurements of land-surface temperature and water | Crop, soil, vegetation and water monitoring |
| Geminos | Artificial intelligence focused on causal reasoning | Understanding operational outcomes and supporting decisions |
| SB Quantum | Quantum magnetometer-based sensing and navigation | Navigation for equipment, including where satellite positioning may be limited |
| Fermata Energy | Bidirectional electric-vehicle charging, including vehicle-to-everything (V2X) | Energy management, fleet charging and possible backup power |
| goFlux | Digital freight and logistics tools | Freight coordination, supply-chain visibility and emissions management |
| Cloudscape Labs | Construction production-management software | Job-site visibility and production, cost and safety management |
Deere’s January 24, 2024 announcement names the six companies and describes their broad areas of work.
What the Startup Collaborator program means
John Deere says the program began in 2019 to deepen the company’s interaction with startups whose technologies could benefit customers in agriculture and construction. The stated approach is to work alongside companies, learn about their technologies and explore possible applications. Deere characterized the program as mutually beneficial and customer-focused.
Selection should not be read as a deal announcement. Deere’s 2024 release does not say that it acquired the companies, invested in them, made them suppliers, signed production contracts or integrated their products into a particular machine or software service. Collaboration creates an opportunity to explore; it does not guarantee commercialization.
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Constellr: satellite measurements of land and water
Constellr uses satellites to measure land-surface temperature and water. Thermal measurements can reveal differences in conditions across fields and may contribute to monitoring crops, soil and vegetation. Successful Farming also described potential applications involving soil health, water and carbon-related information in its overview of the 2024 cohort.
The practical value of satellite data depends on more than collecting an image: timing, coverage and the conversion of measurements into useful farm decisions matter. Successful Farming reported that Constellr expected an early-access program after launching its first satellite in 2024. That development milestone does not establish that Deere customers received the data or that Constellr technology was deployed in Deere products.
Geminos: AI designed to reason about causes
Geminos focuses on causal AI: methods intended to help businesses understand why an outcome occurred, rather than simply identify that two variables moved together. In a farm or construction operation, for example, many equipment, environmental, production and business variables can change at once. Distinguishing a likely cause from a coincidental correlation could help operators make better-informed decisions.
That is the potential use, not a documented Deere feature. Deere’s announcement did not name a Geminos model, a specific software capability, a pilot or a customer deployment. The announcement also provides no performance measures for a Deere use case.
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SB Quantum: magnetic sensing for navigation
SB Quantum is developing navigation and sensing technology using a quantum magnetometer. A magnetometer measures magnetic fields; Successful Farming likened the concept to an advanced compass that uses Earth’s magnetic field for orientation. Reliable positioning can matter for automated equipment, especially where satellite signals are obstructed or degraded.
The announcement does not establish that SB Quantum’s technology replaces GPS, RTK positioning or any part of Deere’s autonomy systems. Nor does it report field performance or a specific machine integration. Its relevance to navigation is a potential application, not evidence of a production-ready Deere system.
Fermata Energy: charging vehicles in both directions
Fermata Energy develops bidirectional charging technology, often described as vehicle-to-everything, or V2X. With compatible vehicles, chargers and electrical systems, energy can flow into a vehicle’s battery and, when supported, back to a building, grid or other load. That flexibility could be useful to fleets, farms or construction operations managing vehicle charging and site energy.
Possible benefits depend on compatibility, site electrical capacity, grid rules and the operating needs of the vehicle. Deere’s cohort announcement does not say Fermata technology was installed on Deere equipment or that Deere offered a V2X product arising from the collaboration.
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goFlux: freight coordination and supply-chain tools
goFlux is a Brazilian logistics-technology company. Deere described its digital solutions as connecting participants in freight transactions. Deere Brazil added that the company’s tools include predictive data intelligence, carbon-neutralization features, receivables anticipation and supply-chain management. The Brazilian release also says goFlux was selected for the global program with an indication from AgTech Innovation, with which Deere had been an innovation partner since 2022. See Deere Brazil’s announcement.
These tools could help coordinate shipments, make freight activity more visible and support emissions tracking or payment workflows. Deere Brazil’s description gives the company a clear regional context; it should not be taken as proof that goFlux’s services or Deere relationship were available worldwide on the same terms. Carbon-neutralization is a stated feature or objective, not evidence that freight emissions were eliminated.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cloudscape Labs: shared visibility on construction sites
Cloudscape Labs develops construction production-management software. Successful Farming identified its product as Virtual Superintendent, which gathers real-time information to give engineers, foremen, commercial teams and project managers a view of job-site activity. Deere said the company focuses on site visibility to help teams pursue production, cost and safety targets.
A shared operational picture can help construction teams coordinate equipment, labor, materials, schedules and safety information. But the Deere announcement does not say Virtual Superintendent became part of John Deere’s software portfolio or that it was integrated with Deere construction equipment.
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What the 2024 announcement does—and does not—establish
The public announcement establishes that Deere selected the six companies for a collaborative technology-exploration program. It does not provide cohort-wide customer case studies, revenue figures, quantified savings or confirmation that the startups’ technologies became Deere products. Those distinctions matter: a plausible use case is not the same as a verified deployment.
There is precedent for a collaborator later becoming an acquisition: Bear Flag Robotics participated in the program in 2019 and Deere acquired it in 2021, as described in Deere’s account of Bear Flag. That is an example of one possible outcome, not evidence that any 2024 collaborator followed the same path.
The 2024 list is historical rather than current. Deere has since announced a 2026 cohort; see its 2026 Startup Collaborator announcement.
Why this mix of technologies matters
The cohort’s range suggests Deere was looking beyond the machine itself to technologies around equipment and operations: sensing data from above fields, interpreting operational data, navigating, managing energy, moving freight and coordinating construction work. These areas could complement agricultural and construction equipment, but the 2024 announcement is a record of exploration—not proof that the potential benefits were delivered to customers.
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