Indiana University-based startup to demonstrate how IoT technology can help honey bees at Purdue@WestGate
April 25, 2018
News Release April 26, 2017 Indiana University-based startup to demonstrate how IoT technology can help honey bees at Purdue@WestGate ODON, Ind. – Indiana University- based startup, the Bee Corp, will showcase how their latest technology can boost honey bee health as well as the overall health of hives. The presentation will take place Tuesday at WestGate Academy, 13598 East WestGate Drive, Odon, Ind., at 11:30 a.m. EST. Ellie Symes, CEO of the Bee Corp, will discuss the different sensors they use for their research, the dashboard, and the analysis they have done since launching in 2016. “I was a beekeeper before co-founding the Bee Corp,” says Symes. “We noticed there was a need for technology in the beekeeping industry to provide real-time information about hives.” The agriculture-tech company has received more than $750,000 in funding and provides hive monitoring services, allowing beekeepers to maximize hive production, track hive health and security, and increase honey and pollination revenue. Symes says she is fascinated with the key role honey bees play in the ecosystem as pollinators. “By implementing hive-monitoring technology, we are protecting the bees and sustaining the environment for future generations to live in and enjoy,” she says. “Honeybees are responsible for one-third of domestic food supply and contribute more than $15 billion to the economy through pollination of crops. However, honeybee populations have declined for the past 60 years, a total loss of three million hives. Annual hive losses cost the U.S. economy two billion dollars.” Symes is a 2018 Mira Award Rising Star Nominee. The Bee Corp received nearly $225,000 of federal grant funding from the National Science Foundation to conduct research to improve its beehive monitoring system. The technology demonstration, presented at Purdue@WestGate, is free and open to the public. To RSVP, contact purduewestgate@prf.org. About The Bee Corp The Bee Corp is a benefit corporation founded in Bloomington, Ind. that applies data analytics to beekeeping. Because of advancements in sensor technology, the Internet of Things is permeating traditional industries. Increasingly, beekeepers are adopting technology to discover insights about their hives. The Bee Corp uses the sensor data to derive hive health insights, allowing beekeepers to track the health of their hive in real time. About Purdue@WestGate Purdue@WestGate is an economic development accelerator formed by the partnership between WestGate Authority, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Purdue University and Purdue Research Foundation. The Indiana-based collaboration combines strengths to advance educational, research and development and technology commercialization across Indiana and elsewhere. Purdue@WestGate offers tools for startups, entrepreneurial experts, programs, educational opportunities and workforce development to help southern Indiana businesses grow and thrive. For more information about the resources available to businesses, visit Purdue@WestGate. ### Writer: Sarah K. Miller, 812-863-2756, skmiller@prf.org Sources: Ellie Symes, 614-440-8060, ellie.symes@thebeecorp.com