@ AGROBiz | March-April. 2026

• Agroz Inc. enters the global top 50, signalling strong momentum in AI-driven agriculture.

• The firm’ s vertical farming model strengthens

local food supply by producing food cleanly and under controlled conditions.

• GEODASH Aerosystems introduces AI-powered drones that eliminate the need for pre-mapping.

The announcement, made on Apr 6, comes after a rigorous selection process that saw more than 11,700 applicants from across the globe.

Curated by Forward Fooding, the FoodTech 500, widely referred to as the“ Fortune 500 of FoodTech”, serves as a benchmark for companies operating at the convergence of food, technology and sustainability.

Since its inception, the initiative has attracted participation from over 180 countries, with listed firms collectively securing nearly US $ 25 billion in funding.

CLIMBING THE GLOBAL LADDER: Agroz’ s technologydriven approach positions it within the next wave of FoodTech innovaton.

AGROZ’ S BREAKOUT YEAR

At the core of Agroz’ s recognition is its vertically integrated approach to modern farming. The Malaysian-based company designs, builds, and operates controlled environment agriculture( CEA) systems- farms where factors like temperature, humidity, and light are precisely regulated indoors.

These systems combine indoor vertical farming, where crops are stacked in layers, with advanced automation. Through its proprietary AgrozOS platform, Agroz integrates hardware that automatically adjusts farm conditions with software that organises daily tasks and facilitates team communication. This enables consistent production of pesticide-free, nutrient-rich crops for local markets.

This operational model has positioned the company within a broader industry shift often described as“ FoodTech wave 3.0”- the third phase of food technology innovation marked by advanced digital and AI applications in

agriculture.

As investment trends evolve, capital is increasingly being directed towards upstream( early-stage) agricultural technologies such as precision farming( the use of technology to optimise field-level management) and farm management systems( tools for tracking and improving farming operations). Agroz’ s use of AI-powered tools and climate-resilient production methods places it at the forefront of this transition.

Its ranking was determined using the FoodTech Data Navigator, a system that evaluates companies across three main criteria:

• Business size, based on financial growth indicators;

• Digital footprint, measuring online presence and engagement; and

• Sustainability impact, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals( SDGs).

The 2025 edition of the list also reflects a maturing sector. Around 80 per cent of the recognised companies are now revenuegenerating, representing a 74 per cent increase from the previous year, signalling a shift from early-stage growth narratives to more commercially viable models.

Agroz’ s inclusion highlights Southeast Asia’ s growing role in shaping scalable and efficient agricultural innovation. By focusing on localised production and sustainable infrastructure, the company continues to address the rising demand for secure, environmentally responsible food systems.

A new collaboration between DroneDash Technologies and GEODNET is set to streamline large-scale farming operations with the launch of GEODASH Aerosystems, a Singapore-based joint venture focused on next-generation agricultural spraying drones.

Announced recently, the initiative introduces a shift away from conventional drone workflows by eliminating the need for repeated field mapping before deployment. Instead, the platform combines real-time AI vision with centimetre-level RTK positioning, enabling drones to interpret and respond to field conditions.

In many current operations, agricultural drones rely on pre-mapped flight paths that must be recreated whenever terrain, crop layout, or canopy structure change. This can be particularly time-consuming in large estates such as oil palm plantations, where conditions frequently shift and require constant updates.

GEODASH Aerosystems addresses this challenge by enabling drones to adjust in real time continuously. Equipped with onboard AI, the aircraft can detect plantation structures, optimise spray patterns and maintain consistent altitude without manual intervention.

This reduces preparation time while improving operational efficiency across varying field conditions.

The platform serves purposes beyond

EVOLVING DRONES: The GDA80-120 Heavy- Lift Agricultural UAV Platform. spraying. Each flight captures field data, which an AI-powered backend processes to generate insights into crop health, canopy density, and potential stress indicators.

These analytics enable plantation managers to make faster, more informed decisions, particularly for identifying underperforming zones and refining input strategies.

“ When centimetre-level RTK positioning is combined with real-time perception and backend analytics, autonomy becomes predictable and reliable. GEODASH Aerosystems demonstrates how precision positioning infrastructure can enable both accurate operations and continuous data-driven agriculture management,” said Founder of GEODNET and Co-Founder of GEODASH Aerosystems Mike Horton.

DroneDash Technologies and GEODASH Aerosystems Chief Executive Officer Paul Yam, on the other hand, explained:“ Agriculture does not need bigger drones- it needs smarter ones.

By removing repeated manual premapping and integrating AI Smart Farming intelligence into every flight, we are turning spraying drones into tools that both execute operations and inform agronomic decisions. Plantation operators can move faster while improving consistency, efficiency, and outcomes.”

The technology is being developed for large-scale agricultural markets, including oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia and row crop operations in the United States and South America. Pilot trials were conducted throughout 2025 and into early 2026, with commercial deployment targeted for Q3 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.- @ AGROBiz