SmartyPlants raises £190k pre-seed to monitor houseplant health with smart sensors
This article covers SmartyPlants, an agtech startup, which has raised £190,000 in a pre-seed funding round from the British Design Fund to develop its smart sensor system for houseplants. The funding will support product development and early research into UK and international distribution, targeting householders, casual gardeners and renters who need reliable plant-health monitoring.
SmartyPlants, an agtech startup, has raised £190,000 in a pre-seed funding round from the British Design Fund to develop its smart sensor system for houseplants. The funding will support product development and early work on potential UK and international distribution, addressing a common consumer problem: many householders lack reliable tools to monitor plant health.
Why it matters
UK adults spent about £700 million on houseplants in 2023, according to the Horticultural Trades Association, yet inconsistent watering, poor light and limited feedback on plant health remain widespread. Consumer-facing hardware that offers clear, real-time plant data could reduce waste and make plant ownership more accessible to casual gardeners and renters. The deal also highlights the role of design-focused investors in backing physical-product startups aimed at everyday problems.
Inside the product
SmartyPlants was founded in 2023 by Ben Beavers. The company builds a smart-sensor system and companion app that report soil moisture, light levels, temperature, humidity and nutrients. The sensors are intended to give users actionable, real-time information rather than generic care schedules. Beavers’ background in biology informed early, hand-built prototypes and the product’s emphasis on simple user feedback.
Who are the investors?
The round is funded by the British Design Fund (BDF), a UK investor that focuses on early-stage product businesses with a strong design and problem-solving orientation. The announcement describes BDF as the funder supporting SmartyPlants’ next product-development steps and exploratory market research. The company also noted the funding follows earlier, unspecified capital previously secured by SmartyPlants.
In the announcement, Damon Bonser, CEO at British Design Fund, said:
SmartyPlants is tackling a relatable, everyday problem with thoughtful design and a clear understanding of user needs. The team has developed a product that aims to brings simplicity and insight to plant care, and we’re pleased to support their continued development.
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Founder perspective
In the announcement, Ben Beavers, Founder at SmartyPlants, said:
SmartyPlants began with a simple idea: plant care should be intuitive, not intimidating. People want their plants to thrive, but they often don’t have the tools or information to make that easy. Our technology is designed to help users gain clarity and confidence, so they can enjoy their plants rather than worry about them.
The idea came to me when we were redecorating. My partner was keen to introduce plants but felt sad because she’d killed every plant she’d ever owned. This bothered me, so with my background in biology, I set about building something to solve the problem. I started soldering some early prototypes and took it from there. In the announcement, Ben Beavers, Founder at SmartyPlants, said: It’s fantastic to have received this funding from British Design Fund, which follows earlier funding previously secured by the company. The funding will be used to support product development and exploratory work including early research into possible UK and international distribution opportunities.
The bigger picture
The investment sits at the intersection of consumer hardware, design-led product development and agtech. For investors, consumer plant-care tech offers a way to reach a broad retail market while applying sensors and data to everyday tasks. The deal reflects continued interest from agtech investors in products that translate horticultural data into simple user actions.
As UK investors and funds continue to back hardware and design-driven startups, follow-on financing and distribution partnerships will be key for companies like SmartyPlants to move from prototype to mass market, both domestically and in Europe.
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