The start-up Morfo, specializing in reforestation by drones, moves to Montpellier

La société Morfo, spécialisée dans la reforestation, s'installe à Montpellier. DR – DR

Dedicated to the restoration of forest ecosystems using biosourced capsules, the start-up Morfo is arriving from Paris in Montpellier, and intends to invest in the city's MedVallée initiative.

The approach is not common, but here it is easily understood. The start-up Morfo, specializing in regional reforestation, is moving from Paris, where it was created, to Montpellier. "This territory was the most obvious for us in France ! s’exclaims Pascal Asselin, co-founder of the company with his brother Hugo and Adrien Pages. We created our company in 2021 in an agritech incubator in Ile-de-France, AgoraNov, but two years later, we had to decide on our permanent location. We then chose Montpellier, thanks to the richness of its ecosystem in agricultural and climate research, including IRD, CIRAD, and INRAE, whose teams are based here, and who work on the same subjects that we."

The co-founder of the start-up Morfo, Pascal Asselin. DR – DR

Very involved in the environmental transition, Morfo has given itself the mission of using drones to facilitate the restoration of forest ecosystems. "The UN has given the objective of restoring one billion hectares of forest within ten years, but at the speed we are going today, there will be barely 5 % who will be reached". The young company, which announces that it has already restored 600 hectares since its creation and has completed 19 projects for a total of 2,800 hectares, aims to reforest one million hectares by 2030.

Concretely, the company's projects are divided into three stages: firstly the analysis of biodiversity and the area to be reforested, using satellite images and others taken by drones. Then, the analysis in the company's internal catalog of the species found on site, and their collection by local populations. Analyzed and studied in laboratories, these species are finally reintroduced into their environment via drones, which sprinkle biodegradable capsules containing the seeds and their nutrients, at a speed 50 times higher than conventional reforestation (the drones send 180 capsules per minute).

A nugget already distinguished nationally

The company monitors these reforested areas using drone and satellite images and can process up to 50 hectares per day. Having initially entered into a research partnership with the IRD on its concept, it now benefits from a reputation that no longer needs to be demonstrated. Having won numerous distinctions in 2023, including best innovation in the "Climate & Environment " at the last edition of the Viva Technology show, it was also one of the 30 impact start-ups in the national Greentech Innovation ranking. In particular, it completed a fundraising of 4 M€ end of 2022, led by the Dementer, Raise Ventures, and Teampact funds.

In the region, the company, which has thirty employees, and works mainly in France and Brazil, has just been incubated at the BIC in Montpellier, close to its premises in Odysseum. It is supported by the economic structure of the Region, Ad’Occ, and is very interested in the MedVallée initiative of Montpellier, for its "Environmental health&quot part. ;.

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