A local tech company focused on providing digital pest management services for the greenhouse industry has been accepted into the Canada’s Tech Network’s Soft Landing: Scale from Home program.

IPM Scoutek, co-founded by Brian Hendel and Carrie Izsak of Splice Digital, provides real-time pest management information to help greenhouses manage pest flareups and improve crop yield and quality.

“The funding has allowed us to produce a video which we are using to reach out to potential new clients,” explained Iszak, who is also vice-president of Splice. “Our software has global potential and it can be expensive to attract new clients so this is very welcome news.”

Iszak said that IPM’s software was in pre-production for more than two years and has been available to greenhouse clients across the globe for a little over a year.

The company’s software enables greenhouse operators to monitor their pest management systems in real-time to help them maximize crop yield while at the same time identifying pest control issues and diseases.

“It also helps our clients manage an appropriate economic threshold when it comes to pest outbreaks and enables them to avoid throwing out an entire crop,” adds Iszak.

While the system is primarily designed for greenhouse crop, it can also be used in orchards to monitor pest control issues.

IPM has clients across Ontario, including Windsor-Essex, western Canada, the United States, Europe and Africa.

Iszak said that IPM is constantly refining its software to meet client feedback and market demands.

“We have quite a bit of work ahead of us because you can’t design something such as this and then stop,” said Iszak. “You have to keep developing and staying ahead of the market and any rivals you might have.”

IPM’s website brings in potential new clients and Iszak said the company also hosts webinars to explain and demonstrate its software technology.

Soft Landing: Scale from Home offers qualified, established Canadian start-ups and scale-ups exposure to business opportunities by providing up to $4,000 in reimbursable business expenses to help generate new sales revenue or investments.

As a client of WEtech Alliance, which is one of 29 Canada’s Tech Network hubs across Canada, IPM Scoutek was able to access the Soft Landing: Scale from Home program as one of WEtech’s Client Perks.

“We have been amazed by the level of support that WEtech has offered us,” said Iszak. “Setting up a new company always comes with expenses and this funding will be a huge help in allowing us to reach out for more business.”