Following the philosophy of other successful projects already launched at this innovation hub, such as 'Demeter' (Abastores and John Deere) and 'Atlas' (a proposal from SpherAg together with Azud and Metos), the new projects are collaborative initiatives that integrate the innovative vision of a startup with the knowledge of a leading company in the agricultural sector to increase the added value of woody crop production systems.
In this regard, the John Deere Parla Innovation Center benefits from the expertise of nine partners in permanent crop production systems (AGQ Labs, Agromillora, Azud, BASF, Industrias David, John Deere, Metos, Teyme, and Yara) and the unique proposals of nine startups (Abastores, Auravant, Biome Makers, Eden Library, FarmLabs, Graniot, Guss, Smart Apply, and SpherAg). The Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) is also involved, and the center has the institutional support of the Parla City Council.

Smart Apply
, the project from Smart Apply, an American company acquired by John Deere in 2023, improves the precision and performance of sprayers used for woody crops such as vineyards, olive groves, and orchards. Specifically, it uses sophisticated LiDAR (light detection and measurement) technology to recognize the leaf volume of each tree/vine and adjust the exact volume of chemical required.
This reduces inputs by up to 50%, thus lowering the costs associated with purchasing these products, while simultaneously increasing crop profitability and minimizing its environmental impact.

Icarus
project focuses on improving fertilization and biostimulation management in olive groves by combining the analytical capabilities of the Andalusian startup Graniot with the plant nutrition expertise of Yara, the initiative's mentor and a leading producer of fertilizers and biostimulants. Yara possesses the know-how to create a map with an individualized dose for each tree, compatible with John Deere and Teyme technology.
Graniot provides advance parameters on the condition and size of each tree in the crop through the processing of very high-resolution satellite images. This valuable information, combined with Yara's recommendations, aims to optimize doses and increase the efficiency of nutrient delivery in olive groves.

The Innovation Center is already hosting 10 disruptive projects.
Conceived as John Deere's first global innovation center for high-value crops, this center offers solutions focused on improving irrigation water efficiency, precision fertilizer application technologies, soil health enhancement innovations, and solutions that increase the efficiency and feasibility of implementing organic fertilizers for various purposes. To
this end, the Innovation Center is already hosting 10 projects aimed at improving the performance of high-value crops. Of these, 8 are entrepreneurial initiatives, such as 'Atlas,' which uses IoT to control and optimize crop irrigation based on weather and the specific water needs of each crop, and 'Demeter,' a digital marketplace that provides up-to-date market prices for major crops (corn, wheat, barley, oats, etc.) to address the challenge some farmers face in selling their products quickly.
The remaining two are academic research projects coordinated by doctoral students and faculty from the Higher Technical School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (ETSIAAB) at the UPM. One studies precision fertilization based on soil maps in olive groves, while the other focuses on measuring the long-term impact of minimal pruning in vineyards.
A second anniversary with strong institutional presence.
This morning, the Innovation Center's anniversary celebration took place at the John Deere Ibérica headquarters in Parla (Madrid). It was attended by high-level figures such as: Luis Planas, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Isabel Bombal, Director General of Rural Development, Innovation and Agri-food Training; Ramón Jurado, Mayor of Parla; and John Coronado, Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Spain.
During the event, the more than 80 professionals from the sector who attended enjoyed several expert panels that addressed the main challenges facing the agricultural sector in the short term, including production costs and new regulatory measures, water availability and the shortage of skilled labor, as well as the achievements of the innovation hub in its two years of operation.
According to Javier Fernández, head of the Innovation Center: “The agricultural sector is experiencing a period of change that requires innovations to address the challenge of combining sustainability with food security. Faced with this challenge, all of us who collaborate at the innovation center are firmly committed to continuing to achieve progress that will drive agricultural activity toward a more productive, efficient, and sustainable future.”