Osmia Future Redefines Orchard Pollination with Nature Fusion
Polish startup Osmia Future combines AI, robotics, and solitary bees to revolutionize fruit orchard productivity across Europe
Osmia Future, the brainchild of brothers Przemysław and Jakub Kapka, is spearheading a quiet revolution in sustainable agriculture by addressing one of the most underappreciated challenges in fruit farming: effective pollination. The startup recently won the sixth edition of the ING Grant Program for its unique ecosystem of services and technology built around the non-stinging solitary bee, Osmia (commonly called murarka in Polish).
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Osmia Future has developed a comprehensive platform consisting of smart beehives, a mobile app, and a proprietary machine that automates cocoon cleaning and diagnostics. The app leverages spatial data and a custom-built algorithm to calculate optimal hive placement within an orchard, factoring in tree density, plot shape, and crop species. Meanwhile, the company’s in-house machinery cleans and scans bee cocoons, assessing health metrics and tracking data via QR-coded hives, helping orchardists monitor pollination performance over time.
What began over a decade ago with hand-cut reeds and hand-sorted bee cocoons has evolved into a scalable, data-driven business with European ambitions. The company’s beehives are made from recyclable plastic—not sold, but rented—to ensure circular use. Damaged components are shredded and remanufactured, preventing waste and environmental harm.
The inspiration came from observing declining bee populations in family orchards and recognizing the inefficiency of relying on honeybees, especially during rapeseed bloom when bees are drawn elsewhere. Unlike honeybees, solitary Osmia are early risers, unbothered by spring chills, and perfect for targeted orchard pollination. Their effectiveness has direct consequences for fruit yield, firmness, and storability—critical factors for high-value crops like apples.
Thanks to support from ING, Osmia Future is now expanding its technology to accommodate Osmia cornuta, a larger solitary bee better suited for warmer southern climates like Spain and Italy. Their mobile app is being translated into multiple languages and tailored for international deployment, with functionalities like QR hive tracking and pollination density mapping retained across all versions.
While scaling hardware and logistics internationally remains a challenge, Osmia Future’s rental model allows for efficient service loops. Strategic partnerships with local distributors will enable seasonal hive collection and centralized servicing, minimizing costs and complexity.
Their only significant competitor, a Swiss company using bamboo hives, withdrew from the market due to production costs. Today, Osmia Future not only leads the European market but is in talks with smaller initiatives in countries like France and Croatia, potentially shifting them from competitors to collaborators.
Osmia Future’s story is not just about bees—it’s about resilience, eco-innovation, and turning quiet fields into thriving, data-rich ecosystems. With plans to penetrate new European markets, enhance machine automation, and develop species-specific habitats, the company is poised to lead a new wave of precision pollination.
A cultural icon beyond acting:
The humble orchard becomes a stage where biology meets AI, echoing the philosophy of biomimicry once popularized by Buckminster Fuller—designing with nature, not against it.
