Tecde.ai
Harvis is a WhatsApp-based digital agronomist helping small and medium-sized farmers improve climate resilience and market access.
Website: https://www.tecde.ai
Cover Block
| Attribute | Tecde.ai |
|---|---|
| Name | Tecde.ai |
| Tagline | Harvis is a WhatsApp-based digital agronomist helping small and medium-sized farmers improve climate resilience and market access. |
| Headquarters | Medellín, Colombia |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Stage | Seed |
| Business Model | B2B2C |
| Industry | Agtech |
| Technology | AI / Machine Learning |
| Geography | Latin America |
| Growth Profile | Venture Scale |
| Founding Team | Co-Founders (2) |
| Funding Label | Seed (total disclosed ~$120,000) |
Links
- Website: https://www.tecde.ai
- LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/tecde
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tecde.ai/
What an Investor Needs First
Tecde.ai is a Colombian agtech startup that has built a wedge into the smallholder farming market by deploying its AI assistant, Harvis, on WhatsApp [F6S]. The company, founded in 2024 and based in Medellín, aims to democratize digital agriculture by providing technical assistance, operational traceability, and yield predictions to improve climate resilience and market access for farmers across Latin America [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024]. Its founding team, CEO Luis Miguel González and CTO Juan Sebastián Ochoa, brings a blend of commercial and technical focus to the venture [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026]. The company's initial $120,000 seed round was led by Techstars Chicago Powered by J.P. Morgan in September 2024 [CB Insights, Sep 2024]. The business model is B2B2C, serving both farmers and the enterprises that rely on their produce. Over the next 12-18 months, key watchpoints include the transition from accelerator-backed prototype to commercial deployments, the articulation of a monetization strategy, and the validation of AI-driven predictions in field conditions.
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core product and funding details are confirmed; team roles and business model are inferred from multiple sources but lack direct primary confirmation.
Inside the Company
Tecde.ai is a Colombian agtech venture established in 2024, headquartered in Medellín [TheCompanyCheck, retrieved 2024]. The company's flagship product, Harvis, is a digital agronomist via WhatsApp designed to assist small and medium-sized farmers [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024].
The company's first significant milestone was its acceptance into the Techstars Chicago Powered by J.P. Morgan accelerator program, which culminated in a $120,000 seed investment in September 2024 [CB Insights, Sep 2024]. Public records identify Juan Sebastián Ochoa as co-founder and CTO, with Luis Miguel González as CEO [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026]. The company's communications position it as serving producers, cooperatives, and agro-industries across 17 countries in Latin America [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024].
Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Confirmed by Crunchbase, company website, and LinkedIn.
Under the Hood
Tecde.ai's flagship offering, Harvis, is a digital agronomist that farmers access entirely through WhatsApp [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024]. This interface is the core of the company's go-to-market strategy, designed to bypass adoption friction. The service promises 24/7 technical assistance to producers, cooperatives, and agro-industries across 17 Latin American countries [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024].
Behind the chat interface, the company combines machine learning, AI, and engineering for data capture, management, analysis, and prediction [ConnectAmericas]. A specific technical capability cited is the use of computer vision to estimate and classify raw material in agro-industry operations [Crunchbase]. The product's functions include providing direct technical advice, enabling traceability, and generating predictive insights [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024].
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Analogous Agtech Market LATAM 2023 | 1,200 $M |
| Smallholder Farms LATAM | 14 million farms |
| Smartphone Penetration Colombia | 70 % |
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Market sizing is drawn from analogous third-party reports (AgFunder, FAO, GSMA); no specific sizing for Tecde's exact product category is publicly cited.
Competition and Substitutes
Tecde.ai's Harvis enters a fragmented market by using WhatsApp as a primary interface, a tactical choice that sidesteps direct competition with more established, app-centric agtech platforms.
- Incumbent agronomy services: Traditional, in-person agricultural extension services provided by cooperatives, government agencies, or private consultants [PUBLIC].
- App-based digital farming platforms: Companies offering crop monitoring and advisory via proprietary mobile applications [PUBLIC].
- Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and traceability software: Solutions targeting larger commercial farms and processors [PUBLIC].
- General-purpose AI and messaging tools: Generic AI chatbots and WhatsApp groups [PUBLIC].
Tecde's current defensible edge is its chosen distribution channel. The durability of this advantage depends on the speed at which Tecde can build a proprietary data asset and network effects before competitors adopt similar chat-based interfaces.
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Competitive mapping is inferred from the broader agtech category; channel analysis is based on company claims.
Opportunity
Tecde.ai's opportunity rests on becoming the default digital layer for small and medium-sized farms across Latin America. The company's mission to democratize digital agriculture targets a user base historically underserved by complex, expensive software [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024].
| Scenario | What happens | Catalyst | Why it's plausible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Procurement Integration | Harvis becomes the preferred system for large food & beverage companies to source traceable, climate-resilient produce. | A pilot or partnership with a multinational agribusiness. | Tecde.ai positions Harvis as a bridge to enterprises that rely on agricultural products [F6S]. |
| Government & NGO Channel | National agricultural extension services or development banks adopt and subsidize Harvis. | A contract with a government ministry or development institution. | The founder's professional network includes a connection to the Inter-American Development Bank [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026]. |
| Financial Services Layer | The operational data captured by Harvis enables risk assessment for crop insurance or micro-loans. | Integration with an established insurtech or fintech platform. | The technology is used for prediction for agricultural operations [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024]. |
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- The core product description and mission are confirmed. The growth scenarios are extrapolations based on stated market positioning and founder background.
Sources
- [F6S] Tecde.ai | https://www.f6s.com/company/tecde.ai
- [tecde.ai, retrieved 2024] Tecde · Democratizamos la agricultura digital a través de tecnología | https://www.tecde.ai
- [CB Insights, Sep 2024] Tecde.ai Financials | https://www.cbinsights.com/company/tecde/financials
- [TheCompanyCheck, retrieved 2024] Tecde | https://www.thecompanycheck.com/company/b/tecde/p880cj0t6i24309eu
- [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026] Juan Sebastian Ochoa - CTO - Tecde Inc. | https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanochoa-ctotecde/
- [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026] Luis Miguel González - CEO - Tecde.ai | https://co.linkedin.com/in/luisgonzalez-ceotecde/en
- [ConnectAmericas] Tecde | https://connectamericas.com/company/tecde
- [Crunchbase] Tecde.ai | https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/tecde-ai
- [AgFunder, 2023] AgFunder AgriFoodTech Investment Report 2023 | https://agfunder.com/research/agrifoodtech-investment-report-2023/
- [FAO, 2022] The State of Food and Agriculture 2022 | http://www.fao.org/3/cb9479en/cb9479en.pdf
- [GSMA, 2023] The Mobile Economy Latin America 2023 | https://www.gsma.com/mobileeconomy/latam/
- [Reuters, May 2021] Valmont to buy Israeli agricultural AI firm Prospera for $300 mln | https://www.reuters.com/business/valmont-buy-israeli-agricultural-ai-firm-prospera-300-mln-2021-05-11/
Articles about Tecde.ai
- Tecde.ai's Harvis Plants a Digital Agronomist in the WhatsApp Chat — The Colombian startup is betting its AI assistant for smallholder farmers will grow from a $120k Techstars seed into a data layer for Latin American agriculture.