Five Questions with a Startup CEO: Drew Smith of Nardo Agribotics

Drew Smith Founder/CEO of Nardo Agribotics

Nardo Agribotics is an autonomous crop dusting company. Our business model is a 24/7/365 nutrient application service to allow full spectrum crop/turf nutrient management, where the end result is yield production and/or turf management.

What does your company do best?

What I’m most proud of, is to bring this technology to the reach of “small time farmers,” finally giving them the opportunity to seriously compete with industrial scale crop yield operations. Using the law of large numbers, we can double the industry’s yield capability using this economic and efficient system of 24/7/365 crop protection. That’s the power our small farmers have! So I would hope what our company does best is help the small guy.

If you could change one thing about your product/service or industry-what would it be and why?

A part of the reason I started Nardo Agribotics was to change the industry. I would like to impact the industry by generating less waste, feeding more people and creating a more efficient business model.

I also think that the aircraft are cool and will create a little excitement for an industry that isn’t always perceived to be very glamorous.

Startups sometimes experience growing pains, what helps you get through these startup cycles?

We’re in the middle of those pains now. However, resiliency is key to many aspects of life. Being the founder of a startup places your business in a life and death situation in one way or another each day seven days a week. I read a lot of books to take my mind off the work. Sometimes it seems like I’ve thought about the same thing for days on end. A good book is a tried and true way to break from the stubborn thoughts that won't leave you be.

What has surprised you during your time with this startup?

Most recently I was surprised when visiting the Ukraine, my hosts brought me by a Ukrainian Innovation/Technology convention. I’m amazed and surprised daily by one thing or another in this field of robotics and aeronautics, and endlessly impressed when meeting talented, brilliant people working on really revolutionary technology all over the world. The future seems very bright.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

Be patient while searching for your opportunity.

Please be on the lookout for more from Drew Smith and Nardo Agribotics.