AI and scent-science firm Arctech expands into agriculture with Rothamsted base

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine spin-out is launching its Odour-as-a-Service platform for agriculture and expanding laboratory and field testing for sustainable pest and disease management

Arctech Innovation has established a new base at Rothamsted as the science and technology firm expands further into sustainable agriculture and crop protection. 

The company, which specialises in scent science, odour intelligence and AI-driven detection systems, said the move will strengthen its work on pest and disease management for the agri-tech sector.

A spin-out from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Arctech has spent more than a decade providing scientific services to global partners developing pest and vector control tools. 

Its expansion at Rothamsted will support laboratory, semi-field and field testing, regulatory submissions and validation work for agricultural products, including biologicals, biopesticides and digital tools.

The company is launching its Odour-as-a-Service platform for agriculture, offering odour-based detection and data solutions aimed at identifying crop pests, pathogens and stress signals earlier and with greater precision. 

Arctech said the Rothamsted site will allow it to combine chemical ecology, entomology and odour profiling in one location to help agri-tech companies generate higher-quality data and accelerate product development.

Professor James Logan, CEO of Arctech, said: “Rothamsted is one of the most respected research environments in the world, with a 175-year legacy of advancing agricultural science. 

“Being based here allows us to expand our services in odour-based detection, efficacy testing, and validation, and to collaborate directly with leaders in sustainable farming and crop protection innovation. 

“Together, we can transform how data and scent are used to predict, prevent, and manage agricultural threats.”

Arctech’s Semeion iQ platform converts odour and sensor data into intelligence that supports earlier decision-making for farmers, agronomists and R&D teams. 

The company said access to Rothamsted’s laboratories, research farms and cross-sector expertise will enable it to work with partners across science and industry on sustainable pest management, performance improvement and regenerative agriculture projects.

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_{Main image: A harvester working an autumn field. Arctech Innovation is developing odour-based detection tools at its new Rothamsted base to help farmers spot crop threats sooner. Credit: Jesús Esteban San José}