Osram Acquires Stake in Montreal-Based Horticulture Start-up Company Motorleaf

– OsramÔÇÖs venture capital arm Fluxunit invests in Canadian company for
high-end greenhouse technology

– MotorleafÔÇÖs data analytics pave the way to smart farming

MUNICH & MONTREAL–(BUSINESS WIRE)–OsramÔÇÖs
venture capital arm, Fluxunit,
has acquired a stake in Canadian startup Motorleaf, an artificial
intelligence company focused on bringing actionable, data-driven
insights to greenhouse and indoor farm operators. MotorleafÔÇÖs hardware
and software support and strengthen the human and environmental aspects
of greenhouse production, helping to predict accurate harvest amounts in
a tight-margin industry. By providing a digital agronomist, MotorleafÔÇÖs
yield prediction tools help greenhouse operators meet contract
obligations, better plan weekly operations and forecast production
capacities in real time. ÔÇ£We see strong potential in leveraging advanced
data analytics to further optimize predictability and performance of
production in commercial greenhouse and indoor farm production,ÔÇØ said
Ulrich Eisele, Managing Director of OsramÔÇÖs Fluxunit.

For horticultural applications, Osram already supplies specially
developed lighting solutions designed for cultivating plants in
greenhouses or indoor farms that stimulate and manage plant growth.
Adjusting light in the context of overall environmental growing
conditions to the specific needs and characteristics of a plant has a
strong impact on actual yield and quality of the plants produced.
MotorleafÔÇÖs solution adds smart harvest forecasts based on artificial
intelligence.

In initial trials with California greenhouse SunSelect, MotorleafÔÇÖs
technology led to a 50 percent reduction in yield prediction error in
tomatoes. These results were enough for SunSelect to adopt MotorleafÔÇÖs
algorithms after a short trial. However, yield prediction is just the
first step in MotorleafÔÇÖs solutions for producers. ÔÇ£Better yield
prediction is only the beginning for MotorleafÔÇÖs value to this sector,ÔÇØ
says Motorleaf CEO Alastair Monk. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre ultimately producing dynamic
grower protocols, which help manage everything from light and nutrients
to predicting crop diseases before they happen, and optimized growing
conditions that increase ROI ÔÇô all based on real-time data.ÔÇØ

In this seed financing round, Fluxunit, along with financial investors
Radicle Growth, Desjardins Capital, Real Ventures, BDC Capital and 500
Startups Canada invested $2.85 million USD in Motorleaf.

Osram recently expanded its horticulture portfolio with the acquisition
of US-based specialty luminaire supplier Fluence Bioengineering. Via
Fluxunit, Osram also acquired a stake in the horticulture startup
Agrilution in 2017. Intelligent lighting plays an increasingly important
role in the food supply of rapidly growing mega-cities, and
horticultural lighting solutions open up an attractive growth market for
Osram.

ABOUT FLUXUNIT

Fluxunit is the corporate venture unit of OSRAM. We invest in
early-stage startups that aim to change the world we live in using novel
existing technologies and business models. We seek to accelerate your
growth by leveraging OSRAMÔÇÖs heritage in the high-tech lighting
industry. Yet, our investment scope goes well beyond pure illumination
applications. More information on Fluxunit is available at www.fluxunit.eu.

ABOUT OSRAM

OSRAM, based in Munich, is a leading global high-tech company with a
history dating back more than 110 years. Primarily focused on
semiconductor-based technologies, our products are used in highly
diverse applications ranging from virtual reality to autonomous driving
and from smartphones to smart and connected lighting solutions in
buildings and cities. OSRAM uses the endless possibilities of light to
improve the quality of life for individuals and communities. OSRAMÔÇÖs
innovations enable people all over the world not only to see better, but
also to communicate, travel, work and live better. OSRAM has
approximately 26,400 employees worldwide as of end of fiscal 2017
(September 30) and generated revenue of more than Ôé¼4.1 billion. The
company is listed on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt and Munich (ISIN:
DE000LED4000; WKN: LED 400; trading symbol: OSR). Further information
can be found at www.osram.com.

Contacts

For Media Inquiries for Fluxunit:
Lars R├Âssler, + 49
89 6213 4839
[email protected]
or
For
International Media Inquiries for Osram:
Jens Hack, +49 89
6213-2129
[email protected]
or
For
North American Media Inquiries for Osram:
Ellen Miller,
1-978-570-3755
[email protected]