Seven months ago, we submitted a proposal to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant aiming to propel our research to new heights. The road was challenging, with fierce competition, rigorous requirements, and coveted honors at stake. Today, I am thrilled to share the exciting news – WE WON a Phase I Award!
Let me take you back to the roots of our story: One day in 2008, I woke up from a dream thinking, “I need a crystal ball to see the trees’ roots below ground. I need a better way to know if there are critical root problems that I can help to correct.” Little did I know that the selfish notion to make my work easier would begin this TreesROI™ adventure, deeply grounded in science and technology. And still today, the ROOT of that dream remains our unwavering focus.
Allow me to introduce our groundbreaking product, INSIGHT™ – our very own crystal ball. Powered by Geophysics, utilizing the non-destructive technology of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), driven by Data Science analytics, and guided by tree biology and biomechanics models, INSIGHT™ stands as the first-ever 3D GPR Tree-CT system. It revolutionizes how we inspect and assess the quality of tree roots above ground, before the trees are finally planted in their forever homes!
Grateful: This moment fills me with a myriad of emotions – honored and humbled by reaching this milestone, slightly intimidated by the unknown unknowns, and incredibly excited to collaborate with our fabulous Team and the NSF to breathe life into our innovation. My gratitude extends to all of you who have inspired and fueled my curiosity with a blend of pragmatic yet cautious optimism, encouraging me to pursue this wild dream.
This chapter of our story reinforces my belief that with science, technology, a great idea, a lot of hard work, and a little luck, anything imaginable is possible!
Thank you for ROOTING for us.