A Conversation with Ben Single: The AgTech Visionary Behind Single Shot!

In the ever-evolving world of agriculture, innovation is key to overcoming challenges and improving efficiency.  One entrepreneur breaking new ground in this space is Ben Single, the founder of Single Ag which produced “Single Shot” a drone spray device that’s revolutionising the Grains industry!  Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down with Ben and discuss his journey, his unique drone-based crop spraying solution, and the transformative benefits it offers to farmers.

The Genesis of Single Shot

Ben Singles' passion for agriculture began on his family's farm a little east of Coonamble in regional NSW.  Temporarily hanging up his boots, Ben went to study Engineering at University, but soon returned to his roots, when he realised the challenges Farmers like Dad John were facing every day, and that there must be more efficient ways for his family to sustain their 4500 hectare dry cropping property.

"We started off differently to a lot of Agtech businesses in that we knew there was a problem and we set out looking for a solution”.  “We wanted to create a solution that could alleviate some of the burdens on farmers, allowing them to focus more on decision-making and less on manual labour”, Ben explained; and so Single Shot emerged from this vision!

Like with many early stage Agtech startups, the customer discovery stage can often be the most challenging phase.  We asked Ben to share his learnings from that process during the early days.  “Dad John and older Brother Tony were my first customers," Ben shared.  “We went back to the roots and asked ourselves what do we need to achieve to be successful?  Simple questions around how many hectares an hour do we need to burn, what price point is acceptable, which weeds to target”.  Ben added that it’s not only about making these discoveries, but it’s taking that knowledge and expanding it; seeking out Agronomy houses for feedback on how they might approach this problem and utilising those family connections and local communities that most Farmers and Producers have at their fingertips.  “We wanted to get any reliability issues out of the way early on, before we started to push it hard publicly”, Ben stressed.

The Grains industry is a unique industry and there’s important key aspects to consider when you’re wanting to innovate in this space.  We asked Ben what he thought some of the most key factors are when it comes to innovating a solution in cropping?  “The scale is what sets it apart from Horticulture which is usually on a much smaller scale - or time.  Compared to something like the Beef industry, with Grains you have very specific windows around treating weeds.” Ben explained.  “Timing is critical in cropping and planting, so I’d say timeliness and scale are key factors”.

Benefits of Single Shot

We fast forwarded a few years and asked Ben what some of the key benefits are with Single Shot and how they compare to other solutions on the market?  Ben broke down the obvious and crucial benefits of his solution, such as time and cost efficiency; Single Shot is a drone based weed mapping system that provides you with a prescription map of where the weeds are, that you can then upload into your sprayer.  “This differs from optical sprayers", Ben noted.

“Our product lets you know all the info beforehand to let you be targeted with your spraying”.  Using examples such as “Basta”, a familiar chemical for spraying, Ben described that a Farmer will know how much chemical to mix and how much that will cost, which in turn improves cost effectiveness.  “The goal is for the Farmer to have all of that information to then make those economic decisions beforehand”.

Ben went to explain how use of their product is actually very simple.  The program itself works out the flight path, you press go and you’re guiding the controls and keeping an eye on it.  Operation is very easy.  It’s more about understanding completely how to apply it.  Once again, how to use that extra information you have around economics and how to use that information to be more efficient.  For instance, you could set a minimum weed size with our technology, which allows you to operate in environments where you otherwise wouldn’t usually be able to spot spray in.  If we take detection in Sorghum or Cotton as a case,  we can pick up the weed between the rows or we can spot and blanket in one pass or perhaps we can do several different chemicals in one pass.  Single Shot can give you several different options depending on what the Farmer or Producer needs - all to reduce the labour as much as possible!”.

Overcoming Challenges

Noting that throughout any Startup journey, you’re always learning, we inquired what some of the biggest learnings were for Ben as he progressed from early stage to prototype and beyond.  “When we started, we didn’t appreciate the spray percentage element.  It was additionally a nice add on - and then we realised it could become a core part of our system.  Now all of our decisions are driven by that “know what’s there before you spray element," Ben responded.

Ben went on to enlighten us that a lot of effort goes into adding new features such as new software, which can have multiple updates and iterations and this can be expensive.  “In the early years we found a few edge cases.  “A fun one for example, was cracks in black dirt when it dries out - it would show up like a weed.  So working out how to detectionary algorithms was fun”, Ben laughed.

A common barrier across the industry is around tech adoption, so we asked Ben to share his thoughts and experience on this from both a Farmers and Agtech Entrepreneur perspective.  “Yes, Farmers have a resistance to Droning technology.  Usually they have had a previous bad experience, so it’s about helping them overcome that and essentially that comes down to seeing and believing.  They want to see the product in front of them and see the result.

Taking advantage of having Ben in front of us, we took the opportunity to probe for expert insights and ask Ben what he feels are big barriers with tech in Grains specifically?  Ben came back with one resounding response; time! 

“Time plays a big part.  Farmers are always stretched for time.  When things have to happen, they have to happen quickly!  So from a Single Shot standpoint, it’s about educating Farmers and getting them to understand that you’re not losing time by learning how to operate our product, you’re actually saving time with our solution”.  A prime example, in the middle of Summer, you’ll have limited windows due to heat and other factors, so you can plan for this and be more effective because you have that map.

Looking to the future

As our conversation drew to a close, Ben shared his vision for the future of Single Shot and the broader Farming landscape.

Pointing out the differences between hardware VS subscription business models, Ben described that the Microsofts of the world pushing subscription based services which can add significant value to a company if you’re having that regular revenue, but the push back is from Farmers, because they want to make that one off purchase and then just come to you if there’s a problem.  Further insights were given as Ben explained that on the flip side “you might have 20-30 people using the product if it’s through a Contractor, so how do you determine the cost structure for them?  We definitely  lose out if it’s a once off sale, so it’s finding that balance of what works best for everyone”, said Ben.  For us, the individual Farmer and that pricing structure is where we’re focusing on.  I think with any business, you have to think about and ask yourself “where are you going to get the most revenue?” Ben advised.

Ben Single’s journey from a young boy growing up on a cropping property near Coonamble to an educated and successful Agtech innovator is a testament to the power of vision and determination.  Through Single Shot, he is not only helping Farmers and Producers save time and reduce costs but also promoting sustainable farming practices that benefit the environment.

As the agricultural industry continues to evolve, pioneers like Ben and companies like Single Shot will play a crucial role in shaping the future of farming. By embracing technology and innovation, they are ensuring that the next generation of farmers can thrive in an ever-changing world!

If you’re inspired by Ben’s journey in the Grains industry and have a concept of your own, visit the Farmers2Founders website and SIGN UP TO TEKSTART; our specialised course is designed to help early-stage Agtech entrepreneurs like you refine your ideas and turn them into reality.  Gain insights, mentorship, and the tools you need to succeed in the dynamic world of Agtech.

DISCOVER a world of innovation today and take the first step toward transforming the Grains industry with your innovation!