// startup autopsy
Taranis
Raised $60M to photograph every crop on earth, sold in distress to a tractor maker.
marketfitFire Sale
Distressed acquisition below last-round valuation
| Founded | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2023 |
| Country | Israel |
| Sector | Agriculture |
| Founder | Ofir Schlam |
// the model, blind
Evaluating only Taranis’s profile at its peak — without knowing the outcome — the model ranked Unit economics as the #1 likely cause. Documented cause: No market fit.
Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
Ofir Schlam founded Taranis in Tel Aviv to deliver AI crop intelligence via aerial and satellite imagery.
FUNDING
Raised $30M Series C from Viola Ventures, expanding US presence with crop insurer partnerships.
PIVOT
Failed to convert free pilot programs into paid contracts; pivoted to SaaS subscription model too late.
SHUTDOWN
Sold to AGCO Corporation in distressed acquisition; Israeli R&D team largely dismissed.