
Timeline
Below you can browse through the entire history of SEEDPODS.

5 December 2024: Demo Day Romania ClimAccelerator
Adrian Rotaru once again represented us in front of key market players at the Demo Day Romania ClimAccelerator event, alongside the other 6 startups in the Seed Stage category (Atomania, Marny Energy, Pedala Defensivă, Renewd, Frenvi.eu, and Wormxsoil). Together, we sought solutions and shared knowledge, laying the foundation for a shared commitment to environmental protection.
This program challenged us to explore new perspectives, analyze new possibilities, and better define our long-term goals.

12-13 November 2024: Ready, Steady, Go..Tech World 2024
We were once again at GoTech World. The event took place at Romexpo Pavilion B1, where this year we focused on how we can innovate to protect the planet and how sustainability and technology can contribute to the environment.
It was yet another excellent opportunity to showcase our innovations and explore potential collaborations, while also enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of the event and connecting with people who share a similar passion for progress, technology and the environment.

7 November 2024: Science for Sustainability Days event
On November 7th, we participated in the Science for Sustainability Days event, organized by the Magurele Science Park Association.
Our colleague, Dan Ghiță, discussed the impact of research on the development of the Seedpods project during the panel “Clean Water and Sanitation | Terrestrial Ecosystems | Sustainable Cities and Communities,” while Doru Paceșila presented the latest updates of our project. Once again, we had the opportunity to make meaningful connections with industry experts.

19 October 2024: CEE Climat Connect Forum
At the CEE Climat Connect Forum, an event hosted by the European Commission Representation in Romania, we connected with Alex Găvan. We are two entities that, although different, have much in common. Both of us share a deep curiosity and a continuous desire to explore, whether through drone technology or our passion for nature. Alex Găvan inspires us not only with his passion for mountains but also with his projects dedicated to nature conservation, such as the Green Belt of Bucharest.
We firmly believe that this connection will bring long-term benefits, and together we will discover the best ways to collaborate for a positive environmental impact!

15 October 2024: Great news! We won the Climate Change Summit Awards 2024
At Climate Change Summit Awards 2024 we had the privilege of exchanging valuable ideas in a vibrant environment dedicated to sustainability, alongside other researchers, entrepreneurs, and government officials.
We are grateful for the connections made with these inspirational people, sharing a common vision for a better future.
Also we won the Climate Change Summit Awards 2024 for our dedication and contribution to promoting sustainability in the Biodiversity category!
“We continue to innovate for a sustainable future!“

31 August 2024: SEEDPODS at ”Școala de vară de știință și tehnologie de la Măgurele”
We enthusiastically shared ideas about how entrepreneurship can make a real difference in protecting the environment and how technology can work in harmony with nature.
We were excited to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs! We had fun together and left with super energy!

30 August 2024 : Autumn Tests
We conducted thorough testing on all three functional drones, along with various types of aerodynamic projectiles. This was the first time we tested our software, and I’m pleased to report that the drones responded precisely to the commands. Overall, the test was a success, and we have identified the necessary modifications to implement moving forward. Additionally, we planted several dozen saplings from different altitudes as part of the experiment.

22 July 2024: SEEDPODS returns to ”Laser Valley Innovation Bootcamp, Second edition”
It was a memorable weekend as we celebrated one year since the first edition of the Laser Valley Innovation Bootcamp and, therefore, one year of Seedpods. It was a pleasure to participate, this time as guests, reconnecting with colleagues and dear friends. We felt the vibrant energy of the Bootcamp once again and relived every moment. We extend our congratulations to the winners and remind them that perseverance is the key to success. As Adrian said, “Whatever happens, never stop trying.” Laser Valley Innovation Bootcamp is organized under the patronage of the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization of Romania, in partnership with the Magurele Science Park Association and Banca Comercială Română (BCR), with support from Launch Romania.

13 July 2024: SEEDPODS is featured at ZF IT Generation
We were given the opportunity to discuss our method in great length, in an online webinar hosted by Ziarul Financiar.

28 May 2024: Best Product Award at Innovation Labs
We’ve done it—we’ve made it real. Being awarded “Best Product” at Innovation Labs 2024 is an incredible honor and the perfect recognition for our team of engineers. This prize is not just a validation of our hard work, but also a strong motivation to continue innovating and evolving. The past three months of preparation have been intense, but every step has brought us closer to perfecting our concept. Demo Day was an explosion of energy and creativity. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the organizers for an exceptional event and to the mentors in the program.

20 May 2024: SEEDPODS Spring Tests
A new Leonardo drone, constructed from 3D printed carbon fiber was used to perform two test runs, during which we were able to plant 20 new trees (spruce). The drone operated at an altitude of 100 meters and it was able to withstand powerful winds.

5 May 2024: SEEDPODS at MSP & Launch Meetup
Together with other researchers, founders, and investors, I attended a dynamic networking session in a great atmosphere at an event hosted by the National Institute of Materials Physics, Măgurele Science Park, and Launch Romania.
Rotaru Adrian, CEO of Seedpods, was invited to share our story, the challenges of entrepreneurship, future plans, as well as the advantages of being part of a community like Măgurele Science Park for early-stage entrepreneurs. It is encouraging to see how our mission is supported and appreciated!

April 2024: Tests
Our team conducted multiple site visits and performed numerous tests across various terrains to refine both the design of the projectiles and our newly developed in-house drones. Following these tests, the latest trials proved to be highly successful.

Meet Leonardo
Introducing Leonardo, our MVP and the cutting-edge drone prototype by SEEDPODS, engineered with the latest 3D printing technologies to revolutionize reforestation. Lightweight, adaptable, and designed for rapid production, Leonardo epitomizes efficiency in tree planting, capable of establishing 500 trees daily across challenging terrains. Its unique brain capsule ensures durability and operational continuity, safeguarding the drone’s core systems even in adverse conditions.

9-10 March 2024: Our Seedpods team at Innovation Labs Hackathon Bucharest
Our SeedPods team has successfully made it to the top 35 out of 106 teams following our participation in the Innovation Labs 2024 competition. This achievement has granted us access to a three-month mentorship program, marking the beginning of an incredible journey of innovation and collaboration.
We invite you to explore our presentation from the competition by clicking on the link provided below:

20 December 2023: Business journal on CANAL 33
Today we had the honor of being invited to CANAL 33 to discuss our project, Seedpods, the idea of helping restore the environment and create a greener future for generations to come. We are grateful for this opportunity, to share this vision with the public and are thrilled by the interest and support we have received.
We are motivated by the idea of contributing to the restoration of the environment and we do want to bring a positive change to the world.
A video link can be found below:

15 November 2023 testings: First spruce seedling implanted using our method
Following the field testings conducted on the 15th Nov. our team attempted to use the Mk. 10 projectiles, together with the Mk. 2 drone and Mk. 3 launcher to implant several seedlings into the soil. Although we ran into several technical issues and our drone and hardware was pushed to the limits (very strong winds and difficult drone manoeuvring) we were able to obtain a milestone achievement, by planting our first seedling into the ground. This validates the SEEDPODS method as being viable for tree planting and considering the state-of-the-art in the field, is currently the only method recorded to successfully plant one year grown seedling using drones. The system evidently requires much more work to function reliably, but it is now evident that the core question is no longer if SEEDPODS will work, but rather when it will become ready for mass deployment.

November 2023: SEEDPODS is present at GoTech 2023
SEEDPODS participated at the GoTech 2023 event, where we had the amazing opportunity to meet different people from various companies, make new friends and overall showcase our products, thus far.
A video link can be found below:

Mk. 10 projectile and early bio-degradability
Due to manufacturing issues, the projectile was re-engineered with extra vertical stabilisation. The entire shape is much more aerodynamical, allowing for greater implantation speeds to be reached. The material used is now semi bio-degradable.

FORMWERK offers their help
The FORMWERK company, a provider of 3D printing solutions and retailer of 3D printers and materials offers to support us by providing us a sophisticated state-of-the-art 3D printed, together with the best available bio-degradable plastic filaments on the market. Using this tools, we can now manufacture 3D printing designs out of more complex materials and construct our projectiles in bulk, this newer 3D printer technology accelerating manufacturing time for a single projectile down to 2 hours, making it possible to commence the next phase of testings, by printing 100 bio-projectiles in a matter of weeks and also enabling us faster prototyping.
A link to the FORMWERK company can be found below:

SEEDPODS at How to Web Side Event
SEEDPODS participated at the How To Web side event, in which we introduced our novel Seedling bio-projectile, intended to plant seedlings.
A video link of the presentation can be seed below:

Projectile Mk. 9 designed
The projectile was redesigned such that it can fit the seedlings obtained through containerised growth. This features a much larger container, capable of deploying species like spruce, pine and oak, which are already 30 cm in height.

September 2023: Pădurea de Mâine offers their help
Pădurea de Mâine is an NGO that specialises in tree planting efforts. They offered to donate to us 100 seedlings obtained through containerised growth, in order to commence further testings using large bio-projectiles. These include oak, pine and spruce.
A link to Pădurea de Mâine website can be found below:

Projectile implantation test success
Our first test in attempting to implant projectiles from 30 meters, 50 meters and 85 meters was a success. The projectiles follows the predicted parabolic flight plan and can be very accurately aimed. They impact the grown with different kinetic energies, depending on release height and thus the depth of penetration can be controlled very precisely.
A video of these tests can be seen here:

Launcher Mk. 2
Following testings done with the Launcher Mk. 1, several flaws were discovered and the launching system was reinvented into something lighter and more reliable.
The launcher Mk. 2 was build in two examples, each one containing 8 Mk. 7 projectiles and a dedicated battery, allowing for easy plug-and-play removal and reloading.

The SEEDDRONE Mk.2 and Launcher Mk.1
A dedicated drone for further testings was constructed, using a drone solution developed by NXP as an evaluation platform for drone research. This was a research-grade drone kit, capable of being modified to serve different applications. We constructed it as a load carrying drone, with the payload being the first generation seedpod launcher, capable of releasing up to 8 bio-projectiles, containing seeds.
This solution allowed for flight automation and also automatic projectile release and was intended as a proof-of-concept of a drone plating seeds.

July 2023: First aerodynamic tests
The first aerodynamic tests to validate the process of releasing a streamlined projectile from a drone, studying flight characteristics and soil penetration potential was done using the small Mk. 1 drone.
These tests were instrumental in improving the projectile into its first aerodynamic shape that was capable of vertical flight and penetrated the ground to certain extends (right image). The projectile was tested with ballast weight in its cone section, to simulate soil and seed.

Mk. 1 for testing the concept
The first aerial platform used for launching projectiles was a commercial DJI Spark video drone. Equipped on this drone was the Mk. 6 and Mk. 7 projectiles.
The launcher was a quick improvisation using a small servomotor, an Arduino powered microcontroller and a small 3d printed structure, controlled via delayed release and later a radio link.

SEEDPODS appears on TV
The SEEDPODS idea was further validated by appearing, briefly, on the TVR Info channel. Here, we were able to explain to the wider audiences our tree planting project and this event forced us to define our core values.

June 2023: SEEDPODS participates at the Laser Valley Innovation Bootcamp
The SEEDBULLETS idea was resurrected for the Laser Valley Innovation Bootcamp, organised by MSP, How to Web and BCR. During this 3 days bootcamp, Seedbullets changed its name to Seedpods and received confirmation as a viable, high-potential business.
The bootcamp ended with a pitch contest, in which SEEDPODS won the first prize, validating the idea in front of the business community.

2020: SEEDBULLETS idea conception
SeedPods originates from an idea called SeedBullets, in which seeds would be placed in 3D printed “bullets” and launched into the ground, using drones. The purpose of this project was to investigate the possibility of planting large amounts of trees to form forest communities, in an economical and simple way. The project was eventually halted, after 5 different iterations of aerodynamic projectiles failed to attain vertical flight and good soil penetrating power, simply by releasing them from very low height (up to a few meters). The core problem was in the projectile stability, which requires vertical stabilisers to be aerodynamically viable, eventually evolving into something more akin to a free-fall rocket than a bullet.