Yard Stick PBC Company Profile

Background

Yard Stick PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to addressing the climate crisis through innovative soil carbon measurement technologies. The company's mission is to enable gigaton-scale carbon sequestration via soils by reducing the cost and complexity of measuring soil organic carbon (SOC) accurately and affordably. By lowering the cost of high-quality SOC measurement by over 90%, Yard Stick aims to expand opportunities for climate-positive agricultural and ranching practices that enhance ecosystem health, improve farmer and rancher livelihoods, restore soil health, and combat climate change.

Key Strategic Focus

Yard Stick's strategic focus centers on providing comprehensive solutions for soil carbon measurement through proprietary hardware and software. The company's technologies are designed to measure soil organic carbon up to a meter in depth, create statistically sound sample plans, and collect measurement data in real time. This approach reduces the cost of measurement by 70-90%, addressing a significant barrier to credible and scalable soil carbon projects. Yard Stick targets global corporations seeking to decarbonize their agricultural supply chains and companies utilizing voluntary carbon markets to offset emissions.

Financials and Funding

Yard Stick has secured nearly $18 million in venture capital funding to date. The company closed its Series A funding round at $12 million, with investors including Toyota Ventures Climate Fund, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Lowercarbon Capital, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Pillar VC, and Extantia Capital. Additionally, Yard Stick received an $18 million grant from the USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative in 2022. The funding is intended to accelerate the company's mission to enhance the accountability and effectiveness of soil carbon sequestration projects.

Pipeline Development

Yard Stick has secured multi-year contracts worth more than $17 million in revenue, with a pipeline of customers including major players in the soil markets. The company's technologies are compliant with leading voluntary carbon market crediting programs, and their fieldwork has covered hundreds of thousands of acres across 26 U.S. states.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Yard Stick's technological platform comprises proprietary hardware and software designed to revolutionize soil carbon measurement:

Proprietary Hardware: A cloud-enabled, handheld spectral probe capable of measuring soil organic carbon up to a meter in depth. This device eliminates the need for traditional soil sampling methods, providing instant measurements and reducing costs.

Software Solutions: The company's software suite includes a stratification engine that provides automatic stratification of project fields and creates statistically sound sample plans. Additionally, a field data platform collects measurement data in real time, ensuring data security, auditability, and instant availability to project stakeholders.

Leadership Team

Chris Tolles: Co-Founder and CEO. Chris brings extensive experience in technology and entrepreneurship, leading Yard Stick's strategic vision and operations.

Kevin Meissner: Co-Founder and Chief Engineer. Kevin has a background in engineering and has been instrumental in developing Yard Stick's proprietary technologies.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The soil carbon measurement market is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing corporate commitments to emissions reductions and the need for accurate measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) solutions. Soil's potential to sequester carbon on a gigatonne scale positions it as a critical component in global decarbonization efforts.

Competitor Analysis

While specific competitors are not detailed in the available information, the market includes various companies developing cost-effective tools and exploring new business models to overcome barriers in soil carbon measurement. Yard Stick's unique combination of proprietary hardware and software, along with its significant cost reduction in measurement, positions it as a leader in this space.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Yard Stick has established significant collaborations to strengthen its market position and innovation capacity:

USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities: In 2022, Yard Stick was awarded $18 million from the USDA initiative, partnering with organizations such as Organic Valley, Texas A&M, South Dakota State University, General Mills, and Stonyfield Organic to demonstrate lower carbon intensity in their operations.

Scientific Advisors: The company is supported by leading soil scientists, including Dr. Cristine Morgan, Chief Scientific Officer at the Soil Health Institute, and Dr. Jason Ackerson, Research Soil Scientist at the Soil Health Institute.

Operational Insights

Yard Stick's strategic considerations include:

Market Position: By offering a comprehensive, cost-effective solution for soil carbon measurement, Yard Stick differentiates itself from competitors and addresses a critical barrier in scaling soil-based sequestration projects.

Competitive Advantages: The company's proprietary technologies, significant cost reductions, and compliance with leading carbon market protocols provide distinct competitive advantages.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

Yard Stick's strategic roadmap includes:

Expansion of Technological Offerings: Continued development and commercialization of its hardware and software solutions to further reduce costs and improve measurement accuracy.

Market Penetration: Leveraging existing partnerships and funding to expand operations domestically and internationally, targeting corporations seeking to decarbonize their supply chains.

Enhancing Trust in Soil Carbon Projects: By providing reliable and affordable measurement solutions, Yard Stick aims to build trust in soil carbon sequestration projects, facilitating their scalability and effectiveness.