Experienced IoT and Semiconductor Executive to Lead Agtech Startup

According to a recent announcement, WaterBit, an agricultural technology company specializing in automated precision irrigation, has named Tony Alvarez the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Alvarez is an accomplished C-level executive in the IoT and semiconductor spaces, and most recently, he was CEO of Altierre, which specializes in IoT for retail stores.

“We’re thrilled that Tony will lead WaterBit through its next phase of growth,” said Scott Sandell, Managing General Partner, NEA and board member for WaterBit. “With current heavy demands on agriculture and ever-increasing concerns about water availability and use, WaterBit’s technology is more crucial than ever.”

The company’s irrigation solution is designed to help farmers reduce water use and optimize labor through a combination of IoT sensors, in-field hardware and cloud-based software. It’s currently deployed for crops like almonds, wine grapes and berries, in California, according to the release.

In addition to Alvarez’s new role at WaterBit, he is a board member at NexGen Power Systems. Previously, he was chairman at SunEdison Semiconductor, and a board member at SunEdison, Validity Sensors and ChipMOS Technology. Alvarez also served as COO of Aptina and Advanced Analogic Technology, as well as CEO of Leadis Technology.

“Although this is an unprecedented time for our country and the world, farming can’t stop and growers need to continue to look for ways to make their operations more efficient,” said Alvarez. “In fact, it’s probably more important than ever for farmers to get the most out of all available resources. I’m looking forward to helping more growers do that with WaterBit’s innovative platform.”

To keep an eye on the IoT as an industry, and the growth of the companies operating within it, plan now to join the IoT Evolution Expo, coming in February 2021 in Miami.