# TerraBlaster

> TerraBlaster is a California agtech startup building a rugged, tractor-mounted soil sensor that reads nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH and other nutrients in real time using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) - the same laser technique NASA uses on Mars rovers, licensed from St. Louis deep-tech firm Impossible Sensing. Led by CEO Jorge Heraud, who previously co-founded Blue River Technology (acquired by John Deere for $305M), the company aims to replace slow, sparse lab soil sampling with instant, plant-level nutrient maps so farmers can apply exactly the right amount of fertilizer - cutting waste, boosting yields, and protecting waterways.

- **Founded:** 2024
- **Headquarters:** Redwood City, California, United States
- **Founders:** Jorge Heraud (Co-founder & CEO), Matt Colgan (CTO), Pablo Sobron (Advisor / Founder of Impossible Sensing (tech origin))
- **Team size:** ~12 employees (Apollo); reported ~3 growing toward 6-7 in 2025 press
- **Products:** TerraBlaster Soil Sensor, Real-time soil nutrient mapping
- **Notable:** Closed an oversubscribed ~$4M pre-seed round led by Khosla Ventures (2025)., Moved from concept to field-validated prototype using LIBS soil sensing., Recruited Jorge Heraud - co-founder of Blue River Technology (sold to John Deere for $305M) and former Deere VP of automation - as full-time CEO.

## Products & services

- **TerraBlaster Soil Sensor** — A rugged sensor that mounts on tractors, planters or ATVs and uses Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) plus AI to measure nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH and other macro/micronutrients in real time, roughly six inches deep, at operating speeds of ~5mph (targeting 10-20mph).
- **Real-time soil nutrient mapping** — High-resolution soil maps at roughly 1/6 to 1/10 acre resolution - up to a 25-fold increase over conventional ~2.5-acre grid sampling - feeding variable-rate fertilizer application.

## Achievements

- Closed an oversubscribed ~$4M pre-seed round led by Khosla Ventures (2025).
- Moved from concept to field-validated prototype using LIBS soil sensing.
- Recruited Jorge Heraud - co-founder of Blue River Technology (sold to John Deere for $305M) and former Deere VP of automation - as full-time CEO.
- Achieved lab-grade parts-per-million nutrient readings at tractor speed in field tests.
- Adapted Mars-rover-grade laser spectroscopy for rugged in-soil agricultural use.

## Latest updates

- **2025-05** — Jorge Heraud joins TerraBlaster full-time as CEO (announced May 28, 2025).
- **2025-08** — Announces oversubscribed ~$4M pre-seed round led by Khosla Ventures with Bidra, The Reservoir and Trailhead Capital.
- **2025-10** — First field tests of prototype sensors in Iowa (fall 2025).
- **2026-05** — Second-generation prototype testing underway; targeting higher operating speeds.
- **2026-07** — Raising a $10-15M seed round ahead of a targeted commercial launch in late 2026.

## Links

- Website: https://terrablaster.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/terrablaster

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/terrablaster
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-02