Case study
Launching an agrotech startup across the Culiacán valley
A startup founded by engineers from Tecnológico de Monterrey needed to introduce its irrigation-monitoring device among produce growers in Sinaloa. We delivered 600 adoption kits with manuals, technical shirts and training materials in 28 days.
Client context
The startup had closed a seed round with a Mexican agrifood-focused fund and a Japanese investor. The product: an IoT sensor that measures soil moisture, electrical conductivity and temperature, connected to a mobile application for tomato, cucumber and bell pepper growers. The launch was scheduled for the Culiacán valley during the Autumn-Winter planting season.
The founder identified a recurring problem. Earlier pilot tests had shown that growers adopt technology when they receive a tangible physical package, not just when they download an application. That insight led to a welcome kit that included a pre-configured sensor, a technical shirt with visual instructions for field staff, and a printed manual in Spanish with pictograms.
The plan called for 600 kits delivered across five irrigation modules over three weeks. The operation had to coincide with the monthly meetings of the Sinaloa State Council of Produce Growers. Each kit would be delivered in person, with a two-hour installation workshop run by the startup team.
The budget was constrained. The startup needed a supplier that understood the reality of Sinaloan farms: packaging that survives temperatures up to 45 degrees Celsius, logistics reaching rural areas with dirt roads, and a CFDI 4.0 electronic invoice with 16% VAT breakdown for accounting purposes with SAT.
The client made clear from the start that it was not looking for a marketing agency or a design studio. It needed a partner that executed assembly and delivery without taking on brand-communication tasks.
At a glance
- Industry
- Agrotech and horticulture
- Scope
- 600 growers in the Culiacán valley
- Volume
- 600 kits with 7 pieces each
- Lead time
- 28 calendar days
- Model
- Per-module delivery
- Currency
- MXN, CFDI 4.0 with VAT
Methodology
We worked with the client on a physical sampling phase. We sent three box prototypes, two shirt options and two manual paper stocks. The founding team travelled to our workshop in Guadalajara to review options in person and choose the materials most likely to survive the conditions of Sinaloan farms. The final box was double-wall corrugated cardboard with moisture-resistant treatment.
The manual was printed in offset two-color, on 130 gram coated paper, saddle-stitched with a matte laminated cover. It was accompanied by a loose sheet with a QR code that linked to the video tutorial portal. The shirt was 180 gram combed cotton, with one-color screen printing on chest and back.
The sensor and electronic accessories were sourced by the startup itself and delivered to our workshop for integration. We carried out final packaging, individual labeling with serial number, and grouping by irrigation module. The final box included a cardboard divider with five cavities: sensor, USB cable, manual, shirt and a founder-signed welcome letter.
The delivery route was designed in three parallel circuits out of Culiacán, supported by a local carrier familiar with the irrigation modules. Each delivery was accompanied by a checklist signed by the grower or an authorized representative, a mandatory requirement for the startup internal accounting.
We closed the cycle with a joint retrospective. The client leadership and our account team reviewed the indicators from each phase, identified recurring friction points and proposed improvements for the next cycle. The conversation was documented in an act signed by both parties, which served as the basis for the client internal operating manual and as a reference for future projects with other operators in the sector. This closing discipline, uncommon in the merchandising industry, has differentiated our value proposition and has generated organic referrals among operations leaders at sister companies in the group.
Results
The startup met its coverage target in the first quarter after launch. The in-field sensor installation rate exceeded 94%, well above the 71% observed in earlier pilot tests that did not include a physical kit. The pictogram manual was repeatedly cited by growers as the differentiating element against other similar products that only offer an app.
By year-end the startup had renewed the contract for a second wave of 1,200 kits in Sonora and Baja California, replicating the same physical packaging model with regional customization of the manuals.
The client internal operations team documented additional savings in man-hours spent preparing each kit before season start. Before the project, the supervisor at each location spent half a day per week reviewing sizes and sorting pieces; with the new scheme, that task disappeared from the operating calendar. Monthly replenishment consolidated into a single order leaving our El Marques, Queretaro hub, with delivery at each base in less than five business days.
From a commercial perspective, the client reported growth in the post-delivery recommendation rate, measured through the online survey every recipient receives after receiving the product. Reuse of pieces in social media by end users generated organic content equivalent to several tens of thousands of pesos in paid media during the first quarter, per the marketing area estimate.
The tax team validated the CFDIs issued under the general legal regime, with 16% VAT breakdown in each invoice when applicable. The client claimed the expense deduction in its annual return as part of operating expenditures, representing a tax benefit close to 35% of the invoiced amount. The operation set a precedent for the annual renewal of the programme, with minor catalogue adjustments to incorporate new pieces or recycled materials based on market demand.
Lessons learned
- Upfront physical sampling prevents mid-project material switches and cuts waste on short runs.
- Agricultural packaging demands moisture and thermal specifications that few industrial suppliers handle by default.
- Delivery with signed checklist provides clear traceability for subsequent investment rounds.
- Direct communication between the production team and each location lead dramatically reduces rework driven by last-minute changes. Reuse of the pieces by end recipients is an unplanned marketing asset: designing pieces that withstand continuous use multiplies brand return without additional paid media cost.