Beetle ForTech: Startup with a solution against the illegal wood trade

© Beetle ForTech

Illegal deforestation is a global problem. In particular, tropical tree species are illegally cut down and then sold in local shops as parquet flooring or exclusive furniture. The startup Beetle ForTech from Lower Austria has now developed a technology which enables the complete traceability of timber from the forest and along the value chain. In this way, the previously opaque supply chain becomes increasingly transparent, and the illegal timber trade can be detected and prevented.

The four young entrepreneurs Koimé Kouacou, Thi Phuong An Nguyen, Matthias Sammer and Sebastian Vogler are implementing this technology in four interdependent subprojects, including wood coding and a satellite-supported forest monitoring system. In this way the wood industry can be supported in adhering to EU regulations and ecological standards. The objective is to digitalise the entire value chain and make transparency a matter of course in the sector.

Timber production and wood trading companies are required to prove the origins of their wood. However, there has been a lack of holistic and tamper-proof solutions to help fulfil this legal obligation. The new data-driven solution includes, amongst other features, a specifically developed proprietary IoT marking device which can permanently trace the path of wood in connection with location-based services.

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