There was a time when technological solutions and environmental efforts seemed like two opposing forces, especially in complex industries such as renewable energy. Spoor’s AI-based bird-monitoring software is proving otherwise. As a female entrepreneur with a soft spot for bootstrapping ventures and STEM-driven innovation, I’m fascinated by how this Oslo-based startup is positioning itself as a critical resource for industries navigating stringent environmental protocols.
The need for Spoor's solution is clear. In 2021, the company began with a mission to protect local bird populations from the potential hazards of wind turbines. Today, its AI technology caters to businesses across three continents and serves over 20 global energy leaders, alongside increasingly curious sectors such as airports and aquaculture. Spoor’s growth trajectory inspires a closer look, and for anyone juggling the challenges of scaling innovation while maintaining ethical priorities, there’s a lot to unpack.
What Makes Spoor Stand Out?
Spoor’s software combines artificial intelligence with computer vision to monitor bird activity, providing high-resolution, reliable data. It operates with off-the-shelf cameras, tracking bird behaviors within a 2.5-kilometer radius. This versatility means wind farm operators don’t need to invest in proprietary hardware, slashing costs and setup times.
One figure I found mind-blowing is Spoor’s 96% accuracy in identifying bird species today, up from just a 1-kilometer monitoring range in 2024. With data drawn from over 1 million bird observations, they’ve overcome one of the renewable energy sector’s biggest hurdles, balancing environmental duty with operational practicality.
What’s even more interesting is the broad application potential. A partnership with Rio Tinto to track bat populations reiterates Spoor's ability to adapt its core AI models across industries. This is a classic example of how specialization can lead to adjacent opportunities in untapped markets.
Lessons for Female Entrepreneurs: The Spoor Playbook
As an advocate for women-led businesses in Europe, I see Spoor as an excellent case study in solving global problems with focused innovation. Here’s what founders can learn:
1. Start Small, Build Big
Spoor’s trajectory demonstrates the importance of narrowing your initial focus. By working exclusively with wind farms in its preliminary years, the company was able to refine its product without diluting its efforts.
2. Invest in Trustworthy Data
Spoor’s product stands out because of its data-driven reliability. Their collaboration with in-house ornithologists strengthened their AI models, creating a trust factor that industries with regulatory oversight require.
3. Adapt Your Technology Beyond Its Original Scope
Spoor’s willingness to explore bat tracking and even drone detection highlights how niche solutions can be broadened for multiple use cases. Entrepreneurs should anticipate, and embrace, growth into other verticals, but only after their initial product reaches maturity.
4. Be Your Own Fundraiser (If Needed)
Spoor has succeeded not just through great technology, but also with focused fundraising. In December 2025, the company raised €8 million from industry-relevant investors like SET Ventures and Ørsted Ventures. What I love is how they’ve balanced receiving external investments while committing to mission-driven growth. For bootstrappers, consider whether strategic funds can leave your business values intact.
5. Risk May Equal Opportunity
Regulation can often feel like a constraining force for innovation. However, Spoor shows how addressing these challenges head-on can carve out a competitive edge.
Building AI-Driven Solutions for Heavily Regulated Industries
If you’re looking to follow Spoor's lead, here are actionable tips to navigate industries bound by complex rules:
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Identify Non-Negotiable Compliance Factors: Build your solution to help clients overcome their biggest compliance hurdles. Spoor excels because it delivers hard evidence needed by regulatory authorities.
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Offer Transparency in Results: Companies like Spoor succeed in connecting with clients by providing clear, verifiable data. Build trust by letting your customers see the process that underpins your insights.
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Lean on Tech Affordability: Spoor integrated AI into existing camera systems rather than forcing clients to buy custom equipment. This opened doors for small operators alongside larger corporations.
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Focus on Secondary Use Cases: Spoor’s bat-tracking initiative doesn’t deviate from their core offering but adds incremental revenue streams. You can expand similarly without alienating your first market.
Avoiding Costly Errors in Tech Expansion
Spoor’s story isn’t free of challenges. Here are examples of common mistakes they avoided, which might save your team time and resources:
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Mistake 1: Scaling Too Early
Spoor waited until its AI product was irrefutably accurate before targeting other industries like mining and aviation. Deliver first, expand when ready. -
Mistake 2: Ignoring Local Collaboration
Their reliance on in-house ornithologists wasn’t merely for accuracy; it helped them contextualize their product for regulators. Always ask yourself who your local allies need to be. -
Mistake 3: Viewing Regulations as Obstacles
Many startups fear industries with heavy regulations. Instead, mimic Spoor by optimizing your solution to solve compliance pain points.
Statistics Speak Volumes
Did you know that Europe’s renewable energy sector accounts for 37% of its overall electricity generation as of 2023? This surge practically demands ready-to-deploy tools like Spoor. Similarly, the market for AI-based biodiversity solutions is projected to exceed €3 billion globally by 2028.
Companies that prepare now stand to become integral players in more sustainable industries. Spoor, by leveraging clear data for wind farms, isn’t just growing as a business, it’s redefining what successful environmental responsibility looks like. For founders, this kind of foresight can shape funding conversations and customer acquisition alike.
Ready to Engage Your Startup’s Vision?
Spoor didn’t just create another AI product. They showed how technology can empower businesses and nature to coexist more responsibly. For entrepreneurs, the message resonates: take bold steps, but ground them in clear, scalable solutions. And for women founders, the lessons are even more profound. Spoor’s clarity, commitment, and creativity prove that trailblazing is a practical option, not just an idealized one.
If you’re as intrigued by their approach as I am, visit Spoor’s official website for more details about their bird-monitoring solutions.
FAQ
1. What is Spoor and how does it work?
Spoor is an Oslo-based startup using AI and computer vision to monitor bird populations and migration patterns. The system operates with off-the-shelf high-resolution cameras and analyzes bird activity up to a 2.5-kilometer radius. Learn more about Spoor AI
2. What industries are currently using Spoor’s technology?
Spoor primarily serves renewable energy companies like wind farms. Additionally, it is expanding to sectors like airports, aquaculture, and mining (e.g., partnering with Rio Tinto for bat monitoring). Find out more about Spoor’s industries
3. How does Spoor help wind farm operators comply with regulations?
Spoor’s monitoring system provides precise, verifiable bird activity data to support compliance with strict ecological regulations, helping operators mitigate risks and streamline environmental assessments. Explore Spoor’s compliance advantages
4. What makes Spoor’s AI unique compared to other monitoring systems?
Spoor stands out by combining AI-based computer vision with cost-efficient, off-the-shelf camera systems, enabling flexible, high-accuracy monitoring without requiring proprietary hardware. Learn more about Spoor’s AI capabilities
5. How accurate is Spoor in detecting and identifying bird species?
Spoor’s detection technology has achieved a 96% accuracy rate for bird identification, thanks to its database of over 1 million bird observations and input from in-house ornithologists. Check Spoor’s accuracy achievements here
6. What is Spoor’s global presence and reach?
Spoor operates on three continents, serving over 20 major energy companies worldwide. It has grown rapidly due to increasing regulatory demands and its innovative approach. Read about Spoor’s global operations
7. Has Spoor received any notable investments?
Yes, Spoor raised €8 million in December 2025 in a funding round led by SET Ventures, Ørsted Ventures, and EnBW New Ventures, demonstrating strong investor confidence. Discover Spoor’s funding success
8. Can Spoor's technology be applied to monitoring other wildlife species?
Yes, Spoor has demonstrated its adaptability by successfully creating solutions for tracking bats and is exploring further opportunities in wildlife monitoring. Learn more about Spoor’s bat monitoring solutions
9. How does Spoor address cost concerns for operators?
Spoor’s hardware-independent software eliminates the need for expensive proprietary equipment, enabling quick and cost-efficient deployment for clients of all sizes. Explore Spoor’s affordable technology
10. What are the future prospects for Spoor’s wildlife monitoring solutions?
With growing expansion to new industries and regulatory tightening globally, Spoor is positioned to become a leader in AI-driven biodiversity and wildlife monitoring solutions. Check out Spoor’s industry outlook
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
