Antonie, the AI-driven soil intelligence company behind LIFE Monitor™ and CROP Monitor™, has appointed Dr. Stefan Geisen of Wageningen University & Research and Prof. Gerhard du Preez of North-West University, South Africa, to its Scientific Advisory Board.

The appointments reinforce Antonie’s scientific leadership as it scales its AI-powered soil biodiversity platform under its mission to improve soil health globally.

Dr. Stefan Geisen is Associate Professor at Wageningen University & Research, where his research centers on molecular soil ecology and the complex interactions between soil biodiversity, including microbial predators such as protists and nematodes and their bacterial and fungal prey, and their consequences for soil health.

Prof. Gerhard du Preez is Associate Professor and Subject Chair at North-West University, with expertise spanning nematology, environmental health, and the assessment and restoration of soil ecosystem health in farming systems. The two scientists are co-authors of the peer-reviewed paper "Nematode-based indices in soil ecology: “Application, utility, and future directions" (Soil Biology and Biochemistry), a landmark review that provides a comprehensive synthesis of nematode-based indices, their applications, strengths, limitations, and future directions for assessing soil ecosystem health, biodiversity, and functioning.

Their expertise aligns directly with Antonie’s core technology. LIFE Monitor™ combines automated microscopy and artificial intelligence to identify and classify living soil organisms at scale, with nematodes as primary biological indicators. Together with CROP Monitor™, Antonie’s platform equips farmers, laboratories, landowners, researchers, and governments with the soil intelligence needed for sustainable land management decisions.

Jerome H. Mol, Chairman & CEO, Antonie: “Welcoming Dr. Stefan Geisen and Prof. Gerhard du Preez to our Scientific Advisory Board is a proud moment for Antonie. These are truly world-class scientists, among the foremost experts in soil biodiversity and nematology globally, and the fact that they have chosen to align with our mission speaks volumes about the direction we are heading. Their work is foundational to everything we are building. Together, we are not just measuring soil health; we are redefining how the world understands and acts on it. We also look forward to jointly advancing the next generation of soil biodiversity indicators and soil health metrics.”

Antonie develops its scientific models in collaboration with leading research institutions including Wageningen University & Research, NIOO-KNAW, and the Julius Kühn-Institut. The company’s work is well aligned with the objectives of the European Soil Monitoring Directive and the broader development of European soil monitoring and standardization frameworks as these continue to evolve across Europe.