At the best of times, weather forecasts are unpredictable. Yet, they're foundational to the make or break-decisions of farmers the world over. Swedish-born Ignitia provides hyper-local weather forecasts that are twice as accurate as global models. And today, they're helping small-scale farmers across the tropics increase their yields one text message at a time.

We had a chat with Ignitia CEO Liisa Smits and former COO Lizzie Merrill about the organisation's success, impact investing, and the rewards of being a "gritty" entrepreneur.

What's Ignitia in a nutshell?
"We work primarily with small-scale farmers in West Africa, many of whom only earn 2 USD per day. There aren't really any irrigation systems, so rainfall couldn't be more crucial for them. Ignitia provides these farmers with accurate forecasting, via basic text message, to answer the critical question of 'when will it rain?'. This enables them to make the most informed decisions about their crops and improve their livelihoods."

How was the company founded?
"Ignitia was founded by Liisa Smits and Andreas Vallgren, two passionate atmospheric researchers. After realising that — in the 21st century — there were still no reliable forecasts around the equatorial, it was time for action. This basic yet business-critical information was urgently needed by farmers to reduce risks and increase yields."

Why is Ignitia special?
"We've translated state of the art science — not even available at universities — to an essential product that lets farmers know if it's going to rain or not. Typically, this kind of technology is very specialised for niche markets but is useful for all over the tropics. For me, the most inspiring thing is that we've managed to show how somebody living on the extreme poverty line can work themselves to the next income level by just making better-timed decisions. It's a bit like taking the gambling out of farming.   

What kind of impact have you seen?
"There are so many stories from the field that motivate you each day. For example, we've just seen the results of 400 random farmers using the service who were able to increase their yields by almost 60%."

"You hear a lot about Silicon Valley startups — it's sexy, exciting, unicorns and billion-dollar ideas. But the reality of being an entrepreneur is a lot more gritty."

What's been the biggest challenge along the way?"One of the biggest challenges yet most rewarding experiences is getting a feel for the on-ground reality, getting to know the farmers living in West Africa that we're providing new opportunities to. You hear a lot about Silicon Valley startups — it's sexy, exciting, unicorns and billion-dollar ideas. But the reality of being an entrepreneur is a lot more gritty. Particularly, in markets like Nigeria, where the majority of your customers are illiterate and living in poverty. Things always take more time and effort than you expect. But it's so worth it. Every day, I'm learning something new."

What's been the key to Ignitia's success?
"If you get a few good adaptable people working on the ground towards a common goal, you don't always get there on a straight path, but you always get there. Having a great team has been critical to our success."

Where do you see the impact investment industry heading?
"Right now, impact investing is at a critical juncture. For the past 15-20 years or so that's it been around, it's been mainly focused on impact. And on the other side, you had the startups in the Silicon Valley always asking: 'how quickly can I get that next return?' Finally, we're starting to see more of a balance — a focus on finance but still making it sustainable. There are several examples of businesses proving they can do both. It won't always be a quick exit or the 10x return, but it can be profitable, and it can be sustainable.

Any final messages for our readers?
"I've been studying social enterprises and impact investing for many years, and Ignitia is one of those business models that sounds almost too good to be true. The more forecasts we sell, the better off people will be. Many would think: 'Is there a way to make money like this?' but Ignitia has been able to prove that a social enterprise, in a pure form, can be a profitable business that has a positive impact."

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Pictured: Founder and CEO Liisa Smits at our Investor Day