HUNGRY ECOCITIES : Paths to progress Experiments
+ PROJECT
(BE)ETOGETHER
BEESAGE x Maria Castellanos + Alberto Valverde
SUMMARY
Empowering the Connection Between Humans and Bees.
BeeSage pioneers Apiculture 4.0 with a modular early warning system to protect honey bee colonies from threats like pests and diseases. Their wireless, lightweight hardware—designed for diverse users—and real-time data platform empower beekeepers to maximise yields while safeguarding ecosystems and advancing food security. As Europe approaches digital adoption thresholds, BeeSage is prepared to scale from simple hive alerts to full AI-enabled apiary analytics.
The project (Be)Together is dedicated to fostering a deeper connection between humans and bees by developing an innovative system that uses a range of sensors to collect hive data. This data is then analyzed using artificial intelligence (AI), providing both traditional visualizations and an interactive interface that allows users to explore the inner workings of the hive.
Through this collaboration, the project aims to bridge the gap between art, technology, and science—creating an emotional and meaningful connection with bees. Though essential to biodiversity, bees often remain invisible in our daily lives. This initiative seeks to raise awareness and encourage a more conscious, connected relationship with these vital creatures, helping people recognize the critical role they play in the health of our planet.
The project also addresses the challenges faced by BeeSage, a company equipping beekeepers with AI-powered tools for real-time insights into colony health. These tools enable informed and agile decision-making. Together, the artists and BeeSage will explore new ways to optimise colony health and predict swarming using advanced AI techniques—creating sustainable solutions that support both honey production and pollination.
“Maria and Alberto combine a bold artistic outlook with impressive technical capability. Their passion for environmental issues related to food security and ecosystem harmony matches our vision of deepening humanity’s understanding of insect pollinators to drive actionable, sustainable solutions.”
Ru Wikmann – CEO BeeSage
+ ARTIST
Maria Castellanos + Alberto Valverde
Spain
María Castellanos and Alberto Valverde began working as an artistic duo in 2009. María Castellanos holds a Ph.D. in Fine Arts from the University of Vigo and served as a postdoctoral researcher at Oslo Metropolitan University (Norway) as part of the FeLT – Futures of Living Technologies – project from 2021 to 2023.
Alberto Valverde is an artist and technologist with a strong background in mathematics and extensive experience in system design, interactive environments, multimedia, and robotics.
+ SME
BEESAGE
Beekeeping
Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS
Modular beehive monitoring system that boosts productivity and honey yield to benefit the Earth through data-driven beekeeping. Our software and hardware help beekeepers, farmers and conservation stakeholders mitigate risks and enable informed decisions.
The HungryEcoCities project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement 101069990.