Interview with Asier de Celis from Loraontech

For those who don’t know you, how was Loraontech born and what was the need you wanted to solve?

Loraontech was born more than three years ago, when my brother and I started experimenting with sensors in a farm near Vitoria-Gasteiz. At first it was a game, trying different measurements and ways of communication, until we discovered the potential of LoRaWAN: a radio frequency technology with low power consumption and long range.

What surprised us was precisely that: it allows sensors to be installed in rural areas without the need for complex infrastructure, and with a battery life of up to five years. We saw right away that it could transform the way decisions are made in the field. Our mission became clear: digitizing the rural world in a simple, sustainable and accessible way.

Where does the name Loraontech come from?

The name comes directly from the technology we use: LoRa on Technology, or in other words, technology based on LoRa.

LoRa (Long Range) is a wireless communication technology designed for the Internet of Things (IoT), ideal when small data packets need to be sent over long distances and with minimal power consumption. Unlike other solutions such as WiFi or 4G, LoRa allows you to connect sensors located in rural or remote environments without the need for mobile coverage or connection to the power grid. This versatility allows us to create solutions that are truly adapted to the agricultural environment, without relying on costly or complex infrastructures. Beyond the play on words, the name reflects our commitment to simple, efficient and accessible technology for rural areas.

What differentiates you from other solutions on the market?

What sets us apart at Loraontech is that we don’t just sell sensors or software. We design and manufacture our own devices, integrate third-party technology when necessary and develop the software that allows us to manage everything efficiently. This allows us to offer a complete solution, adapted to every need, from the beginning to the final implementation.

We take care of the whole process: we install antennas, configure sensors, generate customized reports and accompany the customer to understand, interpret and take advantage of the data collected in their farm. In addition, we are developing our own storage system, so that all the information generated by the crops remains at source. Our objective is clear: that the farmer has full control over his data and that they do not end up in third party servers.

Where do you see Loraontech in the next 2-3 years?

If all goes well – and we are working flat out to make it happen – we see ourselves as a consolidated company in the agribusiness sector, but also expanding into new areas such as agribusiness, industry 4.0 and smart cities.

In the agricultural world, we want to continue helping farmers and cooperatives to digitize their crops, optimize resources such as water and fertilizers, and make decisions based on real data. But we also see a huge opportunity in the digital transformation of industrial processes, where our sensors and LoRa technology can monitor key variables such as temperature, humidity, energy consumption or preventive maintenance, with very low costs and high efficiency.

In the field of smart cities, we believe that our technology can bring a lot of value: from sensors to control air quality or water management, to solutions for monitoring parking lots, street lighting or urban noise. All this using LoRaWAN networks, which are perfect for deploying low-power, far-reaching solutions without relying on expensive infrastructure.

In addition, we want our software platform to evolve into something even more powerful: an intelligent, intuitive and customizable tool that allows us to visualize and cross-reference data in real time, apply artificial intelligence to detect patterns or foresee incidents, and all this with a clear philosophy of digital sovereignty. That each community, company or farmer can have full control over their data, without relying on large external platforms.

And most importantly: to continue growing without losing our essence. Closeness, commitment to sustainability and passion for useful technology.

What has been the most difficult and the most satisfying thing to undertake so far?

The most complicated thing has undoubtedly been to combine the venture with our jobs. Running a project like this requires a lot of dedication and, at the beginning, you can’t afford to leave your main job, so you end up stealing hours of sleep and free time.

But seeing how ideas turn into real solutions, how clients start to trust you and how your effort pays off, is a huge satisfaction. It is that moment when you see that all the effort, doubts and fatigue have been worth it.

What don’t people see behind starting a startup and should know?

What is not seen is the mountain of hours behind it, the mental energy it consumes and the loneliness it often entails. Entrepreneurship is starting from scratch, often without a clear guide. You have to learn everything: from how to set up a website to how to make invoices, submit grants or negotiate with suppliers.

It is a process in which you fail a lot, and each failure forces you to get back up, correct, learn and continue. Resilience is a basic tool. It’s not just having an idea, it’s having the energy to build it brick by brick… often without knowing if the building will hold up.

If you could go back and start over, would you do anything differently?

No doubt about it. We would repeat the adventure, but applying from the beginning everything we have learned over the years. That would allow us to move forward much faster and make fewer mistakes.

But we also know that those mistakes were necessary. Experience is, in large part, the result of getting it wrong many times… and moving on.

¿How do you reconcile entrepreneurship with your personal life? Is there any routine, habit or “trick” that helps you to maintain the balance?

It’s complicated, let’s not kid ourselves, especially when you have another job in addition to the project. What has helped us is to have clear and achievable goals, breaking them down into small, measurable steps. It is also key to be consistent and know when to say “today is enough”. And surround yourself with a team that shares the vision and supports each other. In difficult times, that makes all the difference. There is no magic formula, but organizing your time well and celebrating each small step forward helps a lot to keep your spirits up.

Round of quick questions

• Movies about entrepreneurship that you recommend?
  • The Social Network – A good reminder of how mismanaged ambition can break teams. More than inspiring, it teaches which paths to avoid.
  • Coach Carter – A story we love for its clear message: with discipline and purpose, you can change realities. Pure inspiration for any entrepreneur
• Brand/company that inspires you:
  • Netflix: We are inspired by how you knew how to radically reinvent yourselves, without fear of killing your initial model. That kind of entrepreneurial courage is key.
  • Steam (Valve): We admire their way of listening to the community, innovating without losing focus and maintaining quality without giving in to fads.
• Phrase that most motivates you in your work? “Success is not in never falling, but in getting up every time you fall.”
• If you could have a meeting with any character from history, who would it be? Leonardo da Vinci. His ability to blend art, science and boundless curiosity is exactly the kind of mindset we admire. We’d love to know how he would approach today’s technological challenges.
• If you were to go back to the past, would you go back to entrepreneurship? Yes, without thinking about it. Entrepreneurship has been like taking a master’s degree in real life. We would make fewer mistakes, yes, but we wouldn’t change a single one of the learnings that have brought us this far.