Farmers worldwide are dealing with a growing challenge: the heavy machinery used for plowing, planting, and harvesting crops is damaging the soil and reducing profits. Soil compaction — when soil becomes densely packed — can cut crop yields by as much as 60%. Plowing is often used to loosen the ground, but it’s costly, labor-intensive, and can harm long-term soil health. To address this issue, a startup called Muju Earth has created a small, innovative device called the Aeropod. This device automatically aerates the soil without the need for heavy machinery or robotics, helping improve soil conditions and significantly lowering tilling costs. The Aeropod is about the size of a fingernail and is placed in the soil alongside seeds using standard planting equipment. It doesn’t require any prior tilling. Once exposed to the right combination of temperature, pressure, and moisture, the Aeropod bursts open, creating small channels that allow air, water, and plant roots to move more freely through the soil. This process mimics the benefits of plowing but in a more efficient and eco-friendly way. Muju Earth, which is part of the 200 startups competing in this year’s TechCrunch Startup Battlefield at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco, is now conducting paid field trials in the UK. Nine farmers are participating in the trials, with more than 30 others on a waitlist. The startup’s initial focus is on onion growers in the UK, as onions are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of soil compaction. Traditional tilling can cost between £250 to £400 per hectare, factoring in labor, fuel, and equipment wear. With Aeropods, the cost drops to around £100 per hectare. The idea for the Aeropod came from Afolayan and co-founder Wangyang Hu during their time at Imperial College London, where they aimed to create a product that would help farmers increase their profits while also improving soil health. Their guiding question was, “How do you make this as simple as sowing a seed?” Beyond individual farmers, Muju Earth has also attracted interest from companies that produce biologic amendments — natural soil additives that can replace or enhance chemical fertilizers. These products perform best in aerated soil, making the Aeropod a valuable partner in their work. Most of the startup’s growth so far has come from direct interest from farmers, rather than traditional marketing. Muju Earth is one of 200 startups competing in the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield, with 20 finalists set to pitch on the main stage at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco.